It’s not every year that a high school basketball team has players from Latvia, Cameroon and Canada. Built with an international flair, Mount Carmel boys’ basketball reached its greatest heights ever — a 31-4 record and an MIAA A Conference championship.
Three international players — Junior Mancho (Cameroon), Harmony Okojie (Toronto) and Ralph Rudusans (Latvia) — came to Baltimore to play for Mount Carmel head coach Tony Martin, who has tallied a 54-14 record in two years with the Cougars. He has more than 500 victories as the head man at Cape Fear Academy (North Carolina), John Carroll, Archbishop Spalding and Mount Carmel.
Each stop has featured an international element. Martin had other coaches recommend student-athletes from overseas to play for his programs. While he hasn’t been able to take on every possible international player, the ones he has brought aboard have been key contributors.
That was especially evident during Mount Carmel’s 63-58 victory against Saint Frances in the MIAA A Conference title game on Feb. 22. Rudusans scored 17 points off of the bench and Mancho added 11 as a starter.
“They bring a diversity that young people need these days,” Martin said. “They’re humble, they’re appreciative and they’re grateful and they’re hungry. Both of those guys showed out tonight.”
Rudusans, a 6-foot-7 junior forward, earned MIAA A Conference championship MVP. He fell in love with the game watching fellow Latvian and Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis as a kid, even getting to meet the NBA star.
Martin became interested in Rudusans after looking at film from the FIBA U16 EuroBasket in 2023. Rudusans played in four games, averaging 12 points on 55.9 percent shooting from the field. He added 6.8 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game.
The European game is different from the American game, with more set plays. Americans play more isolation basketball and utilize quick-hitter plays based around the pick-and-roll and shorter actions. Martin, whom Rudusans says is “more like a college coach,” melds the American and European styles together.
Each international player is different, but according to Rudusans, they’ve built a lasting bond that extends beyond basketball.
“[Mancho and Okojie] are my best friends,” Rudusans said. “They’re fun guys — I love them and I love to play with them. It’s definitely interesting but challenging. Sometimes there are language barriers. The big guy, Junior Mancho from Cameroon, he’s my guy. I’ve believed in him ever since I came here. He’s a great friend and a great guy.”
Mancho just recently began playing basketball. The 6-foot-7 sophomore forward played soccer growing up. He was a skilled goalkeeper and had solid footwork at the position. Then came a growth spurt. Five years ago, he was told to pick up a basketball and he got to work. Martin watched a video of the young big man and was impressed.
Mancho is one of the loudest players while on the bench. His “Defense!” chant — followed by a thunderous clap and boisterous enthusiasm — fuels his team. He immediately became a fan favorite at UMBC’s Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena during the championship game, clapping at the crowd when making a big play, whether it was a block, steal or basket.
Mancho gained a great deal of experience from last year’s loss in the conference semifinals.
“For me, it was a big accomplishment,” Mancho said. “Leaving home and coming here was a big thing for me and my family. Coming to play for Mount Carmel was very wonderful. Last year, we tasted defeat and this year, we tasted victory. I can say, you don’t really know what the taste of victory is unless you’ve tasted defeat.”
Okojie, a 6-foot-5 sophomore wing, is of Nigerian descent but is from Toronto, Ontario, a city known for its basketball talent. Current and former NBA stars Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Andrew Wiggins, Tristan Thompson, Andrew Nembhard, Jamaal Magloire, Cory Joseph, Rick Fox and Nickeil Alexander-Walker all hail from Toronto.
Just like Gilgeous-Alexander left Hamilton, Ontario, to go to Hamilton Heights Christian Academy in Chattanooga, Tenn., Okojie came to Mount Carmel for a crash course on how to play basketball “the right way” from Martin.
Okojie wants to show Americans what basketball from Canada is like. He is of the belief that Canadians are flashy and bring a hyper-athletic flair to the game.
“Canadians are more explosive and more athletic and Americans know the game,” Okojie said. “So, I really came here to develop my game and learn to pair that with my explosiveness.”
The Cougars have got more work to do this week. Their goal is to take home the Baltimore Catholic League title. They’ll take on No. 8 seed St. Mary’s as the No. 1 seed on Feb. 27 at 6 p.m. at Loyola’s Reitz Arena in the first round.
Photo Credit: Kyle Andrews/PressBox