‘He loves basketball and he loves God.’ UK’s Oscar Tshiebwe preaches at Lexington church.
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Game day: No. 7 Kentucky 71, Florida 63
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About a month ago, a Lexington church began planning to hold what has become known as an African Worship Service each Sunday. This was intended as a way to more fully embrace its 20 or so members from Africa now living in the Lexington area.
Sherry Lyons, who is Broadway Baptist Church’s children’s ministry and preschool director, had an idea. Why not invite Oscar Tshiebwe to speak at the first African Worship Service?
“I thought that would be a really neat way to kick it off,” she said.
Broadway Baptist Church pastor Daniel Ausbun reached out via social media to the Kentucky big man, who is from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Tshiebwe was interested, but he pointed out how busy a UK player’s schedule can be. Ausbun decided not to promote a Tshiebwe appearance.
Then during Sunday School last weekend, Ausbun’s phone rang. Tshiebwe was calling. But the pastor did not recognize the number, so he didn’t answer. The UK player then texted to say he would be coming to that evening’s trial run of the African Worship Service.
Wearing a beige sweatshirt bearing the words “Seek Jesus,” Tshiebwe spoke for 15 minutes to the audience of about 75.
Tshiebwe began by thanking the church for the opening music that made him think of home. “I felt I was in Africa a little bit,” he said.
Tshiebwe cited a favorite scripture being the third chapter of Proverbs, verses five through nine. This instructs the reader to trust God, and not believe the human alone is responsible for success.
“This scripture always motivates me …,” Tshiebwe told the audience. “From where I come from to what I am today, I have not done anything on my own.”
Tshiebwe recalled coming to the United States at age 15. His family was thousands of miles away.
“I had nobody,” he said. Those around him were not encouraging. “You’ll never be good,” he said he was told. “You’ll never be a college student. You’ll never play college basketball. …
“But the scripture says everything is possible to those who trust in God.”
Ausbun was impressed.
“He’s genuinely a godly man,” the Broadway Baptist pastor said. “I sat in the front pew with him. He didn’t play on his phone. A lot of times, the guest preacher, they’re busy doing other things. …
“He was engaged. He was saying, amen. He was paying attention. He is the real deal.”
Credit should go to the UK player’s father, Mbuyi Tshiebwe, who was a pastor.
“He was the one that inspired me to stand up in front of people and preach about God,” Tshiebwe said of his father, who died in 2012. “… My daddy used to always tell me this: we think Jesus only came to die for us. No. He had a lot of purpose when he came. He came to teach us how we should live in this world.”
As Ausbun saw it, Tshiebwe might follow his father’s example and someday become a pastor.
“He asked me all about my call to preach,” the Broadway Baptist pastor said. “He seemed very interested in what it takes to be a preacher. He told me he had that calling in life.”
Basketball would seem to be in Tshiebwe’s immediate future. Before the NBA, there is this year’s NCAA Tournament. Tshiebwe told the pastor that he hopes his mother, Kaya Rosalie Tshiebwe, can come to this country and be part of March Madness.
But perhaps basketball will only be a part of the UK big man’s future.
“He asked for ways to improve his preaching,” Ausbun said. “Never once when I was talking to him did he talk about the issue of the NBA money or anything material. It’s all about the Lord. He has a passion for God.”
The Broadway Baptist pastor is a UK fan. He has also become a Tshiebwe fan.
“I love UK,” he said. “Oscar just seems different. This guy’s faith is real. He loves basketball and he loves God. That sums up his life.”
Relief for player
Tennessee freshman Zakai Zeigler, who has been mentioned as a candidate for the SEC Sixth Man of the Year award, made only one of seven shots in the Vols’ victory over Georgia on Tuesday.
“This was the first time all year he hasn’t looked like Zakai,” UT Coach Rick Barnes said after the game. “But it’s been a hard week for him. I’m glad he got to see his mom today.”
The Zeiglers’ apartment building on Long Island caught fire the week before. The player’s mother, Charmane Zeigler, has been traveling with the Tennessee team.
“All I can say is life doesn’t make sense,” teammate Josiah-Jordan James said. “But everything happens for a reason. And it’s all God’s plan.”
James said he gave Zeigler a hang-in-there hug.
As of Friday, a relief effort on the GoFundMe website for the Zeigler family had raised more than $360,000. Zeigler posted an advisory saying money raised in excess of what the family needed for expenses would be donated to charity.
Attendance figures
In 18 home games this season, Kentucky averaged 19,338 in announced attendance.
In terms of a turnstile count, Kentucky’s average attendance for home games was 12,927.
Going by the turnstile count, the five smallest crowds were for games against Central Michigan (8,962), Mount St. Mary’s (9,104), Albany (9,523), Robert Morris (10,336) and Southern (10,436).
In the seven home games between the opener against Duke in New York and game in Rupp Arena against Western Kentucky on Dec. 22, the average turnstile count on attendance was 10,426.
Free throws
A caller on John Calipari’s radio show suggested that not shooting enough free throws was a factor in Kentucky’s losses this season.
In his response, Calipari seemed to suggest that getting to the foul line was not of paramount importance.
“If you play to get fouled, they’re not calling it,” he said. “At least for us they’re not. You’ve got to play to make the basket and hope they call the foul.”
For what it’s worth: going into Saturday’s game at Florida, Kentucky had averaged 13.2 free-throw attempts in its six losses. Opponents had averaged 19.2 free-throw attempts in those games.
The numbers more or less flipped in Kentucky’s 24 victories going into the game at Florida. UK averaged 18.8 free-throw attempts in those games compared to 13.6 for opponents.
Looking ahead
Kentucky probably will not have to advance beyond the first weekend to make this year’s NCAA Tournament to be special for Davion Mintz.
“I’ve never won a game in March Madness, so I’m really looking forward to getting there,” he said recently.
Rush to judgment
Kentucky’s victory over Ole Miss continued a deeply ingrained pattern. UK has lost at home against Ole Miss twice in 58 games. The losses came in 1998 and 1927.
A disgruntled fan’s rush to judgment made the 1998 loss memorable. The 73-64 defeat left Kentucky with a 22-4 record.
The fan said on a radio call-in show that Kentucky was the worst 22-4 team he had seen. When later recalling the fan’s comment, host Tom Leach playfully suggested that this was like saying someone was dating a less attractive supermodel.
Incidentally, Kentucky did not lose another game that season and won the 1998 NCAA Tournament.
Ole Miss has not beaten a team ranked in the top 10 in a road game since then.
NIL = s-t-a-y?
Davion Mintz was asked if opportunities to profit off name, image and likeness (NIL) could lead players to play another season for a college team rather than try to strike it rich as a professional.
“Yeah, absolutely,” he said. “That’s been a really big change in the decision-making process. Because the world moves financially. That’s what makes it circulate.”
Happy birthday
To Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics. He turned 24 on Thursday. … To sportswriter Adrian Wojnarowski. The “NBA insider” for ESPN turned 53 on Friday. … To Shaquille O’Neal. He turns 50 on Sunday (today). … To former North Carolina forward Luke Maye. The player who hit the shot that beat UK in the 2017 NCAA Tournament South Region finals turns 25 on Monday.
This story was originally published March 5, 2022 at 6:30 AM.
