From Senegal to West Chester: Pierre Sarr is ready to soar

WEST CHESTER, Pa. — At first, Pierre Sarr's father wasn't crazy about him doing all of that traveling. He was too young. But there was an immense lure, a sense that something greater could be out there, and he wanted to see where basketball could take his son.

Where it's taken the 6-foot-6, 16-year-old from Senegal, West Africa, is seeing snow for the first time in his life in the chilly suburbs of Philadelphia, at Westtown School, a prestigious private school in West Chester, Pennsylvania.

And it could take Sarr even further, depending on how much more he improves.

Sarr is another budding star in a line of African high school players finding a home in the United States. He arrived in this cozy, bucolic nook through the International Sports Training Institute (ISTI) and ISTI-Dakar, in conjunction with the Houston, Texas-based Ben Simmons Sports Foundation, a non-profit committed to connecting students from around the world with U.S. schools.

Westtown coach Seth Berger was taken aback the first time he saw a tape of Sarr playing. The first thing that came to mind was former NBA player Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway.

"Pierre is really that good, he's loaded with talent," said Berger. "He does so many things well — so when I saw him on film, I first thought Penny Hardaway. Pierre anticipates on defense, he can make shots. He handles decently. And it's something he needs to improve, to be a more effective ball-handler and more consistent shooter.

"He's a very humble kid who sees a future, and he wants to get better. He has a high aptitude to learn, and if he continues to improve, he's going to be at least a high major player by the time he's done."

So far, Sarr has fared very well, averaging 10 points and six rebounds a game. He's quick, fast and explosive.

Of course with any African transfer student comes the question of age. Most recently, Bishop O'Connell star Junior Etou came under scrutiny, with allegations that the senior is actually 20 years old.

"He is 16; legitimately 16," Berger said of Sarr. "Westtown doesn't mess around when it comes to that. Our academics are our number-one priority. Our community is based on integrity and character. What happens on the court is way less important than how kids grow off the court."

In fact, Sarr's youth was a factor that almost kept him from making the trip stateside.

"Coming to the United States is something I always dreamed about doing; I love playing basketball," said Sarr, from Dakar, and the youngest of two (his older sister is a medical student in Senegal, his father a computer engineer and mother a homemaker). "My dad didn't want me to go, because he thought I was too young to travel. But my coach in Senegal convinced him to let me come. I do see myself going to a major college one day."

That is a strong possibility. Once he adjusts more to the American game, which is far more physical than the game Sarr was used to playing in Senegal, he's set to take off.

"I was anxious, nervous, everything when I came to [Westtown]," Sarr said. "I saw snow for the first time, and I would say the first month, I had some cultural [adjusting] to do. I want to go here for an education, too. English is a second language to me. In Senegal, we're taught English, but there is still a little bit of a language barrier.

"Senegal is nowhere near as cold as this. Westtown is a boarding school, and I've never been away from home this long."

On the court, Sarr is getting used to the way Americans practice. He's lifting weights for the first time, and practices in Africa would be unstructured — essentially pick-up games.

"Playing basketball in the U.S. is like being in a fist fight, the way the players want to win, and the movement and boxing out," said Sarr. "I'm getting used to it now. I wasn't used to pushing and shoving in Senegal. In Senegal, I did what I wanted to do. There was no one that was able to guard me. Here, they can guard me now, but I'll give it some time before they're not able to guard me."

Sarr's finesse game is slowly evolving to driving more toward the basket. He got a quick introduction by running into Westtown's 6-8, 230-pound senior center Yilret Yiljep (Y.Y.), who's heading to American University on a basketball scholarship.

"Y.Y. did whatever he wanted to do against me, pushing me under the basket, did everything he wanted," Sarr said.

But the physicality he faced in practice paid dividends when the games finally started.

"Against Blair Academy in our first game, I was nervous," he said. "It seemed like I was scared that game. Each time I tried to make a move, the guy guarding me, when he put his hand on me, I wasn't strong enough to beat him. I'm not nervous anymore. I kept learning, and I kept learning in practice. I feel comfortable now."

Berger sees a very bright future ahead for Sarr, who hopes to play in the NBA and give back to his home country.

"Pierre is naturally a passer, his first step is incredibly quick," Berger said. "The things he needs to work on are all correctable, and they'll come in time ... When it all comes together, watch out."

Joeseph Santoliquito is a frequent MaxPreps contributor and Philadelphia-based writer. He may be reached at jsantoliquito@yahoo.com