Godwin Ogbueze - Old School Cybers

[Player]

Any of you heard of him before ?

[YemiBrazil]

Segun Odegbami mentioned his name here - http://mathematical7.com/the-killing-fields-of-jos/

[TonyTheTigerKiller]

The single most talented Nigerian soccer player ever. Most of Jay-Jay's moves are an adaptation of what Godwin Ogbueze, alias Pele, showed Nigerian fans in the 70's. Unfortunately, his career, just like Emeka Onyedika's, was cut short by injury.


Cheers.

[SUYA]

Great player TTT but he was not the best. Odgebami is.

[TonyTheTigerKiller]

Great player TTT but he was not the best. Odgebami is.

Yes indeed, Odegbami had a very successful career but he did not have the skills of Godwin Ogbueze. You had to see him to believe it. The 1971 East Central State Acadamicals had the likes of Ezeani, Chukwu, Ekeji and Ilodigwe on the team yet it was the mild mannered Ogbueze who captained the team. I think that had a lot to do with the immense respect everyone had for his unbelievable skills. Seriously, the guy was like Michael Jordan; you give him the ball and get out of the way


Cheers.

[Player]

The reason why i brought up his name is that his son Braxton Ogbueze is rated the 5th best point guard in the country for 2012.



http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketb ... on-ogbueze

National recruiting analyst Dave Telep was in Charlotte Tuesday to see the first round of the I-MECK Conference boys' basketball tournament. One of the players who impressed him most was Vance sophomore Braxton Ogbueze.

"There's just a pace and smoothness to his game that just belies his age," Telep said. "He's a heck of a (college) prospect."

Ogbueze (pronounced Oh-boy-zee), 16, is a 6-foot sophomore guard with a 3.5 grade-point average. He plays in a conference - though it has changed names - that has sent a team to the N.C. 4A final in four of the past seven seasons.

This season, the I-MECK has had as many as five teams ranked in the Observer's Sweet 16 poll, and currently three are ranked in the N.C. media poll: No. 2 Hopewell, No. 3 Lake Norman and No. 9 Vance.

Playing against that type of competition, Ogbueze averages 20 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists. He makes 52 percent of his shots. He has scholarship offers from South Carolina, Wake Forest and Virginia, Cougars coach Will Robinson said.

"He's going to be as good a player in the state of North Carolina as they've seen in a long time," said Robinson, whose team will play at Lake Norman in tonight's tournament semifinal. "By the time he's a senior, he'll have the total package. The good thing about Braxton is he's continually working on having that total package.

"Right now, he's just an incredible scorer. I think he's one of the most challenging players in North Carolina - regardless of class - to guard one-on-one. So many offensive designs in high school use ball screens to free up guards. Braxton allows you to not have to involve another person."

Part of what makes Ogbueze so tough is his strength. Robinson likes to say Ogbueze has a body like Hercules. And Ogbueze said he developed that body the old-fashioned way.

"At home, my dad made me do push-ups and pull-ups," he said.

His father, Godwin, was a celebrated youth soccer player in Nigeria who came to the United States to play at Clemson in 1975. Godwin Ogbueze ranks No.8 in career goals for the Tigers and had five game-winning goals as a sophomore.

Braxton said his dad worked with him in seventh grade with the exercising. Today, he does 100 push-ups in a row or two sets of 50, followed by as many pull-ups as he can do in a minute, about 25 or 30. He keeps up that regimen five days a week.

The result is a thickly muscled athlete who more resembles, say, a college junior than a high school kid who still doesn't have a driver's license.

"He's an incredible physical specimen," Hopewell coach Eric Davis said. "And I was talking to my guys at practice about how he has such control of the ball. You can try to pressure him but he clears up space because he's so strong. For his body to be what it is as a sophomore is unbelievable. You don't find many sophomores with that kind of body."

Ogbueze has good ball-handling ability and is a good 3-point shooter. He's best at dribble-driving and pulling up for mid-range jumpers. But he can also finish drives at the basket against bigger opponents. And, remember, he makes more than half his shots.

Hopewell's Davis doesn't relish the idea of trying to defend him for two more seasons.

"He's got a great work ethic," Davis said. "And he's only going to get better. We just continue to find guys like that in our conference. Guys like (Wake Forest's) Ish Smith and (former Deacon signee) Jamie Skeen, (West Charlotte's) J.T. Terrell, (North Mecklenburg's) Bernard Sullivan, (Vance's Marquis) Rankin, just great players. And, like them, Braxton's going to be one of the best players we've faced since I've been at Hopewell."

