By: Joey Mullins
Assistant AD for Communication
 
When kids first go off to college, there is always a period of adjustment. They are away from their parents for the first time, living in a different city, and it can be difficult at times.
 
Imagine moving away a year earlier than most, and not only moving to different city, but an entirely different country. That was the situation Samford senior center Ruben Guerrero was faced with when he moved from his hometown of Marbella, Spain to Wichita, Kansas, for his senior year of high school.
 
"I was 17 years old when I moved," Guerrero said. "I moved here with my brother. I went to high school first for a year in Kansas. Then, right after that, I went to college."
 
Guerrero and his younger brother, Adrian, moved to Wichita where they attended Sunrise Christian Academy. But when they moved, they had a built-in support system waiting for them.
 
"It was just me and my brother," Guerrero said. "When we moved to Kansas, we were living with a professor in his house. There were other international students in that house with the professor. Then when I moved to USF, my brother went there with me and he finished high school in St. Pete."
 
During his season at Sunrise, the 7-foot Guerrero averaged 9.3 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. He helped the Buffaloes finish with a national ranking of No. 14 by USA Today and a 19-7 record while playing a tough national schedule.
 
Guerrero said when he first moved to the United States, he definitely experienced some culture shock.
 
"It was big time," Guerrero said. "Coming here with my brother was a big help. Just coming here, there were so many things we didn't know about the American culture. Things like the time you guys have your meals, how you greet people, how you interact with people. We are very touchy in Spain, but here it's not that much, so it was just a little shocking at first. But, everybody was so nice to us, and like I said, having my brother was helpful. It took me a little while, but I'm good now, I'm used to it."
 
Guerrero also said having other international students with them in the house they were staying in was a big help as well.
 
"I think that was helpful," Guerrero said. "There were a bunch of French kids, Italian kids and a Serbian guy; a bunch of Europeans especially. That was helpful because they had been here a year before me so they already knew how everything was, so they kind of told us everything and what we needed to know."
 
When Guerrero was looking at where to attend college, he has several options. The schools he mainly looked at were Houston, South Florida and George Mason. He eventually decided to attend South Florida.
 
In three seasons at USF, Guerrero started a total of 66 games. As a sophomore, he averaged 5.1 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, and he led the team, making 59.1 percent of his shots. During his junior season, Guerrero averaged 5.4 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, and he led the team with a total of 37 blocked shots.
 
"I obviously grew a lot," Guerrero said of his time at USF. "I especially grew my freshman year because I was tall, but I was still really skinny. So, I took on a lot of weight to play here in the states, because the game is so different. I had to put on a lot of weight to be able to play more physical and play more aggressive. The game in Spain is different, it is more the team, with more passes and things like that, here it's more athletic and quicker, faster, stronger and I had to get used to that. I think during my first year as a freshman, that's when I got used to the game. And then, I was just playing a little bit more and growing."
 
After his junior season, Guerrero decided to transfer out of USF. The relationship between a USF assistant coach, and former Samford assistant coach Jake Headrick helped lead Guerrero to Homewood.
 
Last season, Guerrero had to sit out the entire season due to NCAA transfer rules. He said not being able to play was a difficult experience for him.
 
"At first, I was mentally ready for it," Guerrero said. "I was just like, okay, I'm not going to play no matter what I do. I just have to know that. But, as the year went on, and we weren't doing too well and it was getting longer and longer, it got really hard. I would say after Christmas, I said, I'm coming to practice, but I can't play, I can't help them, it was getting bad. I would say the second half of the season was tough."
 
This season, Guerrero has already made a big impact on the team. Entering Thursday night's home game against The Citadel, Guerrero is leading the team in both scoring (14.8 ppg.) and rebounding (8.2 rpg.). He has scored in double figures in 15 of the team's 18 games so far, and has posted three double-doubles.
 
Despite the success he has had so far this season, Guerrero has some definite areas he would like to improve in as his senior season progresses.
 
"I just want to be more aggressive," Guerrero said. "Coach P (Padgett) has said I just have to play like the biggest man on the court and I think that is the biggest thing for me. Coming from South Florida, I was just another player, they weren't looking to me like they do here. I have to get used to being one of the guys here. That took me a little while, but Coach P is helping me out and I have to get it mentally right to help the team even more."
 
Guerrero and the Bulldogs come into Thursday night's contest, which starts at 6:30 p.m. in the Pete Hanna Center, with a record of 11-7 overall and 1-4 in Southern Conference play. The team will host a pair of games this week. In addition to Thursday night's game against The Citadel, the Bulldogs will also host Mercer Saturday at 2 p.m. For ticket information, click on the following link: MBB TICKETS.