He was the runaway winner of the BIG EAST’s Freshman of the Year award despite missing the final three games of the regular season and the BIG EAST Tournament after suffering a broken wrist in a win at St. John’s on Feb. 23.
So now Ryan Nembhard finds himself thrust into the role of cheerleader, helper and being another coach on the bench for Creighton as the Bluejays prepare to make their NCAA Tournament run with a Thursday evening matchup with San Diego State in Fort Worth, Texas.
Ryan will tell us about the excitement of Selection Sunday, which teammate will be dealing with a sibling rivalry when the Jays do battle with the Aztecs, why he’ll be rooting for overall No. 1 seed Gonzaga on Thursday when they face Georgia State and what his first March Madness experience has been like so far.
And he’ll do it with his arm in a cast from the Creighton bench, or what we like to call the Best Seat in the House.
So Ryan, take us through your first Selection Sunday. Was it what you expected it to be?
“Oh definitely. Well, we all gathered at our women’s facility, over where they play their games, and there were a bunch of fans who came out and supported us. We were really excited when we heard our name called, especially Art (Arthur Kaluma) because he gets to play against his brother. It was just a very exciting feeling.”
(Kaluma’s older brother, Adam Seiko, is a senior with the Aztecs and is second on the team with 37 made three-pointers.)
How about watching the Selection Show? Was it a bittersweet experience knowing you were not going to be playing because of your injury?
“It was definitely bittersweet. I’d love to be playing right now. It’s always been a dream of mine to play in the BIG EAST Tournament and March Madness but I’m just happy to be here and happy for my guys and I’m excited for what we can do in this tournament. I’m really looking forward to it.”
Your teammate, Art, is not the only guy on Creighton with a brother playing in the tournament. Your brother, Andrew, is a senior with the No. 1 overall seed, the Gonzaga Bulldogs. How did you feel when you saw Gonzaga’s name called to open the Selection Sunday Show?
“That was pretty exciting to see them be the first team called. He’s my brother so we talk a lot so I’m excited for him, too. This is probably one of his last March Madnesses, so I think he’s looking forward to it and I’m looking forward to watching him as well.”
How would you describe your role on the team now?
“I’ve already been through some games (not playing) so I’m not necessarily going to be a cheerleader, but I’m just going to be happy for my guys. I’ll get excited when they make big plays. But I’m just going to help them with whatever they may need. If the guards need any help, I’m just going to be kind of another coach on the bench.”
So how was Art when he realized he was going to be facing his brother and San Diego State in the opening round?
“He was just super excited. Obviously, it’s great when you can see your brother play in the tournament, but to have the opportunity to play against your brother in the tournament, it’s something you dream about your whole life. It’s kind of a surreal feeling for him and I just think he’s super excited for the opportunity to play against his brother and get out there and perform in front of his family and friends.”
Speaking of which, who in the family will be rooting for Art and who will be rooting for Adam?
“I’m guessing they’re a little split down the middle. They’re probably rooting for both sides. I know how my parents would be, so I guess it’s pretty similar to that.”
Will your family be in Fort Worth to watch Creighton even though you’re not playing yourself?
“No, my dad (Claude) is going to watch my brother in Portland but my mom has to work so she’s staying home. Obviously, I’m not playing or I definitely would have wanted her to come here but they’ll probably have more fun watching my brother, that’s for sure.”
So you were the slam dunk pick for BIG EAST Freshman of the Year this season. But would you trade that coveted award for a chance to be playing in the NCAA Tournament now?
“Most definitely. One hundred percent. The award is cool and it’s definitely nice to be recognized but I’d rather be playing with my guys and being on the court and having a chance to get far in the tournament. That would be a much bigger achievement for me than winning freshman of the year.”
What’s your first day been like at the tournament?
“We woke uo, had some breakfast and then I went back to sleep for a little bit. Then we watched some film and then headed on over to the gym and got a little practice in. Then we were at DIckies Arena doing some media and then we got some shots up for about 20 minutes. Then it was back to the hotel, get some dinner, chill out and get some rest for the game (tonight).”
WIth your game set to tip off at about three hours after Gonzaga takes the court at 4:15 p.m. EST, do you think you’ll try and catch some of the Zags’ game and see how your brother is making out?
“If I get a chance to watch a bit of that game, I’ll one hundred percent be turned in. It depends on our schedule here but if I get a chance, I’ll definitely be tuned in.”
It was a tough loss to Villanova at Madison Square Garden in the BIG EAST Tournament championship game last Saturday night. Has the team been able to put that behind them and focus on the NCAAs now?
“One hundred percent. I think we moved on pretty quickly from that one. Obviously it was an emotional game and guys were a little upset after that one. But at this point everyone is 0-0 and you have to win six straight, if you want to win the whole thing. So, everyone’s record at this point is kind of the same. We're just excited to get started.”