As with Banks, Holloway found a hidden gem in Ndefo, who was born in Lagos, Nigeria, but emigrated as a child with his family to Elmont, N.Y. Ndefo was ineligible the second semester of his senior year at Abraham Lincoln High School in Coney Island because it was deemed he was living with a teammate locally and not at home with his family. Lincoln’s coach at the time, Dwayne Morton, told Holloway about Ndefo. St. Peter’s turned out to be Ndefo’s only scholarship offer.
Dive Deeper Into the N.C.A.A. Tournaments
- On the Scene: After 40 years of competition, the women’s tournament is starting to more closely resemble the men’s, at least on the surface. Here’s what’s different this year.
- A Team From Everywhere: Arizona has an international roster dedicated to unselfish basketball. Their coach wouldn’t have it any other way.
- St. Peter’s Celebrates: The small Jesuit university in Jersey City is in high spirits after upsetting Kentucky and advancing to the round of 16.
“Coach Sha just believed in me from the start, so I’m grateful for Coach Sha and the opportunity he gave me,” said Ndefo, whose full first name is Kenechukwu.
Point guard Doug Edert, who has become famous as much for his robust mustache as his 3-point and free-throw shooting, chose the Peacocks over Fairleigh Dickinson, Wagner and New Hampshire, also in part because of Holloway.
Now he and his teammates see themselves as role models for all under-the-radar and under-recruited players. Edert’s message to them: “Go get in the gym right now, go get shots up, go wake up at 6 o’clock in the morning, get to school early, get to class, start shooting, keep working and just trust the process.”
Before stunning Coach John Calipari and Kentucky in the tournament’s first round, Holloway said: “A lot of guys on my team think they are supposed to be playing at Kentucky, so now they get a chance to play against them. That’s who we are, a team that plays hard and has something to prove.”
Ndefo, Banks and Edert are in effect auditioning for larger programs that might want them for next season. That’s especially true if Holloway moves on.