Mantalvo, Ethan, 98
Marantz, Benjamin, 167
Marantz’s Department Store (Weirton WV), 167
Mason School, 16, 150
Mason School Apartments (Omaha NE): basketball court of, 23–24, 40; history of, 16–17; as refugee housing, 18, 21, 148–50
Massara, Kathleen, 54
MaxPreps.com, 97, 130, 132–33
Mayberger, Susan, 69–71
McCarron, Pat, 50–51
McCarthy, Joseph, 50
McCoy, Calvin, 60, 64
McGuire, Dorothy, 32, 124
McKewon, Sam, 95, 97
McKinzie, Dominique, 41, 60, 64, 159–60
Meehan, Raydelle, 150
Mendenhall, Rashard, 76
Metro Community College, 71
Metro Summer Basketball League, 54
Mexico, 60, 62, 70, 162
The Middle of Everywhere, 52–53
migrants, 17, 69, 71, 123, 163, 170–71
Miles, Tim, 105, 108, 131
Miles, Tyler, 140
military coup, Sudanese, 4
militia attacks, 3, 13
Milwaukee Bucks, 151
Montrose Christian (Rockville MD), 110–14
Motion Picture Academy, 124–25
Mueller, Joan, 17
Mullen, Rod, 39, 45, 128
Munger, Charles, 33
Muresan, Gheorghe, 12
Muslims, 1, 5–6, 13, 162
Mutombo, Dikembe, 115, 149
Myers, Dorothy “Dodie” Pennebaker. See Brando, Dodie
Naples Daily News, 132
National Basketball Association. See nba
National College Athletic Association. See ncaa
nativism, 50, 53
Naturalization Oath, 48, 67
Nazi occupation, 169
NBA, 12, 23; Orlando Magic vs. Utah Jazz, 101; player salaries, 106; Players Association “Top 100” camp, 105
NCAA, 81, 104, 106; and recruiting violations, 107–8
Nebraska, xv, xviii, 14–15, 20, 32, 40, 71, 73, 155; and Akoy Agua, 80, 90, 92–93, 97, 99–100, 114; and basketball, 128, 133, 135–38; and Ponca, 120–21; and refugee resettlement, 162–63
Nielson, Paul, 87
ninemillion.org, 21
Nuer tribe, 19, 53, 146–47
Obama, Barack, 27, 49–51, 67, 119
Obama, Michelle, 133
Oden, Greg, 97
Office of Refugee Resettlement, 17
Okafor, Jalil, 133
Omaha Central Eagles Basketball Day, 141
Omaha Community Playhouse, 123–24
Omaha middle school, 38
Omaha NE, 14; AAU in, 23–24, 26, 38, 54, 115; Baptist Church in, 18–19; and basketball, 39, 44–46, 62–64, 93–99, 134–37; and Central High School, xv, 32, 40, 121, 154–55, 162; First Lutheran Church in, 19; history of, 16, 120–25; Mason School Apartments in, 16–17; and meatpacking industry, 16; and refugees, 14, 162; Sudanese Center in, 18
Omaha Public Library, 71
Omaha Public Schools, 17; and refugee students, 70
Omaha Refugee Task Force, 17
Omaha Talons, xi, 151–52, 157
Omaha Workforce Development, 17
Omaha World Herald, 47, 93, 95, 137, 139–41
Omdurman, Sudan, 4
O’Neil, Shaquille, 76
On the Waterfront, 124
Open Door Mission, 154
Open Society Foundation, 170
Open Society Initiative for Eastern Africa, 170
Overfield, Ryan, 10, 163
Oxfam America, 12
Pakistan, 21, 125
Partee, Michael, 39
PASS (Positively Affecting Student Success), 47
Pennebaker, Bess, 123
Peter, Bernadita, 148–49
Peter, Nancy, 148–49
Phillips, Terrence, 135
Pipher, Mary, 52–53
Pitino, Rick, 107–8; and Akoy Agau, 115–17, 131, 142, 144, 159; coaching career of, 116–17
Ponca Tribe, 120–23
