http://www.nbebasketball.com/w3/2010-1028/nkereumem-okoro-nursing-thumb-injury-has-major-recruiting-interest/Nkereuwem Okoro has been a mainstay on the New York City basketball scene for a few years, despite only preparing for his junior season at St. Raymond’s High School in the Bronx. Okoro will team with Daniel Dingle, his friend and classmate, to help give Oliver Antigua one of the top teams in the CHSAA this coming year. Those hopes were almost dashed when Okoro was injured this Fall and as a result he has been missing from the IS8 league in recent weeks. What was originally feared as possibly a season-ending injury now might not require him to miss any time.
“I have ligament damage in my thumb,” Okoro told NBE earlier this week, “but I’ll be back before the season starts.”
That is good news for the Ravens and bad news for their opponents this year. Okoro is a 6-foot-4 G/F who currently weighs in at 210 pounds and over the summer with the Long Island Lightning he showed that he has improved greatly over the course of the year. He was far more aggressive offensively, and his athleticism and explosiveness improved as well. His strength and size allow him to play multiple positions and he is an excellent ballhandler for a player his size.
He is receiving plenty of scholarship offers and high-major recruiting interest already. St. John’s and new coach Steve Lavin invited Okoro to their Midnight Madness celebration recently. Okoro decided to stay home and get some extra work in rather than take the night off.
“No, I didnt,” said Okoro when asked if he made a visit to SJU. “I stayed home and worked on my conditoning and left-hand that weekend,” Okoro said.
While Okoro has the reputation of being able to score a lot of points at the high school and AAU levels, his lack of true position has many programs kind of taking a wait-and-see approach in his recruiting. However, Okoro told NBE he is working on an area of his game that college coaches will likely be very excited about.
“I’m working on trying to become a lock-down defender,” he said.
Okoro has the strength, toughness and athleticism, along with size, to be an outstanding defensive player. The development into a top-notch defender would make him only more valuable to the programs he lists as recruiting him this Fall.
“Rutgers, St. John’s, Iowa State, Pittsburgh, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Villanova,” mentioned Okoro when asked what schools were recruiting him this fall.
Okoro also mentioned that Kentucky came to St. Ray’s to scout a Ravens’ workout. UK assistant coach Orlando Antigua is the brother of St. Ray’s head coach Oliver Antigua. Both of the Antigua brothers attended Pittsburgh for college, another school singled out by Okoro, as he hopes to visit Pitt in the not-too-distant future.
While the St. Ray’s program, and many others in the CHSAA, have seen a startling number of talented players leave NYC for prep schools, most out of state, Okoro has cherished his time with the Ravens.
“Playing varsity as a freshman and learning how to play good basketball from Coach Antigua and the rest of the coaching staff,” said Okoro when asked of what he has liked most about attending the Bronx school. “He (Antigua) has developed me alot and I learn alot [from him].”
It is not surprising Okoro also has high hopes and team goals for the Ravens this season. They will be among the favorites in the CHSAA and the state.
“Our goal is to win a city ‘chip this year and hopefully see how far we can get in the states,” said Okoro.
Just a junior, recruitniks and college coaches are very likely to follow Nkereuwem Okoro over the next 12 months as he looks to continue to develop his perimeter skills and lock down a spot on a high major roster in the future. NBE will be certain to do the same and report on his progress, on the court and in his recruitment, every step of the way.