Four years ago, playing college basketball wasn’t on Amadou Sidibe’s mind.
He didn’t even play the sport – the West African immigrant was a goalkeeper back home – and athletics weren’t a priority. One day while he was in eighth grade he picked up a basketball, at the suggestion of a coach at his local middle school, fell in love with the sport and his hoops career has taken off since.
“I don’t know where I would be at if [I didn’t do that],” Cardinal Hayes’ rugged 6-foot-8 forward said.
He certainly wouldn’t have a Division I scholarship to call his own, that’s for sure. Sidibe verbally committed to MAAC power Fairfield — as first reported by The Post — and new coach Sydney Johnson on Monday night, hours after returning home from an official visit to the Connecticut campus.
Sidibe, best known for his rebounding and shot-blocking skills, picked the Stags over a host of mid-major schools, such as Boston University, Hofstra, Drexel, Fordham, Iona, Quinnipiac, St. Peter’s and Delaware. He visited Hofstra, Marist, Quinnipiac, and Iona, but none could compare with Fairfield.
“When I went there, I knew right away it was for me,” said Sidibe, the Ivory Coast native who averaged 19 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks last year. “At the school, I will thrive on and off the court. I felt it was the right move, I love the players, I love the coaches.”
Former St. Francis College coach Brian Nash was the lead recruiter and Hayes coach Joe Lods was especially impressed by Johnson, the former Princeton coach who replaced Ed Cooley when he left Fairfield for Providence.
“He was a genuine guy, he was an honest guy, there was no Division I-used-car-salesman kind of talk,” Lods said. “He seemed like he would be a real mentor for Amadou. He was very authentic.”
Sidibe was a raw prospect when Lods first laid eyes on him as a freshman. There was one elite skill.
“He had a Division I work ethic in the classroom and on the court,” Lods said. “That’s always been his best quality.”
One Division I coach involved in Sidibe’s recruiting said Fairfield is getting a difference-making forward. The coach warned not to expect superstar numbers, but he is far more than a complementary piece, too, the coach said.
“He’ll be a level above a role player, but not a guy you say on scouting reports we can’t let him beat us,” the coach said. “I thought the MAAC level was the right level for him. He’s gonna help Fairfield.”
Sidibe’s recruiting was circuitous. He verbally committed to Fordham as a sophomore because it was his first scholarship offer. When then-Rams assistant Jared Grasso left for Iona, Sidibe de-committed. Schools began to take notice last season as he led Hayes to the CHSAA Class A title game and over the summer as Sidibe shined on the AAU circuit with the New York Gauchos.
“I think he’s the best rebounder in the city,” Lods said.
Throughout the summer, Sidibe wasn’t sure what he wanted. He thought about trying to improve his SAT scores to play in the Ivy League, but then Fairfield came on strong with Johnson, the former Princeton coach and star under legendary coach Pete Carrill, leading the charge.
“This opportunity isn’t for everybody, I’m just excited I’m over with this process,” he said. “I can focus on school and winning a championship.”