Feb 21, 2019; Cincinnati, OH, USA; UCF Knights center Tacko Fall (24) drives to the basket against Cincinnati Bearcats center Nysier Brooks (33) and forward Trevon Scott (13) in the second half at Fifth Third Arena. Photo Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Senior Nights in college basketball can be filled with tears as players who spend the four years on one campus are overwhelmed with emotion, as are their coaches, parents and program support staff.
Those Senior Night tears were filled with a major rush of emotion for a different reason for the UCF Knights last Thursday. In that moment, 7-6 Tacko Fall was able to bring his mother, Marianne Sene, to his Senior Night as she saw him play basketball for the first time, only four days after seeing him for the first time in seven years.
Fall came to the United States from Senegal seven years ago. His height dictated that he could be a solid D-1 player and that would give him a chance to take care of his mother, who agreed with the move, but told him that he had to come to the States to get a degree, not just play basketball.
Fall has made her proud as he graduates in the spring with a double major in business and psychology. He will land on an NBA roster where he will be able to make a difference with his height and length on the defensive end, while he works to diversify his offensive game.
Sene joined Fall for a presser after Thursday’s 58-55 win over Cincinnati as he served as her translator. She became at ease as she discussed Fall and his success on and off the court.
She wore traditional western and central African wrap which was a beautifully multi-colored boubou. It was a beautiful show of diversity, evidence of how the game of basketball reaches across the entire planet to bring people of all races, cultures and backgrounds together.
“She said she felt honored with everything my host family and the school have put together for her from the flight to the hotel,” said Fall in the postgame. “Everything was nice and they took good care of her and she felt thankful to them for being able to come to see her son.”
Sene arrived in Orlando on Sunday and had time to visit with Fall. There was an emotional reunion at the airport and then the opportunity to spend time together around the Knights’ practice and his classes.
“I can’t imagine how it would feel after having not seeing your mom in seven years and you see her right before you play the game on that day,” said UCF coach Johnny Dawkins. “I thought her coming early was really, really good because he had a chance to adjust to her being here.”
Maybe the most emotional moment was when Fall hugged his mother. Tears of joy flowed as efforts to reunite the two were finally realized.
The family had struggled mightily in Senegal. Fall’s entrance into the United States was also about getting some stability so that he could be firmly planted and gaining the opportunity to solidify himself and potentially his family.
“I was just trying to concentrate on the game and I didn’t show a lot of emotions,” said Fall. “I felt like I was dreaming – seeing someone who raised me,” said Fall.
Fall has steadily improved as a player as he currently averages 7.6 rebounds and 2.4 blocks on his career. He has shot 74 percent from the floor which incurs mostly dunks.
The key for him is developing a mid-range game and working on his agility on both ends of the floor. Dawkins has brought him along in his system to a point where his improvement will put him in contention to sign as a free-agent if he is not drafted in June.
“He is still getting through those things that some kids have gotten through in high school,” commented Dawkins. “He is at that phase now that he is making another jump in his game and it is mainly because of his mindset.”
As the American Athletic Conference tournament begins, Fall will finally be on a stage where he should be able to get more national exposure. Then, in the next week’s NCAA Tournament, having the scope of attention is a given. UCF is capable of making noise and being a second weekend team which will accentuate Fall’s story.
“He is getting to a point now right before our eyes before the season comes to an end, where he is going out there not just to play the game, but to dominate and I think that is something to watch his development in that area,” Dawkins said.
