Quick Chat: Somto Cyril

By John Frierson
Staff Writer

Somto Cyril is used to making himself at home in new places.

A native of Enugu, Nigeria, Cyril spent his high school years in the United States, first attending Hamilton Heights Christian Academy in Chattanooga, and then playing for Overtime Elite in Atlanta. Now, the 6-foot-11 center is a freshman on the Georgia men's basketball team.

Cyril was more into soccer than basketball when he was young, but as he kept growing, he turned his attention to the hardwood. He threw down his first dunk long before he really had developed any skills as a player. Cyril threw down a few more dunks during the Bulldogs' 114-76 exhibition win over UCF, finishing with 8 points, six rebounds and two blocked shots.

During a recent Quick Chat, Cyril talked about his start in basketball, his first dunk, the places he considers home, and much more. Here's some of what he had to say:

Frierson: How has the transition to Georgia been?

Cyril: It's been pretty smooth. Nothing crazy. It's just a process you have to deal with as you go somewhere new.

Frierson: How did you get started playing basketball?

Cyril: I was a little kid in Africa playing soccer, it's pretty common over there. I was really into sports, and from the time I started getting bigger, bigger than everybody else, I needed to find something else to do. My friend was really into basketball, and at first I was only playing for fun, nothing too crazy, but then I picked it up for real.

I started playing, I got better at it, and as I kept getting bigger, that's when it really took off for me.

Frierson: Did you know you were going to be really tall one day? Do you have a tall family?

Cyril: I didn't know I was going to be as tall as I am right now, but I have a pretty tall family. My mom is like 6-2, my dad is like 6-3 or 6-4, and my siblings, everybody's tall. My younger sister is like 5-10 or 5-11.

Frierson: Do you remember your first dunk?

Cyril: I think I had my first dunk the first day I went to the basketball court. I was pretty athletic before I started playing basketball. I could run, jump high; I played different spots in middle school — I did long jump, high jump, I did track, I played volleyball. It wasn't a surprise that I got it the first day.

It's an awesome memory because I couldn't make a layup but I could dunk.

Frierson: What was your Overtime Elite experience like?

Cyril: I think Overtime is something different, something new — at least it was a few years ago when I first got started. It was an awesome experience for me. I learned a lot and met awesome people.

Frierson: When you think of home, what comes to mind?

Cyril: I would say that home for me is where I feel comfortable. Wherever I'm with people that I love and care about, that's home for me. I believe I have two homes: One is in Chattanooga, Tenn., and one is in Nigeria.

I stayed in Tennessee when I came to America, and I stayed there about two years. That's home for me in America. I had I family that I stayed with, and if feels like I've been part of them for as long as I can remember. It felt great, it felt like home, it felt like family.

Frierson: What is something you could eat every day and never get tired of it?

Cyril: Jollof rice.

Frierson: You are not the first person to say that. I think every Nigerian player I've ever asked that question has said jollof rice.

Cyril: That's a very special dish for me, and I wish I could find an authentic one. Since I left home, I've had quite a few of them, but it's not as good as the original. ... When you have tasted it, you'll understand what it feels like. It tastes great, you feel great — I could eat it right before practice and feel great. I love it.

Frierson: Who is the funniest guy on the team?

Cyril: That's a tough one. I don't know, I feel like we all complement each other. Everybody's funny. I can't pick a single person to be the funniest guy.

(This Q&A was lightly edited for length and clarity.)

Assistant Sports Communications Director John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files. He's also on Twitter: @FriersonFiles and @ITAHallofFame.

University of Georgia Athletics

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