Sylla Making Transformation
MILFORD, Del. -- Oumar Sylla (right) said he's having a makeover, but don't expect the skilled 6-6, 190 pound small forward from Our Savior New America H.S. in Centereach, N.Y., to be on the Jenny Jones show any time soon.
Advertisement
He's talking about a basketball, not a beauty, makeover.
After a pair of less than up to par performances here at the War on the Shore, Sylla enjoyed a tremendous first half and overall game performance on Sunday in the Pioneers' easy 71-51 victory over National Christian Academy.
Sylla knocked down five of seven three pointers in the first half and dished out five assists in the opening 16 minutes as Our Savior opened up a 38-22 half-time lead.
In the second half, with the game basically on cruise control, Sylla added four more points and three more assists to finish with 21 and eight, respectively, on the afternoon.
"We hadn't played together in six months, so everybody was still showing each other who was who," Sylla said. "In the second game [an OT loss to Winchendon], I told the coach that I would organize the game, and the same for the third game."
His passing handiwork was especially critical because the Pioneers had struggled to get easy looks during a pair of losses at the War on the Shore.
"We had some problems with our guards, because we didn't have any who could penetrate," Sylla explained. "So they are going to make me over to be a guard."
With his size and scoring punch from the perimeter, it will be hard for teams to slough off Sylla. Despite his funky looking outside shot, Sylla's three pointer was falling in bunches on Sunday. He also made several difficult bounce passes that resulted in nifty assists.
Not bad for a guy who was kicking around the ball all fall long on the Our Savior soccer team.
"I started only playing and practicing two weeks ago," he admitted.
That's bad news for Our Savior's upcoming opponents, as his make over promises to get prettier and prettier as the Pioneers' season progresses.
