Oklahoma endures tragedy as it prepares for Texas A&M in Sweet 16
The Oklahoma Sooners are playing with heavy hearts and a man down in the NCAA tournament.
Junior center Akolda Manyang learned over the weekend that his younger brother, Ater Manyang, was found dead from an apparent suicide at a state addiction-treatment center back home in Minnesota.
Akolda Manyang left his teammates and flew home Saturday to be with his family and it’s uncertain when he will rejoin the team.
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The Sooners beat Cal State Bakersfield on Friday in a first-round game with Manyang contributing two points, three rebounds and two blocked shots in 14 minutes off the bench. Oklahoma defeated VCU on Sunday to advance to the Sweet 16 this week against old Big 12 Conference rival Texas A&M.
“We told him to take as much time as he needed,” Oklahoma coach Lon Kruger said of his 7-foot center after Sunday’s win.
Forward Khadeem Lattin told the Oklahoman newspaper after Sunday’s game that the Sooners are playing for Manyang.
The Manyang brothers came to America as refugees from Sudan when they were very young and grew up in Houston and then Minneapolis. Ater Manyang graduated from Century High School in 2012 and was a four-year letterman becoming the school’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder.
The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported that Ater Manyang was dismissed from his high school team in February of his senior season for a violation of state rules. He was 6-foot-5 but not heavily recruited by colleges.
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[Kyle Ringo is the assistant editor of The Dagger on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @KyleRingo
