Recruiting Update: KC Ndefo '18
After making the move from Elmont on Long Island to Abraham Lincoln in the PSAL this past season a lot was expected of 6'6" forward KC Ndefo '18. He was projected to be the anchor in the back for the Railsplitters in their quest for yet another PSAL Class AA Championship.
Things though don't always go as planned though as in mid-January the Board of Education came down and ruled Ndefo and two of his teammates ineligible meaning the seniors season was done and he was once again limbo.
Ndefo averaged 14 points and 9 rebounds a game for the Coney Island school as he looked to be well on his way to proving himself capable of worthy of Division 1 attention, but then in just a moment everything went away.
Another opportunity popped up for Ndefo though in the spring as he hooked on with the NY Lightning on the Nike EYBL circuit, thriving against many of the best in the country as he transitions his game to prove he isn't just a threat around the basket, but an athlete who can shoot and score from the perimeter as he finally is taking advantage of the chance he has long deserved.
It was a situation that Ndefo thought would be best for him. Elmont was a strong school that he says he would always love but playing for legendary head coach Dwayne "Tiny" Morton at Abraham Lincoln was an opportunity that he knew he couldn't pass up, which was why Ndefo was so encouraged by his strong start with the Railsplitters.
He thrived down at tournaments in Louisiana and North Carolina showcasing what he could do on a national stage, and just as it was all coming together, and he felt Division 1 schools would start to pay attention to him it was all taken away as the Department of Education came in and ruled him ineligible for reasons Ndefo says he still doesn't know.
Once he couldn't finish out his senior season on the court Ndefo said he didn't know what was going to happen next. He was frustrated and upset with the situation but found a friend in the NY Lightning who brought him on board, giving him the chance to play in the EYBL, a chance Ndefo himself knew was critical to take advantage of.
"I thought I had to prove myself all over again and show people that I'm still here and the Lightning gave me that chance," Ndefo stated.
More than taking advantage of the salutation, Ndefo came alive in April and showed his ability to be a game changer down low as an athletic shot blocker, but at 6'6" he knew that he couldn't just make his name as a force down low which is why his play offensively from the outside has been so big in his eyes.
Showing that he could knock down the mid to long range shot, Ndefo says that playing more on the outside and working on his perimeter game has taken his game to the next level and proven to college coaches he can play near any position when he heads off to the college level.
"I knew in college I had to do more on the wing so the hard work I have put in has really showed I believe and playing with the Lightning has brought out my game to where I hope coaches see how skilled of an all-around player I am," Ndefo explained.
The question now is where will Ndefo be, come the fall? He will be doing a postgrad year for sure he says though he isn't sure now where he will be doing it with a number of schools in the NEPSAC beginning to show interest, along with schools in New York and New Jersey as well.
Since the April Live Period ended Western Kentucky, Saint Louis, and St. Peter's have started to express interest according to Ndefo who says that after all the trials and tribulations he has been through over the past year he is now happy and confident with the position he is in, and he hopes to pay back the Lightning for their belief in him with the best possible ending he can imagine come the end of July.
"I'm hoping to do all I can for my team and help bring the Lightning the Peach Jam trophy because right now that's what it's all about."
