After basketball, I have a lot of things that I want to do. Hes averaging 4.4 points and 3.5 rebounds. It went to the guy who wants to take care of the team. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. The Oklahoma Sooners are looking to bounce back from a disappointing 6-7 season in 2023, the first under new head coach Brent About us: HCS is owned and operated by Pete Mundo. Wilson was driving a 15-passenger bus, took a wrong turn and tried to turn around but got stuck in a ditch in the muddy snow. Denae Fritz Announces Transfer from Iowa State to Baylor, Baylor Bears Womens Basketball 2023-24 Offseason Roster Tracker, Baylor Bears mens basketball 2023-24 offseason roster tracker, Baylor to Face Brady Manek, Tar Heels in NCAA Second Round, Saint Peters Overtime Win over Kentucky Upsets East Region. Or write about sports? Posted on March 17, 2022. Thamba loves Wilson likes a second father. As Thamba stood on the sideline, assistant coach Jerome Tang noticed something that told him where Thamba is now. The team starts off 15-0, you're at the top of the mountain. "More so for my mom, she's always supported me in a lot of ways, just seeing her and the fruits of labor after being away from each other is so special. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Stoic is the word his coaches use. When Im playing, usually when the starting big gets tired and the second big comes in, I know I can get a little active. He was the one who believed in my basketball dreams, Flo says. Do you have a sports website? Levi had traveled to Denver with some new friends for a spring break trip. Hes had lights on him and had to figure it out.. Playing (for the NBA Global Academy) allowed me to dream and see myself in these shoes, Tchamwa Tchatchoua said. So anytime hes locked in and hes flying around out there, everybody is going to feel it. Flo spent time in England as a child and eventually moved to South Africa, where he started playing basketball. The 24-year-old spent parts of his childhood in Congo, England, France and South Africa, moving around before emigrating to the United States at age 16. It was just his composure and how he kept his head down and kept working, Thamba says. March 22, 2023. Tchamwa Tchatchoua said at times he just sits down and thanks God for an amazing journey, and how things worked out to get him here. The Avalanche championship dynasty crumbles less than a year after hoisting the Stanley Cup. 4.9. The report said he awoke early that morning, shivering and speaking French. @BaylorMBB @ALaForce pic.twitter.com/7HfIVbOtSI. When I spoke to them it was about how we have an opportunity to do something really good. Its basically just picking up on the same values, keep your head down and keep working and everything will come to fruition., Thamba now shares the center spot with Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua, whom he has made better by sharing tricks he has learned on how to be a better screener and how to make reads in Baylors offense. While Emma was in attendance for that game, travel issues prevented Emmanual and Florentine from being on hand at Ferrell Center, according to team officials. Youd never see him sulk. Thamba was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and lived in England and France during his childhood before settling in South Africa. But he saw a bigger picture, Thamba said. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. . In the 2021 title game, Thamba had Drew Timme in his back pocket and he continued that defensive dominance. Thamba said his father, who works in customs in the Democratic Republic of Congo, wanted his children to have the ability to experience and see different things. Thamba had six points (2-2 FG, 2-2 FT), three rebounds and two blocks over 18 minutes during Sunday's 85-76 loss to Creighton. Follow CJ on Twitter @cjmoorehoops, Thamba is making his voice heard with the Bears. As a sixth-grader in South Africa when just starting to learn how to dribble, Thamba had another older brother who would wait for hours after school to ride the bus home with him. Hes averaged 5.7 points and 4.7 rebounds while splitting time with Thamba at the five-spot. He ran out of the room, tumbling over the railing in a hallway that overlooked the lobby, falling four floors to his death. At times that was really hard because you ask any player in college and all theyre thinking about is the NBA. Then coming in sophomore year and him getting all the minutes, I had no reason to be mad. Flo Thamba. He just needed to see the vision and then allow the coaches to help him. He said that older brother, Levy, later went to a community college in Wyoming to study engineering, but died in an accident after trying a legal marijuana edible during a spring break trip to Colorado in 2014. 5M; 0:17. For me, something big is making a difference in someones life., Baylor baseball swept by No. Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua and Flo Thamba, the high-energy athletic bigs who do so much inside helping guard-oriented Baylor, first met at a Basketball Without Borders camp in Johannesburg, South Africa. Theres no perfect way to deal with what (Thamba) went through., His former high school coach, Al Wilson, would talk him through it. He was leading the country in field-goal percentage, and the offense went through him. The camaraderie was really high. So why is he still here, starting now on one of the best teams in college basketball? Flo Thamba, the winningest player in Baylor MBB history, talks about growing up overseas, helping develop the next generation of Bears, chasing another title, and most importantly photography Education was always the biggest priority in the Thamba household. He was the guy who actually was dedicated to me more than anybody else, because everybody else just thought it was more of an intramural thing I was just doing for fun. But he saw a bigger picture, Thamba said. Baylor does a pairs shooting competition, and since Tchamwa Tchatchoua transferred from UNLV to Baylor in 2019, theyve been paired together and call themselves the African Connection., If you sit down with both of them at same time, Jakus says, you see theyre really willing to serve each other and us. Private Message. Flo Thamba (0) Forward - Senior with 7-foot-5 wingspan, originally from Kinshasa, Congo; splits time with Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua at 5-spot Holds the program 172 by New York Giants in NFL Draft, ESPNs Pete Thamel on Chris Klieman: He Knows How to Win Championships, Bill Self Admits He Still Talks to His Late Father in Key Moments, Bill Self: Never a Doubt Kansas Would Return to Biggest Stage Following FBI Investigation. People tell stories about different places and different things. Last season, he averaged career-highs in points (6.2), rebounds (5 . He was the No. You look at any championship team, there must be guys who really love each other.. In his announcement, Thamba spoke about the journey that he has taken while at Baylor, from struggling to find the court early on in his career to being a national champion in 2021. It's just like 'man we get to celebrate this thing together.'". Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. He was fine, he was normal, he was an easy-going kid, and then he ate this cookie and went over the balcony. 1Y; 0:18. But those guards know they wouldn't be where they are now without the often interchangeable 245-pound post players _ the 6-foot-10 Thamba and and 6-8 Tchamwa Tchatchoua. Flo Thamba Personal Life. At the same time, (his return from injury) allows Flo and Jon both to compete harder and leave more out there and not worry as much about foul trouble because they have each other.. CJ Moore 8 . What were the biggest factors? Jakus made two visits to Mountain Mission that sold Thamba. I mean, it gave me a lot of motivation, Thamba said. With Clark returning, Baylor coach Scott Drew was going to give him an opportunity in the hopes he at least could give a sliver of what he provided as a sophomore. Let's talk about Flo Thamba. Tchamwa Tchatchoua was born in Cameroon and spent two years at the NBA Global Academy in Canberra, Australia, where he first played organized basketball. Thamba would end Thursday as one of five Baylor players to reach double-figures in scoring, shooting 7-of-9 from the field for 14 points in the victory against the Spartans. (Mark J. Rebilas / USA Today). Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Keeler: Chris Paul got dirty. Before his senior season, star teammate Oscar Tshiebwe, now at West Virginia, transferred and the program appeared to be in flux. 1Y; 2:02. 0:16; Baylor hands Kansas 3rd straight loss. One day Tristan is in practice; the next day hes not. Dont sugarcoat it. Flos been playing since he was a freshman. Thamba is originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and he grew up in South Africa, before he lived in England and France and emigrated to U.S. in 2014. Between Thamba, Tchamwa Tchatchoua and Ojianwuna, the Bears have versatile firepower in the paint. Levi went back to sleep, but then woke up again crazy, his friends told police. The Oklahoma Sooners are Big 12 softball champions, once again, after an 8-2 win over the Kansas Jayhawks on Sunday. . One stop at a time. Flo knows his father probably had his moments alone when he allowed himself to grieve, but he never saw his dad cry. His absence that season created an opportunity for Thamba, who averaged 15.2 minutes in the first 11 games following Clarks injury. People tell stories about different places and different things. Cumulus and the Big 12 are not affiliated with this website. When the time came, I sat down with my family and said, Here are the possible outcomes and possible decisions, and I made my decision based on conversations I had with my parents and with the coaches. That was about five years ago and far from the NCAA