The NBL Weekend Takeover for 16/17 February will see Sussex Storm take the reins of the NBL Instagram story.
We caught up with Storms' Omari Mrisho of their takeover weekend, in our second Player Spotlight feature.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT
Name: Omari Mrisho
Team: Sussex Storm - Under 14 Boys (South Premier)
Can you tell us a little about yourself?
I am in Year 8 at Holy Trinity School, and I have two brothers. I began playing basketball in year 6 at a club originally called Crawley Cagers that has now become Crawley Storm.
What brought you to the NBL in the first place?
My older brother first started playing, and one day we went to pick him and his coach invited me to a session with my age group a few days later – I loved it.
What was your first impression of the NBL? How has that changed?
I originally believed the NBL was going to be hard and a chance for me to prove myself. This hasn’t really changed, but in face it has shown me that I was right as it has been a challenge, and at times I have stepped up when my team needed me.
What was your first "bright spot" with your team?
It was against a team evenly matched with us, I went on a scoring streak and ended with 17 points in the game.
What was your biggest challenge?
My biggest was probably a tournament that our team took part in called Battle of the Capital. We were not very successful; we had to battle hard – especially as a number of our players were out injured.
What changes have you noticed in yourself since joining the NBL?
My leadership skills have improved, and I am thinking about my teammates more.
What are you working on right now, what are your current goals?
Currently I am working on finishing with weaker hand, and on my jump shot. My overall goal right now is to become more of an offensive threat.
What is your favourite NBL memory?
When my team got our first win of the season.
What advice would you give someone who is just getting started in basketball?
Keep working hard and don’t get discouraged – there will be people who might be better than you, for now. Also, remember that nothing in life comes easy.
What do you like to do outside of basketball?
I play football outside of basketball, but I also like to play on my PS4.
Finally, who is your favourite British basketball player and why?
My favourite British player is Hosana Kitenge because he is from the same town as me. He also did not begin playing basketball at a very early age; I relate to starting late in the game. He stays humble by often coming to visit Crawley Storm, his old team, and supporting them.
You can follow Omari's progress this weekend when Sussex Storm takeover the NBL Instagram story!
