Buy or Sell Tickets. Thamba has started all 29 of Baylor's games this season. 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. Now you get a stretch big, someone who can shoot 40, 50 percent from three and that opens up the offense. CJ Moore 8 . Other days he was a third-stringer. [1] At age 16, he moved to the United States to attend Mountain Mission School in Grundy, Virginia, where he played basketball for three seasons. 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. His friends calmed him down. Senior with 7-foot-5 wingspan, originally from Kinshasa, Congo; splits time with Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua at 5-spot Holds the program record for most NCAA Tournament Games Played (10, eight starts) Started 64-consecutive games after entering 2020-21 national championship season with 0 career starts in 52 games played Scored in double-figures in 6 of last 10 games of 2021-22 after doing so in 4 of first 106 games Had 9 more steals in the 2021-22 season (22 in 694 minutes) than first 3 seasons combined (13 in 952 minutes) Born in Congo, lived in England, France and South Africa, emigrated to United States in 2014 Averaged 14.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks as senior at Mountain Mission School in Grundy, Va. Late addition to 2018 signing class, ranked No. 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. Naturally, the emotions were flowing for Thamba, who broke into a starting role one year ago, upon seeing them in the grandstands Thursday. We definitely repeat. You just take with you a part of everything you see and everything you experience.. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? To make a 28-to-something run against a team that made it to the national championship, it tells you a lot. He gradually earned that trust. Flo progressed quickly. Another brother is in finance. "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. We also had LJ [Cryer] on the bench, and he was leading our team in scoring for the first half of the season. It is the first Final Four for the Bears since 1950, when there were only eight teams in the NCAA Tournament, and also the last time they had won a conference title. I knew it was a big thing, but I never like I traditionally watched the whole Final Four, or watched the whole thing, Thamba said. Flo Thamba goes up strong for the and-1. The tragedy that inspires Baylor center Flo Thamba Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Flos been playing since he was a freshman. Its usually pointed at them, but he wanted to have a conversation, not only for himself but all the other guys that were there.. In times of distress, Flo says, you always panic and make wrong decisions.. 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. Stoic is the word his coaches use. Try a week on us. The Oklahoma Sooners are Big 12 softball champions, once again, after an 8-2 win over the Kansas Jayhawks on Sunday. 02.17.22 Flo Thamba chipped in seven points (2-3 FG, 3-8 FT), nine rebounds and one steal in 27 minutes during Wednesday's 83-73 loss to Texas Tech. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. But in the end, it only added to the motivation for the senior entering his final go around in March Madness. I know there is a lot of water embedded underneath the ground, but reaching it is relatively hard. I was really emotional in that moment, he said. Entering his final postseason, Thamba and the Bears earned a top-three seed for the third-consecutive NCAA . We got to get our stuff together. After that, injuries started piling in and that was definitely tough. [2] He committed to playing college basketball for Baylor over offers from Illinois, Virginia Tech and Nebraska. Kevin Durant moped. I really didnt know what the Final Four meant before I even came to Baylor, he said. His first basketball memory is that he could barely dribble. C.J. 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. Thats all we had, Michelle Weiss-Samaras, a spokesperson for the Denver Office of the Medical Examiner, told Westword, a Denver-based publication, in 2015. He was fine, he was normal, he was an easy-going kid, and then he ate this cookie and went over the balcony. Thamba loves Wilson likes a second father. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Complementing Thamba is another talented forward, redshirt senior Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua. 10 Baylor rallies to beat No. 0 because Wilson identified that as a number of responsibility. You can be down 20 or in a tie game, and Thambas expression isnt going to change. Tchamwa Tchatchoua was born in Cameroon and spent two years at the NBA Global Academy in Canberra, Australia, where he first played organized basketball. The Baylor coaches know Thamba is loving the experience, because hes smiling more and talking. Copyright 2017-22 Heartland College Sports. March 22, 2023. Outside of your parents, who were the biggest influences on your decision? CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Thamba told reporters Wednesday ahead of the game, . I just felt like it really meant something.. Somewhere, in the back of his mind, he continues to be carried by his brothers faith. