The import will head into the Breakers' (6-3) clash with Wollongong (1-8) at Vector Arena tonight after a two-game stretch that illustrated his tremendous talent. In wins over Cairns and Townsville, Ibekwe scored 34 points and 23 rebounds, falling one board short of back-to-back double-doubles.
He was also, rather inexplicably, credited with just three blocked shots, a number that seemed surpassed in one half against Cairns.
"Somebody told me I had like eight blocks - that's the most I've had in a while - but it was only like two on the scoresheet," he said of the Taipans victory. "You want people to get things right but, at the same time, I'm just glad that I was there and able to do that. That's all I really care about."
The Breakers will hardly care what the stat sheet shows, either. They recruited Ibekwe to be a shot-blocking presence and he has already provided that in abundance. The spectacular put-back dunks are just a bonus.
"Ekene's spark off the bench was just incredible," said coach Dean Vickerman. "He came off a year when he didn't play and, any time you take a year off through injury, it's going to take a while to get your feel back."
Ibekwe agreed with that assessment, having steadily rediscovered his rhythm after spending the previous season recovering from a stress fracture in his foot. Initially joking it was a year's vacation, the well-travelled 29-year-old used the time off to reignite his love for the game.
"Anything you've been doing for your whole life that just stops, you're going to miss it," he said. "I definitely feel happy to be here, just playing basketball again."
Ibekwe has played for 10 teams in seven countries during an eight-year professional career and, aside from the weather, the Californian-born power forward is enjoying his time Downunder.
"I love the league. It's fast, it's quick, it's my style. I like the way my team plays, I like how we approach the game and how we get up and down the court."
The feeling from the fans is mutual, with that athleticism - the jumping, the blocks, the dunks - part of the package that has endeared Ibekwe to his new club.
"I would like to think I bring some excitement on the court," he said. "I like to get the crowd into it and get the crowd hyped and, at the same time, energise my teammates. That's definitely my role - getting up and down the floor and being in certain spots where guys can get me the ball and I can get easy lay-ups and dunks. And being that defensive presence down low, using my wingspan and changing shots."
For now that role arrives from the bench, backing up Alex Pledger. It's a situation that doesn't worry Ibekwe - he's already played 40 minutes more than the injury-stricken starting centre - but little seems to concern the laid-back nomad.
Ibekwe has no fixed future in mind, knowing only he wants to play at the Rio Olympics and repeat an appearance from London, where Nigeria competed in their first Games.
"There's no long-term plan. I'm just coming off the injury and seeing how my body feels. But so far, so good. I'm picking it up, my rhythm and my timing, so we'll just see how the season goes."
