Balabyekkubbo forever a Lynx
Keturah Balabyekkubbo remembers her roots.
The 18-year-old Fort Erie native has spent the last two-plus years with Lincoln Prepatory School in Hamilton with the goal of obtaining a basketball scholarship south of the border.
Balabyekkubbo achieved that dream recently when she agreed to a full scholarship with Embry-Riddle, a Division 2 school based in Daytona Beach, Fla.
But when it came time for the press conference, Balabyekkubbo knew exactly where she wanted to announce the good news.
“Jean Vanier will always be my home even though I spent less time here than I did at my actual high school,” Balabyekkubbo said, while surrounded by family and staff in the foyer at the Welland school. “I feel like there is a reason I came here and it shows. It’s such a good family vibe and such good people here that it only made sense to come back here and do it.”
Vanier basketball coach Tara Poulin was naturally proud of her protege.
“I was very, very thrilled to get a chance to work with her and very thrilled she got a chance to continue under one of the best,” Poulin said. “She’s definitely one of the hardest workers I know.”
Balabyekkubbo spent Grade 9 and 10 at Vanier before moving to Hamilton, thanks to Vanier teacher Martin Vaillancourt, who contacted Lincoln Prep and tipped them off about Balabyekkubbo.
Balabyekkubbo played for Richard Nurse at Lincoln Prep, who happily made the trip from Hamilton to be part of the festivities.
“I saw her a couple of times and I knew we were getting a great athlete and great basketball player, but what we got was, that I didn’t realize we were getting, was a great human being,” Nurse said. “We look for people with character and that’s what we have here. She comes to work every single day, even when I’m chewing her out, she still comes back.”
Keturah Balabyekkubbo with Vanier coaches Trish Poulin, left, and Tara Poulin, right.
Balabyekkubbo admits she has mixed feelings about her upcoming adventure.
“I feel it’s like a completely different environment and it’s not like I have family or anyone going wth me,” she said. “It’s exciting to start new and start over and meet new people and do stuff for myself, but it’s also nerve-wracking in a sense.
“I’m very excited to play at the next level in university, but also a bit nervous.”
Balabyekkubbo plans to major in homeland security, which helped her make her decision.
“They had everything I wanted on campus,” Balabyekkubbo said. “The professor that will be teaching me was in the FBI for a long time and that’s what I looking to go into.
“The coach is very nice and everything they have to offer like the tutoring. It’s very much like a home aspect and a very tight-knit group. I wanted to make sure I had people supporting me like at home.”
Still, she admitted it took some soul-searching before finally committing.
“It took me awhile actually because I wanted to make sure I visited the school and saw everything and made sure I sat down with my family and that is where I actually wanted to go.”
It also didn’t hurt that she was offered a full financial package.
“It was easy because with a full scholarship I’m not paying for anything. It will be good to give back to those who have supported me and paid for everything that comes with playing basketball,” she said.
Balabyekkubbo isn’t quite sure how she will fit in yet on the court where she is a guard.
“You just go in with an open mind. Obviously, there are seniors and others ahead of me and I’ll have to wait my turn and hopefully improve myself and it comes with stealing someone’s spot. I just have to work harder than everyone in front of me and hopefully end up starting.”
Nurse has no doubt Balabyekkubbo will succeed.
“I know when you get to you’re going to be a good player and you’re going to work and be there to take someone’s job,” he said to her.
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