Greenwood was leading an opponent late in the game recently when senior forward Rasheed Elemikan noticed the opportunity for a dunk.
A basketball move that could be considered second nature ignited second thoughts.
Was it, Elemikan wondered to himself, the sportsmanlike thing to do with the outcome already decided? Probably not. Elemikan, a 6-foot-5, 215-pound block of muscle, avoided temptation and dribbled the ball back out to the perimeter — rim and reputation salvaged.
“I knew coach wouldn’t like that because of the respect he has for the opposing team,” Elemikan said.
As for his coach, fourth-year Woodmen mentor Joe Bradburn, watching Elemikan do the right thing in practices and games — and basically just overall — is nothing new at all.
“Rasheed is the ultimate teammate. The ultimate team player. He is very conscious about being classy and doing the right thing,” Bradburn said. “He must be the most unselfish, unassuming player I’ve ever coached, and that might’ve been to Rasheed’s detriment early in his career.”
Today, not so much.
Elemikan leads the 9-1 Woodmen in scoring and rebounding. On the court and off, he continues to make the most of his time in a community that is still relatively new to him.
Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Elemikan, his mother Judith and older sister Onome moved to New York City when Rasheed was 1. Before the start of the 2018-19 school year, the family — which by that point also included younger brother Jabar, now a Greenwood sophomore — migrated westward to Greenwood, home to Judith’s sister, Angela.
Elemikan credits his mother for him possessing a maturity belying his years.
“That is definitely my mom’s influence,” Elemikan said. “I grew up in the church and that helped me learn to respect my elders and to communicate with people better.”
As one of the Woodmen captains, Elemikan was asked by Bradburn before the season what was important to him. The senior wanted this Greenwood team to be active in the community as much as possible. As a result, prior to Thanksgiving, Woodmen players and coaches delivered food baskets to less fortunate families and individuals in the area.
“As a team, we felt like we had a purpose,” Elemikan said. “It was great to contribute to other people who weren’t as fortunate and seeing them happy. And that made us happy as a whole.”
Elemikan’s growth as a basketball has been impressive, also.
As a junior, he helped Greenwood win its first boys basketball sectional in 18 years. Unfortunately, the team wasn’t able to play in the Class 4A regional at Seymour; the rest of the tournament was canceled due to precautions taken during the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Last year, he was a good complement to Gavin (Dowling), but has worked hard to improve his game,” Bradburn said. “Going into this season, we knew Rasheed was a good shooter and had good hands around the basket. We know he’s the focus for most the teams we play, but we need him to be more assertive, and he’s starting to figure that out.”
Elemikan is currently receiving interest from such colleges as Grace College, St. Francis and Anderson. Others could potentially jump on board as Greenwood’s season progresses.
“Rasheed’s best basketball is in front of him,” Bradburn said. “Right now, we’re trying to utilize his skills the best we can.”
