Back Home Again: S

from MOORE MONTHLY - February 2023

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda

am Godwin was a dominating player during his time at Southmoore High School. He holds the Sabercat records in blocks and rebounds, led the team to consecutive state tournaments, and was selected to the OSSAA 6A All-Tournament team as a senior, putting up 15-points and pulling down 18-rebounds in a loss to eventual state champion Booker T. Washington.

When it came time to choose a college, Godwin decided to sign with the Wofford Terriers in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

“At the time it seemed like the right fit,” said Godwin. “Spartanburg is a beautiful town. I had some great relationships there and thought I could call it home. But playing college basketball that far from home was hard on my family trying to come watch.”

The move to OU and Norman has solved the problem of a 16-hour road trip for games and that’s just fine with Godwin.

“It’s obviously been like a dream come true for me now,” said Godwin. “Growing up in Oklahoma, watching these teams play. So once I had the opportunity to come back and play here it was a no-brainer. My family is able to come to all the games and I can go home any weekend or even any day just for dinner.”

Godwin says that while the competition in the Southern Conference was great, the level of play in the Big 12 is on a whole other level.

“Everybody you play is super-physical and so it’s an adjustment,” said Godwin. “But I love being able to compete on the biggest stage in college basketball. Plus we’ve got a great coaching staff and we are all motivated to get better every game.”

The Big 12 is universally acknowledged as the toughest conference in college basketball this year and the Sooners have battled down to the wire in every one of their conference match-ups. OU is 2-5 in conference play, but other than a bad loss to Oklahoma State in mid-January, every other conference game has come down to the wire. Godwin believes the team will figure out how to win in time to make it into the NCAA tourney.

“Our coaches do a great job preparing us for games,” said Godwin. “And we really have been executing well throughout most of those games. I think we just have to focus on sticking to the game plan down the stretch.”

Godwin, who is currently majoring in accounting and has an interest in business after college, says he also works hard away from the gym keeping himself healthy and fresh. When it’s time to relax, he often turns to online games like Call of Duty.

“It’s really fun after a stressful day to just hop on my PlayStation with some friends and play games for a while,” said Godwin. “But I definitely keep that in its place and maintain my focus on classes and basketball.

(All scheduled events are subject to change)

BASKETBALL