The Justice

Christian Yemga '11, shoots a lay up during practice. Originally a native of Cameroon, Yemga is expected to be one of the Judges' top rookies. David Sheppard-Brick/the Justice

Sporting a plain white undershirt beneath his loose jersey, Christian Yemga '11 takes high strides up the court at last Wednesday's scrimmage against Emerson College, almost like he is jumping over invisible hurdles.

But while even coach Brian Meehan calls the 6-foot, 5-inch Yemga "somewhat unorthodox," there's no denying his unique talents. As a senior at Proctor Academy in New Hampshire, Yemga, originally a native of Cameroon, which borders Chad and Nigeria, was rated as one of the top 25 basketball recruits in New Hampshire by New England Basketball Recruiting Report, and the same Web site listed Brandeis' acquisition of him as one of the top 10 New England-area recruiting steals in all three divisions of college basketball.

"I think he's even improved dramatically in the first three practices," Meehan says. "We think he's just going to keep getting better, and I don't think we're even scratching the surface. If he continues to work hard, the sky's the limit."

If Yemga looks unorthodox, it's probably because he didn't start playing basketball in Cameroon until he was 13 years old. When he was younger, he was an avid soccer player, and even though his father was a former captain of the Cameroon national basketball team, he says he was never pressured into playing the game.

That all changed when he starting living with his aunt, who ran a basketball-intensive school. Yemga found he loved the game and all the people who surrounded him when he played.

"Basketball is a special sport because it's always competitive, and we use our heads more than in other sports," he says.

In order to pursue his basketball future and provide for his family, which includes six brothers, Yemga decided he needed to come to the United States. He admits it was a difficult but necessary decision.

"The main reason I'm here is to help my family," he says. "I knew it would be hard, because I didn't have any family members here, but I was ready for the challenge."

Through a family friend, he immigrated three years ago and eventually ended up at Proctor High, where he played one year alongside current University of Connecticut star Jerome Dyson. Two years and three host families later, Yemga came to Brandeis, spurred by an experience at a basketball camp with the brother of assistant coach Colin Tabb.

Continued...

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