Ogbueze wants to play in college. He said everyone in his family is a big Michael Jordan fan and he grew up loving the North Carolina Tar Heels. And he knows to have a chance to play at North Carolina, or any major college, he must continue working at what Robinson calls "that total package."

After an initial interview this week, Ogbueze called a reporter back to praise his teammates and coaches for helping him on his journey.

"I didn't want to leave them out," he said. "I didn't feel good about my responses before without talking about them. I just want to keep working hard. I bank on my hard work to produce results, but I'll always need somebody else to help me."

Read more: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/0 ... z19Kbfe72l

[Polly]

I, too, saw Ogbueze play, as a student. And yes, "phenomenal" is an appropriate adjective. In a team of real gems, he was something to behold. One more comment: as much as I respected Segun Odegbami in his prime, it is his patriotism, not his soccer skills, that I remember the most. He almost single-handedly won us the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations with his performance in the final.

On Ogbueze, the big pity is that we can only rely on memory here, instead of going to the videotape.

[Abbey]

The single most talented Nigerian soccer player ever. Most of Jay-Jay's moves are an adaptation of what Godwin Ogbueze, alias Pele, showed Nigerian fans in the 70's. Unfortunately, his career, just like Emeka Onyedika's, was cut short by injury.


Cheers.

Ogbueze, the C.K.C dribbling wizard was a phenomenal high school player. You are correct he was cut short by injury. I am not sure who introduced the half-moon or comma drag move between him and Tony Eyo in '70 or '71. But that move today has become a Nigeria's staple ever since. A move now popularized by Kanu.

[TonyTheTigerKiller]

The single most talented Nigerian soccer player ever. Most of Jay-Jay's moves are an adaptation of what Godwin Ogbueze, alias Pele, showed Nigerian fans in the 70's. Unfortunately, his career, just like Emeka Onyedika's, was cut short by injury.


Cheers.

Ogbueze, the C.K.C dribbling wizard was a phenomenal high school player. You are correct he was cut short by injury. I am not sure who introduced the half-moon or comma drag move between him and Tony Eyo in '70 or '71. But that move today has become a Nigeria's staple ever since. A move now popularized by Kanu.

It is a common mistake to assume that Ogbueze attended CKC since CKC is, soccerwise at least, one of the best known schools in the defunct East Central State. However, Ogbueze attended St. Theresa's College (STC), Nsukka


Cheers.

[Abbey]

The single most talented Nigerian soccer player ever. Most of Jay-Jay's moves are an adaptation of what Godwin Ogbueze, alias Pele, showed Nigerian fans in the 70's. Unfortunately, his career, just like Emeka Onyedika's, was cut short by injury.


Cheers.

Ogbueze, the C.K.C dribbling wizard was a phenomenal high school player. You are correct he was cut short by injury. I am not sure who introduced the half-moon or comma drag move between him and Tony Eyo in '70 or '71. But that move today has become a Nigeria's staple ever since. A move now popularized by Kanu.

It is a common mistake to assume that Ogbueze attended CKC since CKC is, soccerwise at least, one of the best known schools in the defunct East Central State. However, Ogbueze attended St. Theresa's College (STC), Nsukka


Cheers.

Did you see my P.M.?

[TonyTheTigerKiller]

Did you see my P.M.?

Yes, thank you for responding


Cheers.

[Enugu II]

Ogbueze was a dribbling wizard, there is no doubt. He led his school -- St. Theresa's College, Nsukka -- to win the East Central State Acada Cup in the early 1970s. On that team were other players who also played for the state including Kenneth "Kendo" Ilodigwe, Alex "Tempest" Nwosu, Moses "Mogambo" Nweke, Damian "Arabi Chocho" Odoh, among others.

I do not believe that injury ruined his career. He simply left for the USA to further his education but even before then he was not a sure starter for Enugu Rangers. Ilodigwe actually proved to be a better player than Ogbueze as soon as they both got to Rangers. Ogbueze dominated the national competition for secondary schools and was captain of the Nigerian Academicals but the fact is that he played poorly for Nigerian Academicals in the four contests that he had with Ghana. Bottomline, he was a schoolboy wonder but no more.

[Gotti]

Ogbueze was a dribbling wizard, there is no doubt. He led his school -- St. Theresa's College, Nsukka -- to win the East Central State Acada Cup in the early 1970s. On that team were other players who also played for the state including Kenneth "Kendo" Ilodigwe, Alex "Tempest" Nwosu, Moses "Mogambo" Nweke, Damian "Arabi Chocho" Odoh, among others.

