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Nigerian Frontcourt Pair Sign With Men's Basketball Team
July 19, 2000 | Men's Basketball
June 3, 1999
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Benjamin Eze, a 6-9, 230-pound forward/center from Nigeria, and Muhamed Lasege, a 6-11, 220-pound forward/center from Nigeria, have signed national letters-of-intent to continue their basketball playing careers at the University of Louisville.
"Both Ben and Muhamed are good athletes that can score and defend well," said U of L Basketball Coach Denny Crum. "Ben is a versatile, explosive player with great skills, can handle the ball well, is a great shot blocker. Muhamed runs the floor very well, has nice spin moves inside, and is an intelligent player and hard worker. Both certainly help to address the issue of size on our team."
Lasege (pronounced la-SAY-jay) and Eze (pronounced A-zay) both played for Nigeria at an international tournament in France in late May. They will compete with the Nigerian team in the World Junior National Championship on July 15-25 in Portugal. The frontcourt pair who played soccer in Nigeria currently reside in Toronto, Canada.
Eze, who is nicknamed "Helicopter" and is a 100-meter sprinter, had 10 points and eight rebounds for the White team in the GTE Wireless Derby Festival Basketball Classic in Louisville's Freedom Hall on April 24. Lesage has been compared favorably to NBA Houston Rockets center Hakeem Olajuwon, also a native of Nigeria.
Eze had narrowed his choices to Houston, Kentucky, Michigan and Miami (Fla.) before signing with the Cardinals. Lesage chose U of L after also considering Auburn and Houston.
With the addition of Lasege and Eze, the Cardinals have added five impressive players this year, including previous signees Rashad Brooks, a 6-1, 205-pound guard from Cecil Community College in North East, Md., Reece Gaines, a 6-6, 185-pound guard from Madison (Wis.) West High School, and Joe Sykes, a 6-9, 220-pound forward/center from North Hardin High School in Radcliff, Ky.