Final Four. Eventually Baylor coaches figured out when hes quiet, then something is probably wrong, but it has taken years of observation to figure that out. The two, who met in 2016 in Africa at a Basketball without Borders camp, share a special bond. 212 by Dallas Cowboys in NFL Draft, Eric Gray Selected No. I was, like, hey, listen, just be yourself. Flo Thambas basketball career started like it does for a lot of Africans. Thamba doesnt try to look too far ahead, but he does have one big hoop dream that would allow him to honor his brother. They basically just see stuff, smile and then that's their communication language. His twin older brothers are engineers. As he copes with the 2014 death of his brother, Thamba is splitting minutes at center for the second-ranked Bears. In the case of his father, the two had not seen each other in seven years. (23-11, 3rd place in conference (Big 12), Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Monday, May 1, 12:49AM. All-American junior Jared Butler and his backcourt mates Davion Mitchell and MaCio Teague pretty much get all of the attention for top-seeded Baylor (26-2), which plays former Southwest Conference rival Houston in the first national semifinal game Saturday. It was back when the two still-growing and raw players from different countries in Central Africa created a bond because they both spoke French. For me its a confidence booster, Thamba says. With the support of my coaches, Im excited to return for a fifth season and continue working on my masters degree. I want to make a difference in my culture, because I have an opportunity to do something big. "Baylor bigs: Flo, 'Everyday Jon' help make Bear guards great", "NCAA Final Four: Baylor's Thamba honed his skills at Grundy's Mountain Mission", "Flo Thamba's Path to Waco / How Baylor Was Built", "Men's College Basketball: Baylor's Flo Thamba takes to the big stage", "No. A native of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Thamba lived in South Africa, France and England before making his way to the United States in 2014. Baylor senior big man Flo Thamba announced Monday morning that he will return for his fifth year with the Bears in 2022-23. Try a week on us. As he copes with the 2014 death of his brother, Thamba is splitting minutes at center for the second-ranked Bears. Instead, he figured out why and analyzed the small details including defensive positioning and the way Gillespie communicated defensively that made him so successful. 0:18; See All. Drews method is to search for whats possible, and then take the time to develop. Making it accessible, creating more wells and giving awareness to people who have an opportunity to make a difference to other kids and other nations. We already have the chemistry, weve been together for some time. Copyright 2017-22 Heartland College Sports. We had the potential to be in the same conversation, even when you cut down a quarter of our roster with everyone being hurt.. Flo Thamba, Baylors anchor and all-time, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Flo Thamba, Baylors anchor and all-time winningest player, one of three African big men helping Bears title push, DUs Bill Tierney set to retire as sports most decorated coach, lacrosse icon, Grading the Week: Cale Makars big hit, Coach Primes roster overhaul and optics vs. reality, Joel Scott, D-II player of the year and Lewis-Palmer graduate, transfers to Colorado State. I have an opportunity to see those same guys as well as the talent coming in who are all willing to buy in. Jon in transition, I think Ive got like four 3s specifically this year because of Jon sprinting the floor, and the guard had to drop down in the paint for him, Teague said. Kevin Durant moped. Jon in transition, I think Ive got like four 3s specifically this year because of Jon sprinting the floor, and the guard had to drop down in the paint for him, Teague said. His actual height is 6 feet and 10 inches. After last season, the process started to play out as it should. He averaged 2.3 points and 2.2 rebounds per game as a sophomore. What we do takes one, two, three years sometimes for these guys, Jakus says. It's more like just that little brother who's the youngest in the household. Everything is flowing; obviously we had some issues here and there, but everything was just clicking. Baylors coaches worried they were going to lose Thamba. In October 2015, with the help of Charlotte Hornets center Bismack Biyombo, who is also from the Congo, Flo moved to the United States to play basketball at Mountain Mission School in Virginia. It was literally three athletes when we first started, and I was one of them. He was the guy who actually was dedicated to me more than anybody else, because everybody else just thought it was more of an intramural thing I was just doing for fun. Thamba had another older brother who would wait for hours after school to ride the bus home with him. One thing I like about my family is