I do not believe that injury ruined his career. He simply left for the USA to further his education but even before then he was not a sure starter for Enugu Rangers. Ilodigwe actually proved to be a better player than Ogbueze as soon as they both got to Rangers. Ogbueze dominated the national competition for secondary schools and was captain of the Nigerian Academicals but the fact is that he played poorly for Nigerian Academicals in the four contests that he had with Ghana. Bottomline, he was a schoolboy wonder but no more.

It did...

Ogbueze suffered a serious knee injury shortly after he joined Rangers, and then left for the US shortly after he returned to action (and probably before he was a hundred percent), but in the few pre-injury games that he had played for Rangers, he was heads and shoulders above the crowd.

[Enugu II]

Gotti:

I disagree and the records clearly show that he was not a regular starter after he joined Rangers in 1972 through 1973. He was substituted in several games and was finally displaced by Ikeagu in 1973. Ogbueze was in jured thereafter and did not return in the lineup until 1975 in the state FA Cup final v Vasco which Rangers won 2-1. Even in that game he was replaced at the start of the second half by Obianika. It is news that injury was what stopped his career. In fact his cousins, including Ezesports, will tell you that there were two dominant theories about his inability to perform at a high level with rangers 91) that he was vying over the same lady with Coach Dan Anyiam ( ) or that his "juju" which was effective at the school level no longer worked at the club level ( ). Ofcourse, those two theories were ridiculous but they were inded the prevailing belief as far as I remember. The injury was not an explanation as pre-injury he was having a hard time securing a stable position in the starting team.

Ogbueze was a dribbling wizard, there is no doubt. He led his school -- St. Theresa's College, Nsukka -- to win the East Central State Acada Cup in the early 1970s. On that team were other players who also played for the state including Kenneth "Kendo" Ilodigwe, Alex "Tempest" Nwosu, Moses "Mogambo" Nweke, Damian "Arabi Chocho" Odoh, among others.

I do not believe that injury ruined his career. He simply left for the USA to further his education but even before then he was not a sure starter for Enugu Rangers. Ilodigwe actually proved to be a better player than Ogbueze as soon as they both got to Rangers. Ogbueze dominated the national competition for secondary schools and was captain of the Nigerian Academicals but the fact is that he played poorly for Nigerian Academicals in the four contests that he had with Ghana. Bottomline, he was a schoolboy wonder but no more.

It did...

Ogbueze suffered a serious knee injury shortly after he joined Rangers, and then left for the US shortly after he returned to action (and probably before he was a hundred percent), but in the few pre-injury games that he had played for Rangers, he was heads and shoulders above the crowd.

[Enugu II]

Gotti:

I disagree and the records clearly show that he was not a regular starter after he joined Rangers in 1972 through 1973. He was substituted in several games and was finally displaced by Ikeagu in 1973. Ogbueze was in jured thereafter and did not return in the lineup until 1975 in the state FA Cup final v Vasco which Rangers won 2-1. Even in that game he was replaced at the start of the second half by Obianika. It is news that injury was what stopped his career. In fact his cousins, including Ezesports, will tell you that there were two dominant theories about his inability to perform at a high level with rangers (1) that he was vying over the same lady with Coach Dan Anyiam ( ) or that his "juju" which was effective at the school level no longer worked at the club level ( ). Ofcourse, those two theories were ridiculous but they were inded the prevailing belief as far as I remember. The injury was not an explanation as pre-injury he was having a hard time securing a stable position in the starting team.

Ogbueze was a dribbling wizard, there is no doubt. He led his school -- St. Theresa's College, Nsukka -- to win the East Central State Acada Cup in the early 1970s. On that team were other players who also played for the state including Kenneth "Kendo" Ilodigwe, Alex "Tempest" Nwosu, Moses "Mogambo" Nweke, Damian "Arabi Chocho" Odoh, among others.

I do not believe that injury ruined his career. He simply left for the USA to further his education but even before then he was not a sure starter for Enugu Rangers. Ilodigwe actually proved to be a better player than Ogbueze as soon as they both got to Rangers. Ogbueze dominated the national competition for secondary schools and was captain of the Nigerian Academicals but the fact is that he played poorly for Nigerian Academicals in the four contests that he had with Ghana. Bottomline, he was a schoolboy wonder but no more.

It did...

Ogbueze suffered a serious knee injury shortly after he joined Rangers, and then left for the US shortly after he returned to action (and probably before he was a hundred percent), but in the few pre-injury games that he had played for Rangers, he was heads and shoulders above the crowd.

[txj]

Remains for me the best dribbler of the ball I have ever seen among Nigerian players. But my fav player of that era from STC Nsukka remains 'Tempest'....

EII,
You may want to check again; seem to remember Ogbueze getting injured and then leaving for the States...

