Leading off today: The pessimist in me says the John Riek story well not have a happy ending. And, even if the ultimate outcome is positive, there's a rough road ahead for both the 7-foot-2 basketball player from southern Sudan and those who genuinely care about his welfare.
New York Daily News reporter Ian Begley filed an intriguing story for Sunday's paper, detailing an episode last month in which the 17-year-old mega-prospect was whisked away to Massachusetts by an acquaintance who tried to help him enroll in a new school.
As you might imagine, that didn't sit well with the basketball staff at Our Saviour New American in Centereach, one of the most successful independent athletic programs in New York. Begley's story paints the picture of a youngster who rates somewhere between unsure and ungrateful.
Riek has been in the United States for just eight months, but college recruiters are already salivating. Before he steps foot on campus, however, Riek has two years of high school -- and the associated two seasons of basketball -- to complete, and Pastor Ron Stelzer intends to make sure that the young prospect doesn't leave OSNA for another high school or prep school.
Begley's story indicates that the relationship between player and coach is somewhat strained because of issues that go beyond just basketball. Considering, though, that Riek arrived at JFK in January with little more than the clothes on his back, I'm skeptical as to whether the rising star grasps just how fortunate he is.
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