NEW YORK — On the eve of his nationally televised showdown with fellow Class of 2017 big man DeAndre Ayton, Mohamed Bamba had trouble falling asleep.
Bamba and his PSA Cardinals team were set to face Ayton and Cal Supreme in a 2 p.m. showdown on ESPN that showcased the Nike EYBL stop in Brooklyn.
“I couldn’t even go to sleep [Friday] night, it’s my Super Bowl pretty much,” the 6-foot-11 Harlem native said with a big smile after he went for 13 points, 12 rebounds, 2 blocks and 2 steals in an exciting 69-68 victory. “I was very eager to get out there and play.”
The 7-foot Ayton went for 7 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists in the loss.
A virtual Who’s Who of college coaches sat courtside for the game, and if the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal somehow drifted off into the Atlantic Ocean, they might have had to shut down college basketball for a speall.
Kentucky’s John Calipari, Kansas’ Bill Self, Villanova’s Jay Wright, North Carolina’s Roy Williams, Michigan State’s Tom Izzo, Indiana’s Tom Crean, UConn’s Kevin Ollie, Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim and a slew of other coaches, including Duke associate head coach Jeff Capel and assistant Jon Scheyer, were all on the hand for the epic battle between the two potential NBA big men and their strong supporting casts.
“It’s one of the best matchups you can get,” PSA Cardinals director and coach Terrance “Munch” Williams said. “I would pay to see them play.”
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Kansas went three deep for Ayton with Self and two assistants and the 7-footer told ESPN’s Jeff Borzello that Kansas was working the hardest for him.
There was a palpable buzz in the crowd for this game.
“This is my first EYBL game ever,” PSA Cardinals point guard Quade Green said. “I seen Calipari, Roy Williams, I was just nervous out there for the first two minutes and then we started to get on a roll.”
Bamba has heard all about the supposed decline of New York City basketball. And he’s on a mission to bring his home city back to relevance on the national stage.
Going out and getting a win over Ayton, a native of the Bahamas (like Buddy Hield) on a huge stage in New York meant a great deal to him.
“This is my city,” he said. “You see a lot of friendly faces in the crowd and you just want to show out.”
Bamba made a point to say that he wants to help bring New York hoops back.
“You have me, all my teammates, Hamidou [Diallo of the NY Rens], all kinds of great players out there,” he said. “New York’s not going to be down for a long time. Don’t disrespect us…Obviously New York has a lot of talent and it’s showing.”
Added Williams: “I just think the energy for New York is always positive. I think a lot has been made about New York being down and I think a lot of it has to do with the top, top kids not going to schools in New York so when they get a chance to see Mohamed and [Yonkers, N.Y., native] Brandon Randolph up close and personal, those guys are from New York City, they get a chance to see that there are still some high-level guys that are from New York, are born and raised in New York City, and to see them play together, it’s a big-time moment.”
On the recruiting front, North Carolina, Wake Forest, Duke, UConn and Indiana saw Bamba and his teammates recently at the Westtown (Pa.) School. His last visit was to Villanova. Bamba was also supposed to visit Harvard recently but said “they recommended I visit in the fall.”
Bamba continues to talk to his close friend Wendell Carter Jr., about possibly teaming up — with Duke a serious contender for both.
“Nothing too serious but we both know the potential we have as a premier frontcourt,” Bamba said.
Bamba, who was invited to the USA Basketball U18 trials in June, said no school is in the “forefront” of his thinking right now, but he hopes to cut his list by end of summer. Williams said Bamba will cut his list “in August.”
“Hopefully, I can get to 10 by August,” Bamba said.
