Dera Nd-Ezuma only started playing basketball as a junior in high school/ Photo by JOHN BLAINE

LAWRENCEVILLE — Mention the Super Eagles to Dera Nd-Ezuma and watch the smile light up his face.

“They make us proud,” he said.
 

The Super Eagles — the nickname for Nigeria’s national soccer team — recently won the African Cup of Nations for the first time in 19 years. Nd-Ezuma grew up playing soccer on dusty fields in Nigeria’s capital city, Abuja, located in the central part of the country.

“I was a defensive midfielder,” he laughs.

There was one thing — albeit not so little — that made Nd-Ezuma stand out from all the other kids. He was tall — really tall.

You don’t find many 7-footers on the soccer pitch.

“I just started growing tall,” Nd-Ezuma said. “It was fast growth. People started telling me to go play basketball and the opportunity that comes with it. I can come to the States and get a good education.”

Basketball hasn’t come easy for him. He didn’t start playing until his junior season once he landed at Life Center Academy in Burlington.

But 7-footers also don’t grow on trees, so when Rider had a chance to offer a wiry kid with a knack for blocking shots and once had 10 dunks in a game a scholarship it did.

“There’s certainly a learning curve he’s had to adjust to and close the gap on,” said Rider coach Kevin Baggett, who helped recruit Nd-Ezuma while he was an assistant under Tommy Dempsey.

Baggett said they had discussions about redshirting Nd-Ezuma his freshman season, but ultimately decided not to. In hindsight, the coach admitted they probably should have — he only made 19 appearances, averaging 3.2 minutes per game.

Nd-Ezuma goes to the hoop against Niagara/ Photo by JOHN BLAINE

“It took some time being an international kid,” Baggett said. “It takes those guys some time adjusting to the American game. I think he’s finally got it, and it’s unfortunate because we probably should have redshirted him his freshman year, because he really didn’t give us much.”

“It was tough,” said Nd-Ezuma, now a senior about to play his final five regular-season games. “It’s been tough. It took me a while. Obviously, I haven’t played so I just focus on defense — what I have a natural gift on — blocking shots.”

He’s a serviceable shot blocker, averaging 1.9 per game for his career, including a team-high 29 this season. He’s also played in a career-best 26 games with 17 starts.

“He’s developed his body. He works hard and brings it every night,” Baggett said. “That’s why I continue to put him out there.”

Nd-Ezuma likely isn’t moving on to a professional basketball career, though Baggett, doubts he’ll have any problem finding a successful career.

Nd-Ezuma is a double major in finance and accounting. He wants to stay in the States after graduation to gain experience in the corporate and financial world.

“Something in banking,” he said. “In the long run, I can go back home and share the knowledge.”

Adds Baggett: “He’s going on to do bigger and better things in his career. We’ll be asking him for donations at some point.”