like, there's not a lot of pressure about the stuff that happens on the court, Thamba said. FILE - Baylor forward Flo Thamba (0) shoots against Villanova in the second half of a Sweet 16 game in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, in this Saturday, March 27, 2021, file photo. Somewhere, in the back of his mind, he continues to be carried by his brothers faith. The 6-10 forward, originally from Kinshasa, Congo, is coming off of his best year to date, averaging 6.2 points and 5.6 rebounds per contest. But, overall, it's just amazing having them around.. @BaylorMBB @ALaForce pic.twitter.com/7HfIVbOtSI. [5], Thamba's father, Emmanual, works in customs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He was bad. There's still time to enter your women's March Madness bracket on the CBS Sports App, and big prizes are on the line! We have guys that bought into the whole program, we just would have been different. 
Buy or Sell Tickets. You just take with you a part of everything you see and everything you experience.. We got to get our stuff together. After that, injuries started piling in and that was definitely tough. Thamba will give you his heart, but it takes work on your end to get there. We have the ability.. Joined: Aug 3, 2017 Posts: 14,065 User Profile. Its why Drew often redshirts his big men. But those guards know they wouldnt be where they are without the interchangeable 245-pound post players: the 6-foot-10 junior Thamba and and 6-8 sophomore Tchamwa Tchatchoua, who earned the nickname Everyday Jon for his work ethic and nonstop energy since his arrival. For me, my mentality never really changed. His best game of the 2021 season came against Kansas, ranked fifth at the time, when he dropped 18 points and nine rebounds en route to an 80-70 victory over the Jayhawks. Flo Thamba muscles in for and-1 basket. I told the coaches Im not going to make my decision yet, Im going to spend time with my family. Is there anything better than cold beer and baseball? Because of his injury, Jon was able to spend a lot of time just working on his shot and his passing, Drew said. And, yeah, just went out there and just played. Its a combination that is hard to beat during the season. Obviously we had the tandem of me and Jon like a double punch, and obviously hes my brother. Tchamwa Tchatchoua has even played more but theres not a hint of jealousy between the two. Some days he was the backup center and part of the rotation. I was really emotional in that moment, he said. MORE: March Madness bracket 2023: Updated viewing details for Sweet 16, Elite Eight games Learning that lesson of staying composed, facing all your battles. Another brother is in finance. Thamba said he made many sacrifices along the way, but everything found its path and paid offI definitely want to add to (my own legacy), but most importantly I want to help bring us another championship. Team CONF GB OVR; Kansas . '". Getting real minutes as a freshman creates an expectation for any player that his sophomore season will result in increased playing time and production, but instead, Freddie Gillespie, a Division III transfer, had developed into one of the Big 12s best centers. The 6-foot-10, 245-pound post player with the 7-5 wingspan had four points, four rebounds and a steal in Saturday's 78-59 semifinal win . The Baylor coaches know Thamba is loving the experience, because hes smiling more and talking. Theres almost no explanation, assistant coach John Jakus says. Sometimes all it takes is one persons encouragement to stick with it, and for Thamba, that was his older brother. Levi Thamba, who was five years older, would stay behind at school while Flo practiced, waiting to ride the late bus home and encouraging his brother to stick with it. And that had nothing to do with what was at stake on the hardwood, but who was in the grandstands at Dickies Arena. Ignore User . Flo Thamba's parents are getting to watch him play in person for the first time in his college career. Thamba has started all 29 of Baylor's games this season. Deuce Vaughn Selected No. His best game of the 2021 season came [] I never left boarding school, Flo says. Just be yourself, everything will take care of it. Something had happened. Even though Baylor didnt have him for much of this season, Bears coach Scott Drew looked at the bright side. Thamba, like his teammates dressed in slacks and dress shoes, immediately instructed his teammates to get out and talked them through pushing the van out. Naturally, when you get on the court that translates over. Powered by Capitol Presence & Olympus Cloud. Wilson found out years ago that Thamba wants the truth. Find Tickets. Factor in junior 7-footer Zach Loveday, and size isnt an issue for the No. FORT WORTH, Texas Baylor forward Flo Thamba's parents saw him play for the Bears for the first time on Thursday at the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
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