Poppleton, Andrew Jackson, 121–22
Pospisil, Stu, 137
Powell, Colin, xv, 19
Powell, Katina: Breaking Cardinal Rules: Basketball and the Escort Queen, 116
Powers, Denise, 56, 102–3, 143–44
Prater, Nate, 58
Prater, Shaun, 58
Project Welcome, 17
rankings: ESPN, 47, 97, 130, 132; MaxPreps.com, 97, 130, 132–33; Rivals.com, 128, 130
Refugee Act of 1980, 52
refugee camps, 3, 10, 17, 34–35, 125, 146, 153
Refugee Council USA (RCUSA), 52
Refugee Empowerment Center (South Sudanese Community Association [SSCA]), 17, 71, 146
Refugee-Escape Act of 1957, 51
refugee experience, xv, 6, 10, 15, 17, 49–50, 86, 119, 147, 168; in America, 153–54, 162–63; in Australia, 151; in Egypt, xv, 7
Refugee Relief Act of 1953, 51
Refugee Resettlement Program, 49
Refugee Resettlement Watch, 52
refugees, 1, 10; and admission to the United States, 8, 49–53, 72, 162; child, xvi, 21, 25; and education, 14–16, 70; and hope, 21, 49, 51; at Mason School Apartments, 17–18, 21, 23–24, 40, 148–50; in Nebraska, 14, 162–63; in Omaha Public Schools, 70; and politics, 50–53; and racism, xv, 1, 9, 25, 161; and right to asylum, 49; south Sudanese, 17, 19, 146, 149; and sports, 171; as students, 34, 70, 162–63; upsurge of, from Arab Spring, 72, 162; women, xvi
Refugee Youth, 14
repatriation, 146–47, 149
resettlement agencies, 65
resettlement services, 152, 163
Richardson, Kareem, 116
Richardson, Quentin, 133
Rivals.com, 128, 130
Roberts, Deshun, 60, 94, 98
Rodgers, Johnny, 36, 94
Ronaldo, Cristiano, 76
Rooney, Jen, 131
Roosevelt, Franklin, 50
Rosewater, Edward, 32
Rosewater, Victor, 32
Russell, Bill, 144
Sadler, Kenneth “Doc,” 27, 108
Sanctuary Movement, 51
Sautter, Mike, 68
Scott, K. J., 94, 98, 136, 159–60
Sharia law, 2, 4
Sherwood Foundation: and Nebraska Loves Public Schools, 75; and Susie Buffett, 74
Shipman, Tim, 40, 136
Sjulin, Ann, 66–67, 85, 87–89, 116–17, 138, 160
Sjulin, Charlotte “Lotte,” 65, 66–67, 87–89, 91, 101, 116–17, 138, 143–44, 159, 164
Sjulin, Dave, 66–67, 87–89, 112–13, 114, 115, 116–17, 138
soccer, 11; World Cup, 21
social media: Facebook, 26–27, 54, 59–60, 65–66, 72, 76; Instagram, 159–61; responsible use of, 27, 59–60, 76–77; Twitter, 72, 76–85, 143; YouTube, 54, 72, 150
social networking, 77
Soros, George, 169, 170–71
Southern Sudan Autonomous Region, 20, 146
Southgate Apartments court, 154
Southside Presbyterian Church (Tucson), 51
south Sudan, 13, 153–56; and Dinka, 1–2; and Manute Bol, 12–14; and massacre, 19–20; refugees from, xv, 1, 7–9, 14, 17–20, 33, 150, 151–55; and vote for independence, 20, 72, 146. See also Sudan; South Sudan
South Sudan, 20, 72–73, 146, 170; and civil war, 146–47, 149. See also Sudan; south Sudan
South Sudanese Australian Basketball Association, 151
South Sudanese Australian Classic, 151
South Sudanese Club, 35
South Sudanese Community Association (SSCA, formerly Refugee Empowerment Center), 17, 71, 146
South Sudanese culture, 36, 56, 153, 155–56
South Sudanese gangs, 53–54, 156
