Lee’s Summit West product Yor Anei has been a revelation for Oklahoma State basketball

Yor Anei arrived at Oklahoma State from Lee’s Summit West this season as something of a project.

The upside was apparent. Standing 6-foot-10 and lanky, Anei had been an all-state selection as a high school senior. Add some bulk, build the skill-set and Anei would be ready to contribute in time.

But largely because of roster flux in Stillwater, that time is now. And Anei has taken advantage of the opportunity.

Entering Wednesday’s Big 12 tournament first-round game against TCU in Kansas City, Anei averages 7.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and a Big 12-leading 2.5 blocks per game, a figure that ranks eighth nationally.

He’s picked up the pace lately. Over the Pokes’ final three regular-season games, Anei averaged 11 points, seven rebounds and six blocks, and his recent play earned him Big 12 Newcomer of the Week.

Success has come quickly for Anei, who looks forward to playing in Sprint Center, a building in which he grew up watching and attending games. He expects a friends-and-family group of 15 or so to attend Wednesday’s game.

“It’s crazy. I never thought I’d be playing here, not this young,” Anei said. “Maybe in the future.”

No time like the present. Teammates say he’s only started to scratch the surface of his potential, and second-year coach Mike Boynton has seen remarkable improvement from the player who became his first signee.

“Light years from when I first saw him,” Boynton said. “Since the beginning of the season he’s made a great progress. He’s playing with a lot of confidence. His shot-blocking ability always stood out, but he’s becoming a more well-rounded player.”

He also has an intriguing background. Anei is a native of South Sudan who moved to the area with his mother, Kathleen Akot, as an infant. At age 3, Anei lost his index and middle figures when he reached into a blender. It’s never been an obstacle on the basketball court, but Anei didn’t begin to take the game seriously until he was a teenager.

Even then, he required influential forces to keep him on track. One was Victor Williams, the former Oklahoma State star guard who coaches a Kansas City AAU squad called Team Rush. Anei’s focus improved when he joined Williams’ team.

Anei started his high school career at Shawnee Mission South but didn’t finish his junior season. Grades were a problem. He transferred to Lee’s Summit West and had his best high school year, earning a spot on the Class 5 all-state team.

Another reason for the switch: Lee’s Summit West was the school of his AAU teammate Christian Bishop, who now plays at Creighton. Anei moved in with the Bishop family for his senior season.

“I was having troubles at Shawnee Mission South,” Anei said. “It worked out better for me at Lee’s Summit West.”

Now, Anei looks to continue his ascent at the college level.

“I think you’re going to see him continue to improve,” Boynton said. “He has a desire to be coached. He wants to learn and he loves competing.”

First-round games

Oklahoma State is the No. 9 seed, TCU the eighth seed for the game that tips off at 6 p.m. Wednesday. The winner faces No. 1 Kansas State on Thursday around 2 p.m.

The other first-round contest matches seventh seed Oklahoma against No. 10 West Virginia. The Mountaineers have played in the past three Big 12 Championship title games. The OU-WVU game will begin 30 minutes after the conclusion of the opener, with the winner taking on second-seeded Texas Tech on Thursday at 6 p.m

The Horned Frogs and Sooners appear to be in good shape as NCAA Tournament at-large teams. The only path for the Cowboys and the Mountaineers to the NCAAs is to win the tournament.