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Bush Wamukota, a 7 foot center from Bungoma county, became the first Kenyan ever to play in the NCAA tournament sweet 16. The NCAA tournament is the equivalent of the NBA playoffs. It is a single game elimination (knockout) tournament. It features the best 64 teams in the top American college basketball leagues. The Sweet 16 is the 3rd round.
\nWamukota who features at centre for Wichita State University often features as a role player to add size to the Wichita state interior. His primary strength is his shot blocking ability.
\nBiography<\/p>\n
Early days in Bungoma
\nTom Bush Wamukota was born on September 28, 1993 in Bungoma. His parents are Dan Wanyama and Nancy Sikobe. Kenyans will remember that Sikobe featured for the Kenya National volleyball team before proceeding to the US on a volleyball scholarship. Sikobe had been one of the stars of the Kenya volleyball team that played in the 2000 Olympics.<\/p>\n
Wamukota came to basketball late. In his formative days, he practised his shots using a broken bicyle wheel as the goal. He later joined for Maseno secondary school under coach Paul Otula. Maseno is a basketball powerhouse and has sent more baskteball players to the USA on basketball scholarships than any other school.<\/p>\n
At Maseno, Wamukota never took basketball seriously until he was in form 4. As a third former, he was 6 feet 3 inches tall. He had a growth spurt at age 17 and by the time he was in form 4, he was 6’10”. It was only then that he started to practise with the Maseno school team.
\nWamukota described the lack of sports facilities in Kenya compared to the USA.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s not a lot of support for basketball or for sports like there is over here,\u201d Wamukota said. \u201cI used to play in flip-flops or even barefoot sometimes, because I was growing so much it was hard to keep pairs of basketball shoes that fit. Also, as much as I was growing, it felt like I struggled with my coordination. It never seemed like I could ever get any better.\u201d he said to the Wichita Eagle.<\/p>\n
When his mother Nancy Sikobe left Kenya in 2003 to pursue a volleyball scholarship , she left her entire family behind and would not re-unite with Bush until 2012 when he came to NAIA schooll Wiley College, an NAIA school in Marshall, Texas, where mother , Nancy Sikobe, was the volleyball coach.
\n\u201cThat\u2019s the day I got my son back,\u201d Sikobe said, choking back tears. \u201cThat\u2019s the day I got my boy. You always dream, that when you make sacrifices, that the end result will be something better.\u201d she said to the Wichita Eagle newspaper.<\/p>\n
Bush credits his mother for making his college basketball career possible.
\n\u201cShe is the only reason that I made it over here,\u201d Wamukota said. \u201cWithout her, there\u2019s nothing.\u201d he averred.<\/p>\n
When Wamukota arrived at Wiley college, he expected a lot more. For one thing he thought he would be appearing on TV and even asked a team-mate. \u2018So when do we get to play on TV?\u2019. The team-mate Tabrie Gibson then explained to him that NAIA schools, which are a step below NCAA schools do not appear on TV.
\nIt was then that Wamukota started to work towards playing for an NCAA division 1 school. He worked hard on and off the court, going to the gym at 5 am and working on various aspects of his game. At Wiley college, he averaged 2.7 points and 2.6 rebounds. He was then able to transfer to Kilgore Junior college.<\/p>\n
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At Kilgore, Wamukota averaged 6 points and 6.8 rebounds in his one season. While at Kilgore, he met Wichita State assistant coach Greg Heiar during a recruiting visit. A visit from Wichita State head coach Greg Marashall convinced him to transfer to Wichita State to play his last two years of college basketball.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe way they treated me, the way they made me understand they had an investment in me as a person and as a basketball player was a big deal,\u201d Wamukota said. \u201cThe program and the success they\u2019ve had also meant a lot.\u201d said Wamukota.<\/p>\n
Wichita State has been one of the most succesful basketball teams in the last three seasons. In 2013, they reached the final four (semi-finals) of the NCAA tournament. In 2014 they reached the 3rd round and now in 2015 they have reached the sweet 16 (4th round). The school has sent over a dozen players to the NBA including such players as Xavier McDaniel who played for the New York Knicks.<\/p>\n
Once he arrived at Wichita State, Wamukota knew he had a steep mountain to climb as far as learning the game.
\n\u201cI knew, coming in, this wasn\u2019t a situation where I was going to play 30 minutes a game, I was going to have to learn and develop,\u201d Wamukota said. \u201cI\u2019ve only been playing basketball for four or five years, so I\u2019m still learning every day. Here, nobody can say they don\u2019t have a chance to get better every day at practice. There\u2019s a lot of support with my teammates, too.\u201d he said to the Wichita Eagle<\/p>\n
Wamukota is mostly deployed for his defensive prowess, typically appearing for about 10 minutes a game.<\/p>\n
During the sweet 16 match against Notre Dame, Wamukota played four minutes and had two rebounds and no points. Notre Dame won 81-70
\nIn the 2rd round upset win over arch rivals Kansas, Wamukota played 14 minutes, scored 3 points and had 2 rebounds. Wichita State beat Kansas 78-65.
\nIn the 1st round against Indiana University, Wamukota played 2 minutes with no points or rebounds. Wichita State won 81-76
\nDuring the 2014-2015 regular season, Wamukota played 32 games, averaging 6 minute per game, shooting 53.6% from the field, averaging 1.5 rebounds per game and 1.1 points per game
\nWamukota is pleased with the progress he has made since his humble beginnings.<\/p>\n
\u201cI told myself before the season that this is a year to develop, to learn and any way I can help the team, that\u2019s what I want to do,\u201d Wamukota said. \u201cCoach Marshall calls my name, I want to be ready to give (Darius Carter) or Shaq (Morris) a break, be ready to play defense.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wamukota knows he has to work a lot harder to improve various aspects of his game prior to his last season in college basketball. He plans to hiy the gym harder to add 10 kilograms of muscle.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel like my body is balanced I can do a lot of things,\u201d Wamukota said. \u201cI need to keep improving on defense. I need to work on finishing around the rim. I think if you talked to (Marshall) he would say my touch is pretty good, but there\u2019s certainly a lot of things I need to work on.\u201d<\/p>\n
His father Dan Wanyama is the current MP for webuye constituency.<\/p>\n
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