South Sudanese National Basketball tournament. See South Sudanese Australian Classic
South Sudanese refugees, 152–55; and Omaha Talons, 151; and repatriation, 146, 149–50; and Savannah Pride, 151. See also south Sudan: refugees from
sport as
common language, 171
Sports Illustrated, 132
Stackhouse, Jerry, 97
Standing Bear, 120–23
Stastny, Jen, 47–48, 119–20
St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 4
street gangs, 54, 156. See also gang violence
Sudan, 1–5, 33, 72, 148, 170; and Manute Bol, 12–14
Sudanese Center (Omaha), 18
Sudanese People’s Liberation Movement/Army, 2–3
Swaray, Amadu, 86
Synowiecki, Michelle, 75
Team Nebraska, 26
Team Nebraska Express, 54, 115
Tebow, Tim, 76
Tech High, 36
Thichuong, Lam Chuol, 146
Thompson, John, III, 160
Thornwell, Sindarius, 135
Thurman, Tre’Shawn, 94–95, 97, 113, 135, 159–60
Tripp, Thor, 142
Trudell, John, 125
Truman, Harry, 50
Trump, Donald: and immigration suspensions, 162
tuberculosis, 162–63
Tyson Foods plant, 18, 20, 154
Uganda, 147–48
United Nations High Commissioner of Refugees (UNHCR), xv, 21, 148
United Nations Refugee Convention (1951), xv
University of Louisville, 107–8, 144; and Akoy Agau, 115–17, 131, 142, 145, 159, 165
University of Nebraska–Lincoln, 27, 88, 105, 108, 117, 135, 159
University of Nebraska–Omaha, 21, 27, 33
U.S. Homeland Security, 52
U.S. Naturalization Law of 1790, 50
Vick, Derrius, 45
Vinson, Ed, 41, 60, 64; and death of mother, 61
War Refugee Board, 50
Washington Bullets, 12
Wau, South Sudan, 1, 5, 12, 20, 25
Webster, John Lee, 121, 123
Wegner, Lauren, 65, 142–43
Welch, Mike, 94
Welling, Herb, 30, 38–40, 127, 130
Westbrook, Russell, 43
Westminster MD, xvi, 10
Williams, Darin, 30
Williams, Reggie, 97
Williams, Troy, 135
Wilson, Lawrence, 40
Wilson, Lorenzo, 39
Wilson, Scott, 58
World Refugee Day: 2001, xv, 8; 2002, xvi; 2003, 14–15; 2004, 19; 2006, 21; 2008, 24; 2010, 49; 2011, 72
World War I, 16
World War II, 50, 72
Wounded Knee SD, 124
xenophobia, 50, 72
Yates Community Center, 69–70
Zamenhof, Ludovik Lazarus, 168–71
Zionism, 168
About Steven Marantz
Steve Marantz is an Omaha Central graduate and the author of The Rhythm Boys of Omaha Central: High School Basketball at the ’68 Racial Divide (Nebraska, 2011). He has worked as a writer, researcher, and producer for ESPN and has covered sports, government, and politics for the Kansas City Star, Boston Globe, and Boston Herald. His podcast, “That Championship Season,” features great champions and their moments in history.
Fig. 1. Akoy Agau at the age of six. Photo courtesy of Adaw Makier.
Fig. 2. The Dinka of South Sudan were devoted to cattle, of which they were said to be “loving slaves.” Photo courtesy of JennaCB123, Wikimedia Commons.
Fig. 3. Akoy’s mother, Adaw Makier, grew up on a farm outside the town of Wau, in South Sudan, in a cone-shaped hut with a thatched roof. Photo courtesy of Fabrizio Demartis, Wikimedia Commons.
