LYNN — Yet another English boys basketball player made his intentions known for next season, as senior forward Jean-Baptiste Mukeba announced that he is committing to play basketball at Franklin Pierce University.
“I really liked the program when I visited and started learning more about it,” said Mukeba. “The school isn’t too big and the classes were a good size, so it seemed like a really good fit for me.”
“I’m excited for him,” said English coach Antonio Anderson. “It’s always great when one of your players gets to move on to the next level, and JB has definitely earned his opportunity.”
In terms of basketball, Mukeba will find some comfort in the familiar face of English teammate Jarnel Guzman, who committed to Franklin Pierce himself last week.
“It’s really cool that I’ll be able to keep playing with Jarnel,” said Mukeba. “We were able to do a lot of stuff together both on and off the court over the past couple years, so it’ll be great to still see him around the gym. I’m excited to keep playing with him.”
“It really helps with the transition,” said Anderson. “They know each other well and they’ve built a great connection. Now they can just continue that on into college.”
For Mukeba, his time at English was marked by tremendous growth on the court. Starting out as a reserve player before slowly moving up the sixth man, Mukeba became a force to be reckoned with on both sides of the court by the end of his senior season.
“At English, you’ve got to work hard every day,” Mukeba said. “With such great teammates and great coaches, they push you every day to get better. I’m glad I got to play with those guys in practice, because it definitely made me better.”
“JB got better every day,” said Anderson. “He’s a guy who put in the work and it paid off. He became a much more well-rounded player.”
After being part of two state title teams, Mukeba now leaves English with the pride in knowing that he left a mark on the Bulldogs program.
“It feels great to leave the program as a two-time champion,” said Mukeba. “I love the school and the program, and I hope they keep it going and win again next year. I’ll always remember my time at English.”
Looking ahead, Anderson has confidence that Mukeba will be a strong college player moving forward.
“His work ethic and talent will help him continue to get better,” said Anderson. “His ability to block shots will be huge for him at the college level.”
Mukeba is excited to get to work.
“I’m happy that I’ve made the decision, but now it’s time to work,” Mukeba said. “I want to be as ready as a I can be when next season rolls around.”
