Jeremy Nzeulie, the unsung hero

SHEFFIELD (Júlio Chitunda's African Message) - There are things in basketball that few can explain. Take for example Jeremy Nzeulie, a 22-year-old back-up guard for Nanterre who averaged 3.0 points per game in the French Pro A regular season, but became so efficient in the finals that he led his team in scoring in the decisive and last two games.

Now, Nzeulie and Nanterre are the hot topic of conversation in French basketball circles, not only because they finished eighth in the regular season and barely clinched the final play-off berth with a 15-15 record - a mark shared by Orleans and Cholet below them - but because they caused one of the most unexpected upsets in the league's history by winning the finals series 3-1 against hyper-favourite Strasbourg.

In the David and Goliath clash between Nanterre and Strasbourg, Nzeulie was the unsung hero, although David Lighty was named MVP of the finals,

Nzeulie's story is relevant because he has not started any of the four games in the finals, but when coach Pascal Donnadieu called him, he came off the bench with great contributions, especially in games 3 and 4, in which he averaged 15.5 points, the most of any Nanterre players.

And the reason I am writing about Nzeulie is simply because his story does not come across often. From being underdogs in the league, Nanterre emerge as Euroleague candidates, and media reports suggested - well before the finals - that he was expected to join Cameroon's men's national team for this summer's AfroBasket.

The 1.87m guard - known for his defensive skills - was born in France, but he is eligible for Cameroonian citizenship through his ancestors.

The next challenge for Nzeulie is helping Cameroon succeed in Group D of the Preliminary Round of the 2013 AfroBasket against Nigeria, Mali and the Republic of Congo.

After Game 3, Nzeulie explained he had 14 points because "Strasbourg had to make choices (defensively). I'm not known for my great offensive qualities, Strasbourg left me in shooting positions, and I made shots."

Coach Donnadieu, who has followed Nzeulie's development, was a proud man.

"The way he was able to travel to get there, it's even more rewarding for a coach," he said.

For now, Nzeulie is planning a break to rest his knees before he focuses on the Cameroonian national team.

"It's all very exciting," he said while expecting to help Cameroon qualify for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain.

But first they must finish in the top three of the 16-team AfroBasket in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

The French Pro A finals offered an African taste with Nzeulie having a happy ending, while Central African Republic international Maxime Zianveni, a forward with Strasbourg, had a disappointing end.

Let's see if these two players will meet again at this summer's AfroBasket.

Júlio Chitunda

FIBA

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