MHERST - UMass coach Travis Ford didn’t challenge the validity of Stephane Lasme’s numbers in 2005, but he knew the story behind them didn’t add up.

Ford’s introductory stump speech still was resonating on campus when the real work of talent evaluation began quietly in the gym. Ford had assembled the big men he inherited, including Atlantic 10 All-Star center Rashaun Freeman, Lasme and a few reserves.

After the 45-minute workout had run its course, Ford honestly was perplexed by his first impressions of Lasme and what the statistics were claiming. As a sophomore, the gangly (6-foot-8) Lasme started 28 games and averaged 23.2 minutes per game. All he had to show for that time was 5.3 rebounds and 6.3 points per game that were dragging down a respectable 72 blocked shots.

The numbers were just too bad to be true and, as it turned out, they hid more than they revealed.

“The first time I worked with him individually was with four other big guys and I had been on the job a day or two,” recalled Ford. “I said, ‘This young man has no idea how good he is.’

“I said, ‘Somebody get me a stat sheet from this year.’ I wanted to see what his stats were this past season. I was astounded by the (discrepancy) of what they said and what I just saw.”

The body and the athleticism were there. Ford’s job was to convince Lasme that he was more than an extension of Freeman in the frontcourt.

“As time went on, I was trying to make him understand how good he could be and what I found out was that he had always given in to Ray,” said Ford. “He would say, ‘That’s not what I’m supposed to be doing, I’m not supposed to be scoring, that’s not my job.’

“I’d tell him, ‘Who says that’s not your job? You have great moves and great instincts you can be a dominant player. You’re not a role player.’ ”

Lasme got the message. In his first season in the new system, he started 27-of-28 games, played 816 minutes, averaged 10.5 points and 7.0 rebounds and rejected 108 shots.

Lasme emerged as one of the leading shot blockers in the nation and has surpassed one of the greatest players in Minutemen history. In Wednesday’s loss at Rhode Island, he had seven blocks to equal Marcus Camby’s school record of 336, then had three more in yesterday’s win at Charlotte to break the mark.

Lasme has 108 blocks this season and likely will break Camby’s single-season record of 128. He also is averaging 13.1 points and a team-high 9.9 rebounds per game.

“Blocking shots is all about timing, which comes more naturally, where rebounding is more about just going after it all the time,” said Lasme. “We work on it a little bit in practice, but I think it’s more of a mindset you go into the game with.”

Lasme has added new dimensions to his offense and that has taken some of the pressure off Freeman. Most of Lasme’s offense still comes from put-backs and baseline layups when Freemen gets double-teamed. But he’s added the medium-range jump shot, a skill that will bolster his portfolio once he graduates with a degree in biology and enters the NBA draft.

“There’s no question he should be in the NBA next year,” said Ford. “I think he’s better than most 11th and 12th players and he’s still going to get better and better.

“He’s going to block shots on all levels. He’s going to help the team that way. He’s going to help a team scoring, with offensive rebounds, and he can run the floor. He’s a prototypical 4-man at the next level.”