[SUYA]

TTK lets just agree not to agree,

[cic old boy]

Ogbueze (pronounced Oh-boy-zee)

Oh dear!

Guys, the story I heard was that it wasn't injury that ruined Ogbueze's potential, but he was more interested in chasing the chicas.

[SUYA]

Moses "Mogambo" Nweke

I fetched water for him in Form 1 at Govt College Umuahia. I was also freinds with his younger brother from our days at St Nicholas Port Harcourt. What a player.

[1naija]

The single most talented Nigerian soccer player ever. Most of Jay-Jay's moves are an adaptation of what Godwin Ogbueze, alias Pele, showed Nigerian fans in the 70's. Unfortunately, his career, just like Emeka Onyedika's, was cut short by injury.


Cheers.

You guys and your tales by the moonlight sef! Even Odegbami was a local Champion who only terrorized other amateur players like Christain Chukwu and other Nigerian players of that era but was often exposed as average againts semi pro players from Northern AFrica. Nigeria did not have credible talented players prior to 1994. To mention those 1970s and 1980s players in the same breath as recent super stars like Yobo, Mikel, Kanu, Yekini, Siasia, Amunike, Amokcahi, Ikedia etc is an insult.

[Enugu II]

txj:

I do not think the disagreement is whether he was injured. The disagreement is whether injury was what prevented his top performance in Rangers. Note that Ogbueze was in Rangers for four (4) years. He joined the club in 1972 along with Ilodigwe, Ezeani, Chukwu, Onyedika (from MEDRECS), Okorigwe (from Vasco) and Ngadi (from MOW) among others and did not leave till 1975! He played in the second league game in his first year (v Bendel) which Rangers won 2-1 and had his best scoring game for the club with a hat trick v Wunti (5-0) the same year. Notably, Ilodigwe did not start until much later in a friendly v Kairat FC of Russia where both he and Ogbueze scored in a 2-1 win. By the league in 1973, Ogbueze was no longer a starter in all games. For instance in the league loss to Vasco (1-2), he played as a sub for Adimachukwu and did not play at all in the second game (1-1). More telling was the first National Sports Festival. I saw literally all the squad's training in Nsukka where the ECS team trained under Anyiam. Ogbueze was part of that squad and made the 20-person team to the festival. He had no injuries at the time. He was among Rangers players in the squad -- Okala, Mecha, J. Nwosu, Chukwu, Ezeani, L. Okpala, Nwobodo (cpt), Ilodigwe, Ogbueze, Onyedika, & Uwanaka. Note that his key competitor in Rangers -- Ikeagu (a rookie that year) was moved along with Tony Uzoka, Uzokwe, and Inno Nwankwo to the Intermediate squad. The key thing though was that Ogbueze was on the bench during those games while the likes of Ariri, Ilodigwe, and Nwadioha were playing. This was before Ogbueze's injury. By 1974, Ikeagu had become the team's starter. Ogbueze did return to the team in 1975 starting the replay of the FA Cup final v Vasco (2-1) but was replaced at halftime by Obianika.

Ogbueze was all that you described in terms of Sec School ball and perhaps more. In fact, I continue to say that one of the best still photos I have ever seen was one of him dribbling past two MWS academicals at Onikan. I begged Pat Ekeji for this photo to no avail. It is an incredible picture to see. However, Ogbueze was really a nonfactor as per Rangers in terms of considering the team's most impactful players.

Remains for me the best dribbler of the ball I have ever seen among Nigerian players. But my fav player of that era from STC Nsukka remains 'Tempest'....

EII,
You may want to check again; seem to remember Ogbueze getting injured and then leaving for the States...

[Enugu II]

cic old boy:

KPOM. That was one of the widespread speculations at the time as people sought to close the gap between what they saw in the colors of Rangers and the huge expectations created by his performance in the Acada cup. The other soothing explanation at the time was the "juju" angle. Perhaps, the injury is a third soothing explanation except that Ogbueze was not injured for FOUR YEARS that he was with the club. The reality is that it is a bit difficult to explain the guy's inability to perform at the highest level after he clearly dominated high school ball.

Ogbueze (pronounced Oh-boy-zee)

Oh dear!

Guys, the story I heard was that it wasn't injury that ruined Ogbueze's potential, but he was more interested in chasing the chicas.

[bobbye]

Ogbueze (pronounced Oh-boy-zee)

Oh dear!

Guys, the story I heard was that it wasn't injury that ruined Ogbueze's potential, but he was more interested in chasing the chicas.

Definitely heard this same story. Some claimed Dan Anyim deliberately ruined his career afterhe joined Rangers because he became extremely arrogant going after every beautifully chick in Enugu