Through hard work, Division I basketball in sight for Tshimanga

It is rare to see a guy who played basketball for only three years in high school have a chance to play at the varsity level in college; it is even rarer that he gets offers from Division 1 colleges and universities.

The “guy” in question is Senior Jordy Tshimanga, our former MVP in Boys’ Varsity Basketball. He averaged 17 points, 15 rebounds and 2.5 blocks this season and recently received more than 14 offers from Division 1 colleges and universities, including Arizona, Virginia Tech, and Boston College.

National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division 1 is the highest level of American college basketball. Getting so many Division I offers is a dream for any high school basketball player. “I feel very fortunate to get these offers,” said Tshimanga.

His coach, Jacques Rivera, seemed to be happy for him as well, saying, “Division 1 basketball also means free college education, it is very rewarding.”

There is no secret trick in succeeding in basketball, however; Tshimanga’s passion and hard work is the key to his recent success. “The love of the game is what motivates me the whole time and keeps me moving forward,” Tshimanga said. “I am also trying to use basketball to take care of my family. They have taken very good care of me, and it is time for me to return the love.”

Before the summer of 2015, Tshimanga had very few offers, but after an intense summer’s training, he started to receive more and more offers. These offers reveal his hard work behind the scenes. “Basketball is very important to me,” said Tshimanga, “I couldn’t picture myself living without basketball, it is a way of life.”

Besides basketball, Tshimanga also focuses a lot on his academics. “I want to major in psychology in college, and if I could make it to the NBA on my second year, I will get the degree while playing in the league,” said Tshimanga. According to the New York Times, only 21% of current NBA players have undergraduate degrees.

“We’re very fortunate to have a kid of his talent and athletic capabilities; he is a good basketball player and a great person as well,” said Coach Rivera. “Even though we are sad that he is going to leave, but we’re excited for all of our kids to move on. I wish the best for Jordy, and hope he can keep in touch with us.”