April 1, 2013
By Matt Winkeljohn
Sting Daily
As Georgia Tech’s season ended, it looked like the Yellow Jackets could use time off and senior Mfon Udofia did indeed put basketball away, but only for a about a week.
He went back to work on his game a couple weeks ago, not long after Tech fell to Boston College in the ACC Tournament. His next game is Friday in the Georgia Dome, where the point guard will participate in the Reese’s College All-Star Game – a precursor of sorts to the Final Four.
Udofia will walk in commencement ceremonies next month (although he’ll have one class to finish in the summer in order to complete his business management degree), but hoops remain on his mind.
“I’m excited, actually,” he said. “It got a call a few months ago about the possibility, and I just got an e-mail last week. It’s my goal to get a professional tryout.”
Rosters have not been finalized yet for the all-star game for seniors, although Iowa State head coach Fred Hoiberg will be one of the coaches.
Udofia, who averaged 8.3 points, 2.9 assists and nearly a steal per game for the Jackets as a senior, is torn as much as ever between school and sport even though he’s in the home stretch and his college athletic career is over.
“I think [school] is harder now,” he said. “You’re so close to the finish line, and you kind of get senior-itis. I’m going to pick it up hard this last month, though.”
He’s working hard on his game, too. He realizes the NBA is a long shot.
“I’m trying to get better. I’ve been watching the tournament, and I can say that I miss it; we all miss it,” Udofia said. “I’ve been working out with a lot of guys in the area, and my AAU coach.
“I have no real vacation plans for this summer, and I’ve been working a little bit of everything, a lot on things that I lack at. Overseas, [NBA] D-League, whatever opportunities come up for me I’ll be interested in trying.”
