A couple years ago, Oak Hill Senior, Khadim Sy had never played basketball in his entire life. Now, at the conclusion of his high school career, he is a national champion. On April 2, 2016, with only a few seconds left on the clock in the Dick’s Sporting Goods National Championship between Oak Hill Academy and La Lumiere, Sy, after a Matt Coleman missed jump shot, was miraculously able to tip in the shot that would give Oak Hill their first Dick’s Nationals Title, but Sy’s story begins years before this.

Born in Senegal, Sy moved to the United States at 16 years old and from the start, it was clear that he was determined. So determined in fact that after moving to the United States, Sy set his sights on the most prestigious basketball academy in the nation, Oak Hill. "When I started playing basketball, all I was worried about was getting better because that’s all I knew. I had to get better every day. I knew that Oak Hill would help me become the player that I want to be.” Sy Explained.

After arriving at Oak Hill, Sy knew that this wasn’t going to be a cakewalk. With players such as Dwayne Bacon, Matt Coleman, and Lindell Wigginton, leading the way Sy had his work cut out for him. "You really got to work hard because they have a lot of talented players.” Sy continued. "You have to work for playing time. That’s a big challenge because if you want to play, you have to work your butt off. The coaches are always saying, ‘You’re smart, but you’ve gotta earn it. You have to work hard every single day. You have to get better, every single day’.

And that is exactly what he did. Practicing at one of the top facilities nationwide at Oak Hill, Sy stayed motivated by his intense desire for a national championship and the drive to continually improve. At 6’9”, 225lbs, Sy began to become a force in the post and soon, colleges began to take notice. By his senior year, Sy held offers from numerous schools, from the likes of Georgia Tech, Purdue, and Texas State, but as the recruiting process heated up, there was one school that stood out to Sy more than any other and on October 26, 2015, Sy announced that he will play his collegiate career at Virginia Tech. "I know that they will be a good fit for me, down there because I know how hard they work. I’m excited for the hard work they do.” Explained the high school Senior.

As Sy neared his senior season, with the recruiting process out of the way, he knew that this was his final chance to cement his name among Oak Hill greats, as a national champion. He also knew that if anyone could lead this team to a national championship, it would be Head Coach, Steve Smith. "First of all, Coach Smith understands me as a person, what kind of player I am. I’m the kind of player that needs to be pushed harder. I need someone to push me.” Sy continued. "He understands me. During my first year, I wasn’t that good, but he still believed in me. He would tell me, ‘Take your time, be patient, and keep working hard.’ I listened to him because he’s a good coach. He’s coached a lot of NBA players and if I listen to him and do what he says, then I will be a great player too.”

Sy did exactly that. During his Senior year, he became an unstoppable force in the paint, leading Oak Hill to the National championship game, and ultimately, a national title.

With his high school career in the rearview, Khadim Sy is ready to take the next step in his basketball journey at Virginia Tech. Sy is absolutely a player to keep an eye on in the Class of 2016, but no matter what he accomplishes at the next level, he will always be a national champion and as he said it best himself, "The fact that I’ve moved from Senegal for basketball and education. I can’t stop or go back.”

If one thing’s for sure, Khadim Sy has gone “From Senegal to Savior”