ULAANBAATAR (Mongolia) - It's never easy carrying the weight of every expectation especially for teenage athletes but Somto Patrick Onoduenyi is hardly bothered, and he's in fact embracing it fully.
Not just him but his frontcourt partner in Hassan Abdulkadir as well, as the talented big men are being seen by fans and observers alike as foundational pieces of the Bahrain national team in the near future.
"For me and Hassan, the attention is something we both take as motivation," he said.
"People are watching us because they see potential, and instead of feeling pressure, we use it to push each other to work harder every day," the 15-year-old added. "And show what Bahrain basketball can really do."
The two have been garnering much attention since seeing action in the FIBA U16 Asia Cup 2025 GBA Qualifiers in Manama last July, where they starred in Bahrain's mighty four-game sweep toward the crown.
To grow through the sport and be part of the Bahrain national team is a true honor. Bahrain gave me the opportunity to shine and represent something bigger than myself, and I feel proud every time I wear the jersey.
Somto tallied 12.5 and 10.5 rebounds while Abdulkadir netted 13.0 and 17.5 boards as they finished with double-double averages, impressive enough to merit a call-up from the men's team in the Arab Championship.
"It was a very proud moment for both me and Hassan because we’re still youth team players, and stepping up to compete in an elite men’s competition was something special," he reflected.
Being that young and holding a candle to much more experienced teammates and competitors would surely attract even more eyes their way but then again, they take all that as part of - and key to - their growth.
And Tuesday should be solid evidence how unfazed Somto has been with the hype.
The young Bahrainis came from behind to stun Lebanon by way of a pulsating 70-68 decision for their breakthrough win of the 2025 U16 Asia Cup, with the do-it-all hooper taking over to make it possible.
Somto played all 40 minutes and wound up with eye-popping numbers of 23 points, 23 rebounds, 4 steals, and 9 blocks as he did a little bit of everything on both ends of the floor to complete their rally from 14 down.
He tied things up at 68-all with a bucket from close range with 50.3 seconds to go, and then blocked Charbel El Herara's attempt emphatically on the other end before the entire team forced a shot clock violation.
Somto would go on to make the game's biggest play, taking it strong the hoop before banking in the one-handed shot against the tough defense to sink the go-ahead basket with only 4.3 seconds left to play.
He was undeniably the gameday's brightest star but he refused to take all the credit to himself, instead deflecting the credit to his teammates as he was left beaming with much pride for their show of character.
"It felt amazing," Somto said of the shot that rocked the MBank Arena. "Honestly, we know we should’ve been leading that game, but sometimes things don’t go our way. What mattered most was showing our character.
"We stayed calm, fought back, and proved that we could finish strong. Hitting that last shot was just the reward for the team’s belief," he added. "And of course, credit to my teammates for never giving up."
"And, to the families and fans for always pushing us with their support," he continued
Somto's big on family and their supporters, proof of how grateful he is to Bahrain for giving him the chance to play and be part of the country's aspirations of building the best basketball it could in the coming years.
"To grow through the sport and be part of the Bahrain national team is a true honor," he said. "Bahrain gave me the opportunity to shine and represent something bigger than myself, and I feel proud every time I wear the jersey."
That's why he would want to give back as much as he can. "My dream is to reach the highest level I can personally, but also to help Bahrain basketball keep growing," he said. "I want us to compete with the top teams in Asia."
"And one day, be known as a country that produces talent and plays with heart," Somto added.
FIBA