And, the Quinte Secondary School graduate is hoping he'll be equally difficult to ignore in the gym once he gets his NCAA collegiate basketball career back on track this fall at Iowa State University.

Originally recruited by Iowa, Vanderbeken spent two years at a junior college in Tyler, Texas after graduating from Quinte. He led the Tyler Apaches to a top-10 national ranking and the team's first conference title in 21 years, averaging 14.1 points and 9.1 rebounds to steer the squad to a 25-and-3 record in his sophomore season.

Vanderbeken's efforts earned him an invitation to the NJCAA All-Star Game.

At Quinte, Vanderbeken averaged 25 points per game, a dozen rebounds and 4.2 blocks in his final season as a Saint. He was invited to the Canadian national team tryouts and was identified as one of the top 150 players in Canada (2006) by Hoopmasters.

Vanderbeken's mother, Eleanor, was born in Scotland meaning he could play for Great Britain at the world championships and Olympics. It's something he'd like to do.

The Intelligencer recently caught up with Vanderbeken to play a little Q and A. Here we go.

Q: Going back to your days at Quinte, what was it like being recruited by major Canadian and U.S. universities?

A: "The recruitment process at first was exciting. Noticing how many universities actually wanted me to play basketball for them and having to go through each school and picking the final ones was great. However, the stress of of it all eventually caught up to me and the countless letters and phone calls from schools was taking its toll. There was a point where I was getting 20 calls a day -- everyday -- from different schools. I never really considered staying in Canada to play because my dream was always to play NCAA basketball and since the opportunity was there, I had to take it."

A: "The transcripts between Canadian and American schools are so different that some of my core credits didn't transfer over, so I was ruled academically ineligible to attend Iowa. The coaches there hooked me up with Tyler Junior College."

Q: As a Canadian, were you treated differently?

A: "Going from Belleville to America alone would've been a huge change for me. But I went to Texas, which in itself is its own little country. I went through huge culture shock the first few months, but it settled down after that."

Q: Was it a little intimidating?

A: "For everyone, going to a school away from home is always a little intimidating but knowing I was going alone, with no friends or family, I knew it would be a little bit of a struggle. I knew that this is what I wanted to do, so I was ready for whatever happened."

Q: How was your time at Tyler -- on and off the court?

A: "My freshman year was pretty tough. I wasn't in the best shape and was playing behind two really great players. So, adjusting to playing all the time in high school to getting scrap minutes was pretty tough. My second year though, was great. I played a lot and learned a great deal from the coaches. The social life down in Tyler was pretty great too. I made a lot of friends from all over the world who I still talk to today."

Q: How did you wind up at Iowa State?

A: "After TJC, I signed with Iowa State and not Iowa like I did out of high school. I guess it's something about this state I love. Just like the high school recruitment process, the same thing went on down at TJC. Letters and phone calls and having to narrow my list to a handful of schools. Iowa State had the best opportunity for me to play and have an immediate impact right away."

Q: How big of an adjustment was it?

A: "It really wasn't that big of an adjustment. My coach down at Tyler prepared me very well for the next level and I was able to play a significant role in my first year at ISU."

Q: What were your expectations at ISU and how do you feel you performed in your first two years there?

A: "My expectations were pretty high, personally. I knew that they recruited me to play right away and minutes were available so I took advantage as best I could and played pretty well my first year. My second year, however, was a total disaster. I broke my foot over in London when I was trying out for Great Britain's national team and it took longer than originally planned to heal. When I came back, I sprained my knee and tore up my ankle pretty bad. My coach came to me, asking if I wanted to redshirt the rest of the year and after talking with my parents I decided that would be the best for me and to just let that year go and focus all my attention on this upcoming season."

Q: What are your expectations this upcoming season?

A: "Tremendously high -- for the team and myself. I'm the lone returning post player so I have to be ready to play right away, which I will be. We'll be a very young team with only four returning players but I know the talent we have already and what we have coming and my mind is set that we'll make a run at the Big 12 championship and make the NCAA tournament in March."

Q: What about after ISU?A: "My plans go as far as basketball will take me. I've wanted to play professionally ever since I can remember and I will definitely pursue a pro career, whether it is in the NBA or in Europe. I plan on playing for Great Britain in the future and hopefully in the 2012 Olympics in London."