On March 7 Georgia State beat Louisiana 80-71 in the Sun Belt tourney title game to earn an automatic bid to this week’s NCAA tournament. The Panthers were 2-5 in conference play in early February but won each of their last 10 games to make the NCAA tourney, where they will face #1 seed Gonzaga on Thursday in Portland. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with Georgia State SR Eliel Nsoseme about being a great rebounder and winning the conference tourney.
You were born in the Congo and raised in Canada: how did you end up in the US? I was born/raised in Congo but moved to Canada when I was 18 years old. I had the opportunity to play AAU basketball and my team played a lot of games in the United States during the summer. That was when I was offered a scholarship to play for the University of Cincinnati.
How did you 1st get into basketball, and how big is the sport in Canada? I was first introducing to basketball in the Congo. When I got to Canada it was big…but now it has just exploded. All the kids want to play basketball and that is awesome to see.
You began your college career at Cincinnati: why did you decide to transfer, and was it weird to choose Georgia State after beating them in the 2018 NCAA tourney?! It was time for me to explore a different path. I did meet a lot of people that I am still really close to. I remember that game. When it came to Georgia State, Coach Rob Lanier and his staff were honest in my recruitment process and I really appreciated that.
What makes Coach Lanier such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from him so far? The way he approaches the game with his patience/understanding/passion. He has a different way to look at it, which is close to mine. I have learned a lot from him and keep learning even today. He always makes sure we understand that it is a blessing to be in this position: to do what we love and never take it for granted because a lot of individuals do not have the same opportunity.
Last year your 10.1 RPG was top-20 in the nation: what is the key to being a great rebounder? The willingness to do it. A lot of people think that it is not important or just do not want to do it. I will do anything to help my team win and rebounding is one of the things that I take great pride in.
You missed the 1st 11 games this year due to a knee injury: how is your health at the moment? It was tough to be unable to help my team on the court but I did my best to support them from the bench. It is getting better day by day. I do what I need to do to ensure I can give my team 100%…even if I am not 100% right now. Shout-out to Vinnie (our strength and conditioning coach)/Bob (our sports medicine guy) for helping me get better and get ready for the next game.
You made the Dean’s List several times during your career: how do you balance your work on the court with your work in the classroom? For me, school and basketball are always part of my plan: I go as hard as I can on the court and do the same in the classroom. I love learning and majoring in film, which asks for a lot of creativity, and I keep learning every day.
You have already graduated with a degree in Film & Media: what is the post-college plan? I am getting my Master’s right now. I know that when I am done playing basketball it will be an option for me to do something I love just as much…but I definitely want to go pro and help my family as best I can.
In the Sun Belt tourney title game you had 12 PTS/13 REB in a 9-PT win over Louisiana: what did it mean to you to win the title, and what was the feeling like in your locker room afterward? It means a lot to me. We went through a lot with this group of guys and I wanted it so bad for everyone. We never gave up or gave excuses: just stayed in the gym and got better. It was great to see guys become champions for the first time. It was a collective effort that everyone on the team was happy about it.
How do you feel about getting a #16 seed, and what do you know about Gonzaga? We are excited to be back in the tournament and are ready to play. It is an opportunity to play and we are thankful for it. Gonzaga is a great team with great players and a winning program…but we also have great players and a winning program so it should be a fun game.