AFRICENTRIC
seniors — forwards Kynnedy Azubike and Leah Morrow — daydreamed about playing for the Nubians when they were in grade school. Another senior in that group, De’Jae Denham, is out for the season because of a knee injury.
“I have pictures when Chynna was little-little, about 5 years old, and she was sitting there on the bench,” Africentric coach Will McKinney said. “I get the feeling that something big is going to happen for Chynna in this tournament. Cedra and Chelsea each had big moments when we won championships. It’s Chynna’s time.”
Five of Africentric’s seniors will play in college next season — Chambers at Rio Grande, Azubike at Akron, Morrow at St. Francis (Pa.), Denham at Ohio and Amari Grace at West Virginia State.
Azubike, though, never thought she would become a star for the Nubians. She participated primarily in beauty pageants in grade school, once winning a national talent contest on VH1.
“Oh my gosh, that was a long time ago,” she said. “I started in pageants when I was 3 and didn’t stop until I was 11 or 12.”
Azubike had played only in church leagues when she signed up for a Nubians camp as a sixth-grader. Now she’s a Division I recruit with the Zips.
“I saw that the players were miles ahead of me when I was at Patriot Prep,” Azubike said. “I was in awe. I never thought I could play for them. I kept working hard.”
Morrow was on the fast track as early as the sixth grade, and McKinney had her playing against older girls in AAU ball.
Still, she remembers Africentric players looking as if they were 10 feet tall.
“I said, ‘Wow, those girls are fast,’ ” Morrow said. “I was at Monroe Middle School and told myself that this was where I wanted to be. I was so excited putting on the Africentric uniform for the first time. Coach told me I was dressing varsity and I was so nervous those first 30 seconds.”
Now, Morrow is instructing younger players — such as freshman Alexia Smith — how to be a Nubian.
“This is a sisterhood, your team, so I just tell her there will be rough days in practice and to keep working hard,” she said. “I tell her that coach McKinney will steer her in the right direction.”