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. He was leading the country in field-goal percentage, and the offense went through him. Im proud to have a Baylor degree, Thamba writes, but there is more work to be done. One stop at a time. It was a moment of realization, he remembers. The biggest reason for my decision was my academics. It was back when the two still-growing and raw players from different [] I never left boarding school, Flo says. The whole experience of filling out the brackets and the anticipation of the first game, all of that stuff, I never really knew it until I actually experienced it.. He is the coauthor of "Beyond the Streak," a behind-the-scenes look at Kansas basketball's record-setting Big 12 title run. We both know how much work weve put in to be in the position that were in, so when he went down it wasnt me picking up this load, it was more like, Damn, my brother went down. Hes somebody who worked his butt off to be in the position hes in and now hes hurt, so it wasnt about my role because regardless Im still going to go out there and hoop. Thamba was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and lived in England and France during his childhood before settling in South Africa. Baylor forward Flo Thamba, HC Scott Drew await Big 12 play at ISU 19 the age of his brother when he left this world. 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. The 2023 NFL Draft is in the books and it was a good showing for the Big 12 Conference. 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 After the hot start, there was a rough patch of injuries and losses, what was that stretch like for you? Team CONF GB OVR; Kansas . The 2023 NFL Draft is in the books and it was a good showing for the Big 12 Conference. Flo Thamba Personal Life. Hits 18 minutes in Round of 32 loss Thamba had six points (2-2 FG, 2-2 FT), three rebounds and two blocks over 18 minutes during Sunday's 85 . For me its a confidence booster, Thamba says. It required two surgeries and Tchamwa Tchatchoua didnt debut this season until Feb. 4, nearly a year after he was named the 2022 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. Wilson has countless examples of Thamba in this role. The Avalanche championship dynasty crumbles less than a year after hoisting the Stanley Cup. How did you make the decision to return? Deuce Vaughn Selected No. Thamba doesnt try to look too far ahead, but he does have one big hoop dream that would allow him to honor his brother. From the NBA Global Academy, Tchamwa Tchatchoua played one season at UNLV before transferring to Baylor, where he redshirted as a sophomore and appeared off the bench in 29 games during the Bears title season. 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. I sat out and could watch and learn, Gillespie says. Flo Thamba's Path to Waco | How Baylor Was Built - Stadium Eventually Baylor coaches figured out when hes quiet, then something is probably wrong, but it has taken years of observation to figure that out. Thamba, who has a 7-foot-5 wingspan, is originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, grew up in South Africa and also lived in England and France before coming to the United States. He came into it with expectations that he was going to play and play a lot.. Flo Thamba throws down big slam dunk vs. Mcneese St Cowboys. [5], Thamba's father, Emmanual, works in customs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Watching his father on the worst days of their lives. He said hes still not 100%, but his knee is responding better than expected to his return to game action. Flo Thamba Stats, News, Bio | ESPN Thamba will give the Bears valuable experience down low, and the Bears are expected to bring back guard Adam Flagler, guard Dale Bonner, guard LJ Cryer, guard/forward Jordan Turner, and forward Zach Loveday. The Los Angeles Chargers love themselves some TCU football. Flo Thamba - Men's College Basketball Forward - News, Stats, Bio and Stoic is the word his coaches use. REB. One day Tristan is in practice; the next day hes not. 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. He made sure Thamba didnt use the circumstances as a crutch or an excuse. I could tell hes a strong man, Flo says. 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. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. Hometown: Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo High School: Mountain Mission School School: Baylor (Men) More player info He just needed to see the vision and then allow the coaches to help him. Flo Thamba. I knew it was a big thing, but I never like I traditionally watched the whole Final Four, or watched the whole thing, Thamba said. His parents had a great seat at Dickies Arena and even got some face time during the national broadcast of the game. The team starts off 15-0, youre at the top of the mountain. And that had nothing to do with what was at stake on the hardwood, but who was in the grandstands at Dickies Arena. 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 [2] He committed to playing college basketball for Baylor . (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news, All-American junior Jared Butler and his backcourt mates Davion Mitchell and MaCio Teague pretty much get all of the attention, nickname Everyday Jon for his work ethic and nonstop energy, spent two years at the NBA Global Academy. Baylor's Flo Thamba Will Return for Fifth Year in 2022-23 From watching his father, he says. He had written an essay to qualify for an international scholarship program. Moore, a staff writer for The Athletic, has been on the college basketball beat since 2011. The NBA hopeful has twin older brothers who are engineers, another brother who is in finance and a sister working toward a law degree in England. Dec 21, 2020. Sometimes all it takes is one persons encouragement to stick with it, and for Thamba, that was his older brother. His twin older brothers are engineers. "It's just a