St. Frances juniors Sophy Ngobeni and Alice Abaya are the ultimate transfer students.
Hailing from Africa ? South Africa and Cameroon ? the girls enrolled at St. Frances this year to receive an American education and pursue their love: basketball. But the duo?s ability to adapt to the physical style played in the United States will be imperative for the Panthers to win their sixth straight IAAM A Conference Tournament title.
“I was ready to come over to experience more basketball and education,” Ngobeni, a 6-foot-2 forward, said. “It is very tough being away from my family, but we do the things that I was not doing at home, so we have more experiences and things to do.”
St. Frances coach Jerome Shelton, the only coach the team has had in its 17-year history, said he learned about Ngobeni and Abaya from friends in the college coaching ranks who recruit international players.
After talking to both players for several months, he helped them find a host family in Baltimore City so they could live together when they enrolled at St. Frances. Ngobeni enrolled in the Baltimore City private school on Nov. 3, and hit the hardwood almost immediately to join the 5-foot-11 Abaya.
Ngobeni and Abaya said they have made friends quickly on the basketball team, but one of the hardest parts is the sporadic contact they have with their families. Ngobeni said she plans to visit her family in South Africa in June, but Abaya said she has no imminent plans to visit her loved ones in Cameroon.
For Shelton, bringing the pair to Baltimore was an opportunity to provide a good education, but to also bolster a basketball team that graduated Mi-Khida Hankins (16 ppg, 18 rpg) and LaKisha Walker (10 ppg, 5 rpg), who now play for Providence and Bowie State.
“It?s been so much fun with them,” senior forward Kandice Green said. “We learn their culture they learn about our culture everybody is mixing together and we are helping each other grow.”
Last season, the Panthers finished 26-6, tied for first in the IAAM A X league at 9-1 with McDonogh. But St. Frances defeated the Eagles, 68-63, in overtime in the tournament championship game to claim its eighth title. The Panthers, who allowed an average of just 50.2 points per game last season, will need Ngobeni and Abaya the most on the offensive end after averaging 66 points per game.
Shelton said he projects Abaya as a starter, but Ngobeni is expected to receive considerable playing time off the bench. But wherever they end up playing, Abaya has no regrets about coming to Charm City.
“Baltimore is my favorite part about America so far,” Abaya said. “I love basketball and school.”
