The University of Akron Athletics
Enrique Freeman and Ali Ali Selected to the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament
April 17 | Men's Basketball
AKRON, Ohio – Akron Zips senior men's basketball players Enrique Freeman and Ali Ali were selected among the 64 players to participate in the Annual Portsmouth Invitational Tournament in Portsmouth, Va. on April 17-20.
Every year since 1953, the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament has invited 64 senior college basketball players from across the nation to compete before professional scouts. Eight teams of eight players play a 12-game tournament over 4 days, with each player hoping to reach their dreams of becoming a professional basketball player.
Freeman and Ali became the fifth and sixth players in Akron history to be selected to the Portsmouth showcase, joining Romeo Travis (2007), Zeke Marshall (2013), Isaiah Johnson (2017), and Loren Cristian Jackson (2021). The pair are the only two players from the MAC in this year's showcase.
Freeman will appear on the eight-man Roger Browns Restaurant roster along with Josh Oduro (Providence), Branden (Utah), Jordan Wright (LSU), Tyler Robertson (Portland), Boogie Ellis (USC), Kenan Blackshear (Nevada) and Jahmir Young. The squad will be coached by Bill Mann, Junior Burrough, and Joey Dorsey.
Ali will appear on the eight-man Portsmouth Partnership roster along with Jesse Edwards (West Virginia), Max Fiedler (Rice), Malevy Leons (Bradley), Marcus Domask (Illinois), Sean East II (Missouri), Ta'Lon Cooper (South Carolina) and DJ Horne (NC State). The squad will be coached by Evan Kee, Erik Johnson and Chris Lofton.
Both Freeman and Ali will begin competition on April 18th with the Portsmouth Partnership taking on Sales Systems, LTD at 7 p.m. while Roger Browns Restaurant will face K&D Rounds Landscape Services at 9 p.m.
Freeman finished his Zips career first in total rebounds (1,405), second in career blocks (188) and third in career scoring (1,843) while becoming just the sixth player in Akron history to record 1,000 career points and rebounds.
The Akron forward was named to the Associated Press All-America Honorable Mention Team along with being a finalist for the Oscar Roberston Award, the Lou Henson Award and the Karl Malone Award. He was named the Mid-American Conference Player of the Year along with earning recognition on the All-MAC First Team, All-MAC Defensive Team, and All-MAC Tournament Team while being named the MAC Tournament MVP. Recording 31 double-doubles in the 2023-24 season and ranking first in the NCAA, he tied the NCAA single-season record for the most double-doubles joining Armando Bacot (2022) and David Robinson (1986) as the only players to record this feat. Freeman also ranked No. 1 in the NCAA for Rebounds Per Game (12.9) while setting a program record for consecutive games with 10 or more points (49).
He averaged 32.5 minutes, 18.6 points, 12.9 rebounds, 1.63 assists and 0.8 steals per game while blocking a career-high 61 shots.
Ali became the 49th player in Akron history to record 1,000 points and finished 41st in career scoring with 1,090 points. He also earned All-MAC First Team and All-MAC Tournament Team selections.
The past season saw Ali score in double figures 23 times after appearing and starting in 27 games. He scored a season-high 29 points against Gardner-Webb on Dec. 21 where he made a season-high nine field goals. He also led the Blue and Gold in assists 14 times the past season.
Ali averaged 33.1 minutes, 15.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.81 assists per game while recording 12 steals and five blocks on the season.
