THE growth of Australian players in the collegiate system has continued over the most recent season, and Adelaide native Lachlan Olbrich was representing his home country extremely well.

Olbrich joined the the UC Riverside Highlanders in the United States, and entered his sophomore season with the team hoping to further develop his game, having emerged as a strong young talent back in Australia.

The forward has plenty of upside to his game, and at just 20 years of age, has plenty of growth left as well.

He delivered a solid first season, and although his game is far from complete, Olbrich still showed the foundation of a strong player when facing his toughest competition yet.

UC Riverside faced off against the Illawarra Hawks in a preseason game, and Olbrich showcased his talent from the get-go. He delivered 19 points and 10 rebounds, further demonstrating why the Highlanders should play him as much as possible in the regular fixture.

It clearly worked, with the 20-year-old averaging an impressive 27 minutes per game, as the UC Riverside coaching staff put plenty of faith in his ability to contribute on the floor with the starters.

The forward posted averages of 11.4 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game, delivering plenty of consistency when it came to his output. Most of his points came within the arc, where he used his 6’10 frame to get into scoring position and put the ball up close to the rack.

His form improved as the season went on, and his numbers shot up as a result. Over a five-game stretch in February, Olbrich delivered point totals of 22, 13, 23, 22 and 13. It was a true reflection of his scoring potential and was a strong period to close out his maiden campaign in the NCAAM.

In terms of improvements, Olbrich still has a fair way to go when it comes to shooting, and his numbers from behind the arc reflected that. From three-point territory, the forward shot 29 per cent, which is still reasonable for a player of his size. It is evident that it is a part of his game he would like to use, and a more confident shot will likely come in the next few seasons.

It was a promising debut season in the NCAAM for Olbrich, who looks to be a central point of the Highlanders moving forward and showed strong promise during his first campaign in the collegiate system.