good feeling," Thamba told reporters Wednesday ahead of the game. Then Thamba was willing to work on himself. But this game looks like a rough one for all the players with . When Coach Jakus understood that and told him his heart, I think that was the tipping point for Flo.. He even considered it. "He was the one who . The police report, which didnt name Levi, said he was marijuana-naive. The coroner listed marijuana intoxication as a significant condition contributing to his death. Its not because of the weed.. Flo Thamba, 6-10, 245, PF, Jr. (Kinshasa, Congo) Committed: Jan. 15, 2018 Thamba came to the United States in 2015 after spending his freshman year in high school in Johannesburg, South Africa. We had the potential to be in the same conversation, even when you cut down a quarter of our roster with everyone being hurt.. Keeler: Ugly side of Deion Sanders Effect? The Los Angeles Chargers love themselves some TCU football. He wants to play in the NBA, and if he gets there he plans to wear the jersey No. 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. 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. 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. The two, who met in 2016 in Africa at a Basketball without Borders camp, share a special bond. Last season, he averaged career-highs in points (6.2), rebounds (5 . Thats always been a goal of mine, Thamba says. For the first time in his life, Thambas mother and father, Emmanual Thamba and Florentine Soko-Pongi, watched their son in a Bears uniform in person as Baylor looks to become the first repeat national champion since Florida won-back-to-back titles from 2006-07. Thamba starts, but the minutes are split almost evenly Tchamwa Tchatchoua has even played more but theres not a hint of jealousy between the two. You must be a subscriber to . About 30 to 60 minutes after eating the first piece, he told his friends he didnt feel anything, so he ate the rest of the cookie, which contained 65 milligrams of THC 6 times the recommended serving amount. As Thamba stood on the sideline, assistant coach Jerome Tang noticed something that told him where Thamba is now. His skill level is really improved. Flo Thamba enters final postseason with Bears aiming to 'handle FORT WORTH, Texas Baylor forward Flo Thambas parents saw him play for the Bears for the first time on Thursday at the first round of the NCAA Tournament. What was the feeling in the locker room after dropping a crazy one to the University of North Carolina? Check out this pick and roll between Adam Flagler and Flo Thamba. Do you have a sports website? Last year was hard. Baylors coaches worried they were going to lose Thamba. 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. The team starts off 15-0, you're at the top of the mountain. Hes averaged 5.7 points and 4.7 rebounds while splitting time with Thamba at the five-spot. I wanted to wear it in college, but they dont allow that. Ignore User . Brittany Tankersley | Photo Editor. When Baylor begins its pursuit of a second national title in three years Friday at Ball Arena, pay attention to Flo Thamba. After the last game happened, everybody kind of went home and just spent time with family. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. He averaged 2.3 points and 2.2 rebounds per game as a sophomore. 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. Levi went back to sleep, but then woke up again crazy, his friends told police. You have that bad taste in your mouth knowing we could have gone all the way, but circumstances didnt allow that. When Im playing, usually when the starting big gets tired and the second big comes in, I know I can get a little active. Tchamwa Tchatchoua has even played more but theres not a hint of jealousy between the two. But its not the same when you actually get to experience it, Thamba said. For me, my mentality never really changed. There are no statistics for this selected season available for this player. And for his son Flo, this wasnt going to stop him from chasing his dreams. But its not the same when you actually get to experience it, Thamba said. Then one day that spring Flo was sitting in eighth-grade biology class, scrolling through Facebook and his brothers picture was everywhere. It was more like moments of happiness. And it was overall fun to see and stuff.. 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. Tchamwa Tchatchoua was born in Cameroon and spent two years at the NBA Global Academy in Canberra, Australia, where he first played organized basketball. I told the coaches Im not going to make my decision yet, Im going to spend time with my family. We cheer for each other every time. It hurt, but when we got back in that locker room, as much as we were down it was more like, We came back from being down 25, thats never been done before. For me, that untapped new potential that we didnt even know we had. After Im done playing I want to open up a nonprofit thats going to have a partnership to give clean water to Africa. Posted on March 17, 2022. bear2be2. Weve got this. We present them here for purely educational purposes. 