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Great pic and a nice story about Manny from the Edmonton Journal:
Basketballer zigs his way to Zags
Long journey has taken Arop from Sudan to Gonzaga University
By John Mackinnon, The Edmonton JournalMarch 22, 2009
Every basketball fan has a rooting interest in the NCAA men's tournament, but Mangisto Arop has a more compelling reason than most to be pulling for tiny Gonzaga.
The former Ross Sheppard student has committed to attend the Spokane, Wash., school (enrolment 7,000) next year on a full-ride basketball scholarship.
"Yeah, it's exciting. It's good watching them right now, knowing I'm going to be part of the team next year," said Arop, who hunkered down with some friends at a west-end sports bar Saturday night to watch the Bulldogs edge Western Kentucky 83-81 in a thriller of a second-round matchup at the NCAA tournament.
....
The well-connected [Greg] Francis helped link Arop up with Bulldogs coach Mark Few, in his 10th year at Gonzaga.
"I like their style of play, but so many factors came into play," Arop said of choosing Gonzaga. "The main ones were the history of the school, going to the tournament, having a winning tradition and a great coach and being close to home."
Indeed, the school consistently punches above its weight at the NCAA tournament. The Bulldogs' victory Saturday night pushed its all-time tournament won-lost record to 14-10. And Gonzaga boasts alumni like basketball Hall of Famer John Stockton, the NBA's all-time leader in assists.
Between now and next September, Arop will attend NEDA camps in Hamilton and compete for a spot on the national junior team that will compete for Canada at the junior World Championship in New Zealand, from July 2-12.
...
Leo Rautins, head coach of Canada's national men's team, clearly is aware of Arop, who became a Canadian citizen last September, as a national team prospect to monitor.
"He's certainly a player that we're going to be watching," said Rautins, whose son Andy, a junior at Syracuse, already is a member of the senior national team. "You never know, I'm never opposed to finding a player that's a little younger that you can accelerate and include with the senior group, if they show they're ready to play.
...
In the meantime, Arop and other Gonzaga fans have beating those Tar Heels on their minds.
Long journey has taken Arop from Sudan to Gonzaga University
By John Mackinnon, The Edmonton JournalMarch 22, 2009
Every basketball fan has a rooting interest in the NCAA men's tournament, but Mangisto Arop has a more compelling reason than most to be pulling for tiny Gonzaga.
The former Ross Sheppard student has committed to attend the Spokane, Wash., school (enrolment 7,000) next year on a full-ride basketball scholarship.
"Yeah, it's exciting. It's good watching them right now, knowing I'm going to be part of the team next year," said Arop, who hunkered down with some friends at a west-end sports bar Saturday night to watch the Bulldogs edge Western Kentucky 83-81 in a thriller of a second-round matchup at the NCAA tournament.
....
The well-connected [Greg] Francis helped link Arop up with Bulldogs coach Mark Few, in his 10th year at Gonzaga.
"I like their style of play, but so many factors came into play," Arop said of choosing Gonzaga. "The main ones were the history of the school, going to the tournament, having a winning tradition and a great coach and being close to home."
Indeed, the school consistently punches above its weight at the NCAA tournament. The Bulldogs' victory Saturday night pushed its all-time tournament won-lost record to 14-10. And Gonzaga boasts alumni like basketball Hall of Famer John Stockton, the NBA's all-time leader in assists.
Between now and next September, Arop will attend NEDA camps in Hamilton and compete for a spot on the national junior team that will compete for Canada at the junior World Championship in New Zealand, from July 2-12.
...
Leo Rautins, head coach of Canada's national men's team, clearly is aware of Arop, who became a Canadian citizen last September, as a national team prospect to monitor.
"He's certainly a player that we're going to be watching," said Rautins, whose son Andy, a junior at Syracuse, already is a member of the senior national team. "You never know, I'm never opposed to finding a player that's a little younger that you can accelerate and include with the senior group, if they show they're ready to play.
...
In the meantime, Arop and other Gonzaga fans have beating those Tar Heels on their minds.
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