Like shooting stars meeting for the first time, Izem Abioye and Emeka Valentine-Okoli look like a match made in heaven.
The bruising-but-sweet defenseman and the hard-shooting sniper were seen in a bar in St. Louis after the playoffs, in what was reportedly their first time meetings. They were seen 6 more times in the city before going to Colorado on a road trip. One hasn’t been seen without the other since. Even during the Draft Combine this Sunday, they were seen chatting and laughing before nearly every event.
I was able to catch up with the two to ask them questions about the origins of this new friendship.
Eddie: So, you two have been inseparable since you two were knocked out of the playoffs. Catching up on old times?
Emeka: Well, actually Izem and I had never seen each other before we played against one another. When I learned he was Nigerian too, I stopped him during a whistle and said “Abuja too?” and he hugged me and said “I didn’t know! I didn’t know!” It was funny
Izem: It was. I was surprised. After the game we met up and had a few beers, got to know each other more.
Eddie: And this was before the playoffs?
Izem: Yep.
Eddie: So when was this trip planned?
Izem: The trip was organized before the playoffs began. We had a truck for taking the Cup with me to Colorado, but…well, plans don’t always work out, obviously! But yes, we planned it before the playoffs and the day after, I left.
Emeka: It was so much fun, talking, driving. So much fun.
Eddie: And what did you do in Colorado?
Emeka: Visited family, toured the city…
Izem: Beautiful mountains, beautiful city.
Emeka: …and went to some great restaurants.
Eddie: The draft is upcoming. Do you want to be picked together?
Izem: Yes. We’ve made it clear to teams that if we go, we go together. We’ll be happier and we’ll play better if we’re together in the SHL.
Emeka: Certainly, if we aren’t picked together, we’ll still find away to play together.
Izem: That’s what friends do for each other.
Eddie: Interesting. You’ve both completed your 1st season in the SMJHL. Are you both ready to make the jump or do you need time to get better.
Emeka: We certainly need to get better, get faster, get stronger. I need to pick up my offense, and Izem has told me he wants to be more effective on defense. We want to be great players, so it’s important that we don’t rush anything.
Izem: Plus, a lot of good players are leaving St. Louis, and they still need me there. So priority right now is to finish our junior careers strong.
Eddie: I see. Last question. Would you be interested in a Nigerian or African national or international team?
Emeka: We’ve talked a lot about doing that. I think if we develop enough players in Africa, the IIHF can’t deny us a team. It’s an end goal of ours to make a team together, so I think in the near future, it could be a real possibility.
Izem: For now, we’re sticking with our individual IIHF teams.
Eddie: Thank you both for coming.
Emeka & Izem (simultaneously): Likewise.
Emeka and Izem are both eligible for the SHL Draft. Izem is rated #15 in defenseman in the draft, while Emeka is listed as #10 in right-wingers. Both, as we’ve seen, stated at the combine that they wish to be picked together.
eddiesnothere![[Image: ProjectSaint.gif]](https://sig.grumpybumpers.com/host/ProjectSaint.gif)
, onwards we roll 