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. The next morning Jakus rented a two-wheel-drive vehicle and drove four hours in 12 inches of snow to visit Thamba, who had just returned from a visit to Nebraska. Flo Thamba throws down big slam dunk vs. Mcneese St Cowboys. In some ways, this made the process more difficult for Thamba. But Teague said both posts carve out space in the lane with screens that make it easier for the guards to shoot, and there are times when Tchamwa Tchatchoua runs the floor with the smaller guys. NEWS BIO SOCIAL STATS VIDEOS GAME LOG. When we had lost to [Texas] Tech at home, that was a blow as far as us being undefeated and being at home. He talked to Flo about his testimony, talked to Flo about the loyalty that Baylor has to their players, talked to Flo about Coach Drews vision and how it was a program of faith, Wilson says. But that truth, and those circumstances, were difficult. Thamba didnt necessarily need an explanation for why it happened. At a recent Baylor practice, Thamba tweaked his knee and had to sit out for a few minutes. They basically just see stuff, smile and then that's their communication language. This page is not available in other languages. But, overall, its just amazing having them around.. The days that ensued felt chaotic, but through it all, he watched his father. He was tall, and the middle school coach suggested he play basketball. The highlight defensive play of the game so far came when Baylor Bears' big-man, Flo Thamba, rose up to swat Corey Kispert's shot away. Dont sugarcoat it. 17 West Virginia, drops series finale, 18-4, No. Ojianwuna previously played for NBA Academy Africa as well as the NBA Global Academy before landing at Baylor. 14 UC-Santa Barbara in Fridays first round, with tip at 11:30 a.m. MT. Drew says if Clark had been healthy, he probably would have played with two bigs more often, which would have meant Thamba would have been locked into that backup big man role and the minutes would have been there. Flo Thamba - Men's Basketball - Baylor University Athletics Rounding out Baylors trio of African big men is freshman Josh Ojianwuna, a 6-foot-10 forward from Nigeria. The coaching staff as a whole, but for me the most important thing was my teammates. Flo Thamba's parents are getting to watch him play in person for the first time in his college career. Baylor vs Iowa State Cyclones Ferrell Center - Sat 3/4 Tickets as low as $9. Flo Thamba's parents are getting to watch him play in person for the first time in his college career. That was about five years ago and far from the NCAA Final Four. But, overall, it's just amazing having them around.. You can learn more about Pete by visiting his personal website: PeteMundo.com. '". He wants to observe and understand your motives. Flo knows his father probably had his moments alone when he allowed himself to grieve, but he never saw his dad cry. With the support of my coaches, Im excited to return for a fifth season and continue working on my masters degree. But after that camp, they didnt see each other again until a pickup game two summers ago, more than 9,000 miles away in Waco, Texas. Fully healthy, theres no team that stood a chance.. Its hard to gain trust with Flo Thamba. Currently Thamba is an American Athlete playing basketball for Gonzaga. For Baylor forward Flo Thamba, however, few games, if any, carry more weight than Thursdays NCAA opener. One of the cooler moments of this years tournament was when Flo Thamba got to play in front of his parents for the first time in his collegiate career, helping Baylor defeat Norfolk State in the opening round with 14 points, six rebounds, one assist, one block, and two steals. It would have been easy to resent his teammate, who two years ago was behind him in the pecking order. In January 2014, Levi moved to the United States to attend college. He is a member of the BBWAA and PFWA. I know somebodys coming in who is going to bring the same amount of energy. The fifth-year senior with a 7-foot-5 wingspan is Baylor's heart-and-soul, and the program's all-time winningest player (115 in games played). His favorite was during a tournament somewhere in the heart of Tennessee, stuck in a snow storm and late to a game. 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. Cole Park in Tyler, CASH CATTLE: How Texas ranchers are beefing up their, Suspects names released in connection to Jasper, Las Vegas Raiders draft former West Rusk Raider Tyree, UPDATE: Shelby County officials found Louisiana woman, It was worth the wait Arps Demarvion Overshown, Hudson Legrow: CHRISTUS Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, Smith County Childrens Advocacy Center recognized, KETK Rise & Shine CTCU Coffee Mug Giveaway, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. I was, like, hey, listen, just be yourself. In the 2021 title game, Thamba had Drew Timme in his back pocket and he continued that defensive dominance. Its why Drew often redshirts his big men. Thamba requested a meeting with Wilson to make sure the program was positioned to continue and to check on his coach. . Theres no perfect way to deal with what (Thamba) went through., His former high school coach, Al Wilson, would talk him through it. A person watching the game might say these guards are really good, but actually our bigs make us really good.. His absence that season created an opportunity for Thamba, who averaged 15.2 minutes in the first 11 games following Clarks injury. I always play aggressive and go out there and play to the best of my ability. Because of his injury, Jon was able to spend a lot of time just working on his shot and his passing, Drew said. Between Thamba, Tchamwa Tchatchoua and Ojianwuna, the Bears have versatile firepower in the paint. He was bad. Flo Thamba announces return to Baylor for fifth season 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. Just be yourself, everything will take care of it. Hes averaging 4.4 points and 3.5 rebounds. 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.
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