Schools
MHS Senior Invited to Play College Ball
Senior Gozie Uzendu looks to continue his career at the collegiate stage.
By Jacob Vantrease, Staff Reporter
While on a campus tour at the St. Louis College of Pharmacy (STLCOP) in February, senior Gozie Uzendu received an unexpected but positive invitation.
“Some players from their basketball team assumed I also played because of my physique and asked if I was interested in playing in a tournament with them,” Uzendu said. “Their coach also called to express his interest in my participation with his players.”
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Despite being new to the scene of recruiting and college, he quickly agreed at the chance to show his skills.
“When they asked me to play, I was ecstatic because I was interested in their program, but I wasn’t sure if they would want me,” Uzendu said. “I jumped at the opportunity.”
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The STLCOP Eutectics are a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), the level directly below the NCAA. At a high level of competition such as this, an athlete must take every chance to show they have what it takes.
“Right now I’m just playing in an intramural tournament, so I haven’t gotten to play in front of the coaches yet,” Uzendu said. “But I’ve done well so far, and I’m looking forward to the chance to show them what I can do.”
If these early games are any indication of the season, Uzendu should have no problem fitting in on the team. In the first four games, he piled up 84 points, including a game-winning basket the first game. He scored exactly 84 points his entire senior season, showing that any player deserves a chance to succeed.
While he struggled for part of the season, Uzendu had arguably his best high school game against Hancock on Dec. 3, scoring 16 points and grabbing nine rebounds as the Panthers defeated the Tigers 50-36.
Uzendu hopes to create a winning season with the Eutectics. Although attending the college for academic reasons first, he would love to keep his basketball career going.
“I plan on going to STLCOP to further my education and pursue a degree in pharmacy,” Uzendu said. “But I also plan on playing for the team as long as it does not interfere with my studies.”