Completed Event: Men's Basketball versus Northwestern State on November 21, 2025 , Win , 85, to, 72
M Basketball
vs Northwestern State
W 85-72
Grand Canyon University Athletics
2025-26 Men's Basketball Roster
Roster
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Jersey Number 17
Efe Demirel
- Ht./Wt.:
- 7-1 / 240
- Position:
- Center
- Class:
- Freshman
- Hometown:
- Izmit, Turkey
- Prev School:
- Pinar Karsiyaka
- Major:
- B.S. in Business Management
| Read | 7-foot-1 Turkish center joins GCU Watch | International highlights |
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Grand Canyon |
- Comes to GCU from Turkey, arriving on campus in mid-August. "Practices, therapies, lifting. Everything is going perfect at GCU. It's really different from Europe. Everything is much bigger, more comfortable and much better."
Prior to GCU |
- Seasoned player with year-round play at high levels in Turkey.
- Part of the Andalou Efes S.K.. a successful Euroleague club, in Istanbul that won the Presidential Cup in 2022-23 and he was also on the organization's teams that won the nation's youth league twice.
- In 2024-25, Andlous Efes S.K. allowed him to play for Pinar Karsiyaka of the Turkey Basketball Champions League. In Izmir, the 20-year-old averaged 3.6 points, 2.7 rebounds and 0.8 blocks in 9.8 minutes per game.
- In his final game for Karsiyaka on May 17, 2024, posted 18 points and seven rebounds against Tofas in 26 minutes. He made 6 of 8 shots from the field and 6 of 8 free throws.
- In 2023, FIBA identified Demirel as one of the 10 rising stars at the FIBA U18 European Championships.
- A fixture in Turkey's national team program, Demirel maintained a key role as a part of the roster that captured a 2023 FIBA U19 World Cup bronze medal. Averaged 6.3 points and 3.9 rebounds for Turkey at the FIBA 2024 U20 Eurobasket.
- Has former teammates playing at Penn State (Melih Tunca) and SMU (Samet Yigitoglu).
Personal |
- Parents are Mehmet Senol Demirel and Aynur Demirel.
- Spent his first week in Arizona in mid-August by attending his first NFL game, Cardinals-Chiefs, and a trip north to the Grand Canyon and Sedona.
- On his first visit to GCU Basketball Practice Facility, Demirel was reunited with Karsiyaka teammate Fatts Russell, who works out with his brother, former Lopes star DeWayne Russell.
GCU Men's Basketball vs. Oklahoma State - Highlights
Sunday, December 07
GCU Men's Basketball vs. Stetson - Radio with Bryce Drew
Thursday, December 04
GCU Men's Basketball vs. Stetson - Radio with Caleb Shaw
Thursday, December 04
Students LOVE final score of 67-45 #collegebasketball
Wednesday, December 03
