Ose Okojie from Brampton is making his mark in the NCAA basketball tournament (Photo by David Sierra for Howard University)
It’s that time of year again when sports fans across North America turn their attention to U.S. college basketball.
The NCAA men’s basketball tournament will determine which of 68 college squads is the best, as the winner of the elimination-style competition will be declared national champions and hold bragging rights for at least one year.
And although the tournament is dominated by American-born players, several Canadians are included on squads this year, including Brampton’s Ose Okojie.
Okojie, who suits up for Howard University, has already made an impact on the tournament as he scored a career high 23-points in a thrilling 86-83 victory over UMBC last night (March 18) that will see his Bison team advance in the tournament.
The 6-foot-5 guard helped Howard make school history as the victory was its first-ever win in the tournament after four losses dating back to 1981.
“It’s kind of surreal,” Okojie said after the game. “You kind of watched this tournament as a kid, and you’re like, I always imagined I’d be here, but to win a game is crazy.”
The 21-year-old is a senior at the Washington D.C.-based Howard where he studies sports management and sociology. He played his high school basketball at the Toronto-based United Scholastic Academy, a private school that focuses on combining high-performance athletic training with academics. He was valedictorian of his 2022 class.
Along with his scoring performance, Okojie, usually known for his defensive game, was 9-out-of-15 shooting for the night and was 3-for-3 from the three-point range. He added five rebounds and was 2-for-5 from the foul line.
With the win, Howard will go up against a basketball powerhouse in the tournament on Thursday (March 19) when they meet top-seeded Michigan.
His younger brother, Baraka Okojie, 20, plays for Mercer University in Georgia.
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