URI’s Delroy James falls to the floor going for a rebound during first-half play at the Ryan Center yesterday. Behind him are URI’s Will Martell, left, and Akron’s Jimmy Conyers. For a slide show of last night’s game action and a feature video from last night’s game, go to projosports.com

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The Providence Journal / John Freidah

SOUTH KINGSTOWN — As the youngest of four basketball-playing brothers, Delroy James has spent most of his life playing in the shadow of his older siblings.

Yesterday, after watching James lead URI to a 79-50 triumph over his team, Akron coach Keith Dambrot tried to add still another brother to James’ family. Dambrot was speaking about how impressed he was with URI, especially on offense.

“They have some really good pieces,” Dambrot said. “They’re loosey-goosey, a good offensive team.” He spoke about several players, then got to the day’s biggest star.

“That slashing James, LeBron’s brother,” he said.

Akron is LeBron James’ home. Dambrot knows LeBron James well. Calling Delroy Lebron’s brother was his way of throwing out a huge compliment.

Delroy James gave a heck of a LeBron James impression against the Zips.

He came off the bench to score 16 points, pull down a career-high nine rebounds, five assists and three steals in 26 minutes — all with no turnovers. James began the season as a starter, had a great game (21 points) at Duke, but then struggled and lost his starting job five games ago.

He has averaged 11 points since then. But scoring is only a small part of what he can do. He plays at the head of the Rhody press, pressuring the inbounds passer. At 6-7, and with long arms and excellent speed, he has helped make the press much more effective than it was earlier in the season.

“It starts with me, the four man, on the ball. I try to bring energy to the press,” he said.

He does not mind that he is now being used off the bench.

Martell starts

Coach Jim Baron made a change in the starting lineup, giving Will Martell his first collegiate start. Martell, who had a career-high 18 points in the win at FDU on Tuesday, had six points and four rebounds in 21 minutes.

He made all three of his field-goal attempts and has now made 10 in a row in his last two games. The other players spoke about how they were not surprised with Martell’s emergence.

“He can really score in practice,” James said. “He’s a very good offensive player.”

“He’s got to demand the ball more,” said guard Keith Cothran.

Cothran had 16 points, which helped continue a very positive trend. It was the 13th time in his career that he has scored at least 15. URI has won every one of those games.

Eaves back on court

Forward Ben Eaves got in for the first time in three games and he looked good. The 6-foot-7 UConn transfer made a 3-point field goal at the end of the 35-second clock on his first and only shot of the day, had a nice assist that led to a 3-pointer by Cothran, had three rebounds, including a powerful one going over the top of an Akron player, and a blocked shot.

Eaves has looked good when he has gotten a chance to play, but he is a victim of a clogged frontcourt, with numerous players fighting for playing time. Baron was asked what Eaves had to do to get more playing time.

“What I’m looking for is consistency,” Baron said.

Almond lauded

It has been six years since the Ryan Center opened, but URI officials have obviously not forgotten the man most responsible for making the facility a reality.

Ceremonies were held before the game, marking the 100th in the building. Athletic director Thor Bjorn presented a game ball to former Gov. Lincoln Almond. It was Almond who brought the idea, proposed by then URI-coach Al Skinner, to build a new home for Rhody basketball. Skinner and then URI AD Ron Petro did much of the work, but it was Almond, a URI grad and a regular at Rhody games, who provided the political clout to make it a reality. Baron thanked Almond, Skinner and Petro, among others.

pkenyon@projo.com