Osaretin Samuel’s journey into the world of basketball started in a means she by no means imagined.
Despite exhibiting no preliminary curiosity in sports activities, she was drawn to the sport by way of the affect of her classmates at Dom Domingos College in Edjeba, Warri, Delta State.
Standing at 5’11”, she tells PUNCH Sports Extra of the surprising path that led to her falling in love with basketball—a journey impressed by braveness and persistence and marked by household challenges and eventual triumphs.
“I was 13 when I started playing basketball. I was in JSS1,” Samuel mentioned.
“How I started playing was a funny one because I wasn’t even interested in the game. I saw some of my classmates and friends on the basketball court after school, trying to throw the ball into the net. For some reason, it was fun to them, even though they didn’t know the rules. They invited me to join them, but I refused because I didn’t want to get injured, and I was supposed to be on my way home.”
For some time, Samuel merely noticed from the sidelines, intrigued however hesitant. Yet, the pull of the sport turned irresistible. “I made a decision to hitch at some point, realizing totally nicely that I used to be going to be in bother for not telling my dad and mom earlier than staying again for observe. But I didn’t wish to be ignored of the enjoyable.
“Although I didn’t take the game seriously at first, just for the fun of it,” she added.
Unlike many athletes, Samuel didn’t have a background in different sports activities. “I wasn’t into any sports as of then,” the 18-year-old mentioned.
This lack of expertise, mixed along with her dad and mom’ preliminary disapproval, made her early basketball days fairly difficult.
“My parents were totally against it at first, especially my mom,” the small ahead instructed PUNCH Sports Extra.
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“She said I was still little. There were days after school when I would wait behind for practice, but I made sure to time myself so I could get home early to avoid getting caned by my mom. But there was one time I went home late, and I knew I was in serious trouble; I couldn’t manage time because I loved every minute of being on the court.”
Despite the challenges, Samuel’s ardour for the game continued to develop. However, the strict guidelines at hand-crafted it troublesome for her to completely commit herself to it. That was when a sort neighbour, generally known as “Aunty Nurse,” stepped in to assist.
“She was my guardian angel, my saviour; she would plead on my behalf at any time when I obtained residence late. One day, she instructed my mother about her cousin who travelled overseas by way of basketball, and he or she inspired my mother to offer me an opportunity to play and see the results of it.
“My parents gave in to the idea but not without a rule that I must come home not later than 5 p.m. and do some house chores before going to the court. If I failed to comply, it would be the final bus stop for me playing basketball. I agreed because I just wanted to play,” she mentioned.
Samuel skilled each highs and lows as she continued to hone her expertise on the courtroom. One of her finest moments got here in 2020, when she travelled along with her faculty staff, Divine Speed Basketball Academy, to take part in a contest.
“That was my first time travelling without my parents,” she mentioned.
“We came third in the game, and we were given cash prizes and medals—my very first medal. I was happy because I had something to show my parents when I got back home.”
Another proud second for Samuel was being chosen to characterize Nigeria within the 2023 Giants of Africa camp in Rwanda, one other first. “It was my first time travelling by air,” she recalled.
Her street to success wasn’t with out disappointments, considered one of which got here when she wasn’t chosen to play in a recreation along with her staff in Benin City, the capital of Edo State, in 2020.
“I wasn’t good enough, and I had seniors on my team who could play really well,” she instructed PUNCH Sports Extra.
There had been instances when Samuel even thought of quitting basketball, particularly when a number of scholarship alternatives didn’t materialise as she had hoped.
“Yes, I felt like quitting because there were several scholarships that didn’t go through the way I was expecting,” she mentioned.
“I felt like, What’s the essence of playing? But I couldn’t quit because there’s a saying I like that goes, ‘Quitters never win, and winners never quit.’”
Balancing training and sports activities was additionally a serious problem for Samuel, however she discovered a method to mix each with the assist of her coach, Amos Gbonwei.
“I spoke to my coach about it, and he came up with the idea of me having a structured reading timetable. That wouldn’t disturb my studies and basketball, and it did help,” she instructed our correspondent.
Coach Gbonwei, who performed within the National Sports Festival representing Edo State and within the Premier League with Delta Force, speaks extremely of Samuel’s potential.
“I think she is a great player, and she can only get better. I don’t think she has scratched the surface of her potential. Her ceiling is very high,” Gbonwei instructed PUNCH Sports Extra.
“If she is focused on basketball and puts in the necessary work, I believe the sky will be her stepping stone.”
He recounted his first encounter with Samuel: “She was little or no and tiny in JSS1 on the time. I imagine a pal of hers introduced her to the basketball courtroom as a result of it’s located close to the premises of the varsity she attended then. I didn’t know if she would change into an excellent participant, however she is a product of laborious work.
“When her peers are at home or watching TV or playing with their phones or doing other frivolous things, she is in court working on her game. At the same time, she was performing well in her academics too. She is one of the best players I have coached, skill- and character-wise.”
Samuel’s goals are crystal clear as she continues to develop her recreation. “My dream is to become something great through basketball, help my parents, my team (where I started from), build courts for kids to play on and save them from the streets, and help my coach,” she mentioned with willpower.
“I also want to be known as one of the best shooters from Nigeria.”
Her latest call-up to the U-18 D’Tigress staff is a milestone she by no means anticipated.
“I wasn’t anticipating it in any respect. I used to be in my mother’s store at some point when a pal instructed me I used to be listed for the U-18 D’Tigress staff, and that’s once I obtained a name to come back for the tryouts.