FIBA Basketball
USA - Is Noah a voodoo child?
MINNEAPOLIS (NCAA) - When March Madness takes hold, players and fans alike are willing to do pretty much anything to make it to the Final Four and pursue the dream of the national title. However, Florida’s Joakim Noah is threatening to take things just a little bit further
MINNEAPOLIS (NCAA) - When March Madness takes hold, players and fans alike are willing to do pretty much anything to make it to the Final Four and pursue the dream of the national title.
However, Florida's Joakim Noah is threatening to take things just a little bit further.
Voodoo could be added to the Gators playbook if the sophomore is to be believed.
Noah, the son of French tennis great Yannick, says his Cameroonian grandfather Zacharie - a former professional soccer player - is ready to sacrifice chickens and sing some chants if it will help Florida advance in the NCAA Tournament.
There have been rumours of Florida receiving spiritual aid since the start of the Tournament as the Gators - and Noah in particular - have been in impressive form.
When asked about what his grandfather or others might be doing to help the team, Noah has alternated between seriousness and smiles.
"I don't know," was all he would tell the Orlando Sentinel. "Africa is a crazy place, man."
Noah, who spent last summer with his grandfather in Cameroon, has been spellbinding in his first three outings in the NCAA Tournament. He began with 16 points, eight rebounds and a career-high seven assists in a 76-50 rout of South Alabama.
Then, against Wisconsin-Milwaukee he had 17 points in an 82-60 win.
On Friday, he had 15 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks as Florida beat Georgetown 57-53 to reach the elite eight.
The performances come on the back of a break-out season in which the power forward/center has averaged more than 14 points a game.
His performances have even made him an outside candidate to make it into Claude Bergeaud's squad for the FIBA World Championship.
If he can produce just a little more magic, the dream may yet come alive.
PA Sport, Exclusively for FIBA
However, Florida's Joakim Noah is threatening to take things just a little bit further.
Voodoo could be added to the Gators playbook if the sophomore is to be believed.
Noah, the son of French tennis great Yannick, says his Cameroonian grandfather Zacharie - a former professional soccer player - is ready to sacrifice chickens and sing some chants if it will help Florida advance in the NCAA Tournament.
There have been rumours of Florida receiving spiritual aid since the start of the Tournament as the Gators - and Noah in particular - have been in impressive form.
When asked about what his grandfather or others might be doing to help the team, Noah has alternated between seriousness and smiles.
"I don't know," was all he would tell the Orlando Sentinel. "Africa is a crazy place, man."
Noah, who spent last summer with his grandfather in Cameroon, has been spellbinding in his first three outings in the NCAA Tournament. He began with 16 points, eight rebounds and a career-high seven assists in a 76-50 rout of South Alabama.
Then, against Wisconsin-Milwaukee he had 17 points in an 82-60 win.
On Friday, he had 15 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks as Florida beat Georgetown 57-53 to reach the elite eight.
The performances come on the back of a break-out season in which the power forward/center has averaged more than 14 points a game.
His performances have even made him an outside candidate to make it into Claude Bergeaud's squad for the FIBA World Championship.
If he can produce just a little more magic, the dream may yet come alive.
PA Sport, Exclusively for FIBA