Fig. 4. Mason School Apartments in 2016. Photo by Steve Marantz.
Fig. 5. Scott Hammer, who guided Akoy through grassroots basketball and became his co-guardian. Photo by Steve Marantz.
Fig. 6. Central High School, west entrance. Reprinted with permission of Omaha Central High School Foundation.
Fig. 7. Sudanese basketball legend Manute Bol (center) in Omaha in 2002, with two Central students, twins Duoth Kuon (left) and Both Kuon (right). Reprinted with permission of Omaha Central High School O-Book.
Fig. 8. Eric Behrens, Central’s varsity coach. Reprinted with permission of Omaha World-Herald.
Fig. 9. Nebraska Class A state champions 2010. Reprinted with permission of Omaha Central High School O-Book.
Fig. 10. Central Eagles giving the “Eagle wings” signal after winning the state tournament in 2011. Back row (left to right): assistant coach Ben Holling, head coach Eric Behrens, assistant coach Corey Kline, assistant principal Ed Bennett, athletic director Darin Williams, Akoy Agau, assistant coach Jay Landstrom, assistant coach Andres “The Don” Tapia, James Jones, assistant athletic director Paul Nielson, student manager Anna DiRucco, principal Keith Bigsby. Middle row (left to right): Tre’Shawn Thurman, Cyrell Hodges, Treytice Lee, DeShun Roberts, Camron Payne, Deandre Hollins-Johnson, student manager Aron Sanders, ball boy Roman Behrens. Front row (left to right): Mike Welch, Darian Barrientos-Jackson, Eddie Vinson, Calvin McCoy, Dominique McKinzie, Paulino Gomez, Tra-Deon Hollins. Photo courtesy of Jay Landstrom.
Fig. 11. Akoy Agau became a naturalized American citizen in April 2011, along with his brothers, Maguy (far left) and Aguir, and sister Achol. Photo courtesy of Mike Sautter.
Fig. 12. As a junior Akoy overpowered opponents in the post as Central rolled to a 30-0 record and a third straight state title. Reprinted with permission of Omaha World-Herald.
Fig. 13. Akoy’s signature roar capped off a perfect season in 2011–12. Reprinted with permission of Omaha World-Herald.
Fig. 14. Omaha Central teammate Tra-Deon Hollins had lightning-fast hands. Reprinted with permission of Omaha World-Herald.
Fig. 15. Akoy Agau as a senior. Reprinted with permission of Omaha World-Herald.
Fig. 16. Coach Eric Behrens and Akoy Agau. Reprinted with permission of Omaha World-Herald.
Fig. 17. Akoy holds aloft a souvenir net after his fourth straight state title in 2013. Reprinted with permission of Omaha World-Herald.
Fig. 18. Akoy Agau and teammate Deandre Hollins-Johnson celebrate their victory in the 2013 finals over Papillion–La Vista. Credit: Ted Kirk/Lincoln Journal Star.
Fig. 19. Akoy wearing No. 0. An ESPN scouting report described him as “raw offensively” with a decent touch, a good rebounder, and a solid shot blocker. Credit: Francis Gardler/Lincoln Journal Star.
Fig. 20. The 2012–13 Central team that swept through its three games at the state tournament by a combined margin of 75 points. Reprinted with permission of Omaha Central High School O-Book.
Fig. 21. Akoy and his girlfriend, Charlotte “Lotte” Sjulin, before spring prom. Photo courtesy of Ann Sjulin.
Fig. 22. Koang Doluony talking to a group of fifth-graders. Photo courtesy of Megan Farmer.
Fig. 23. Pulaski Park in South Omaha, a favored basketball venue for South Sudanese refugees. Reprinted with permission of Omaha World-Herald.
Fig. 24. Akoy holding his youngest sister, Achan, at Easter service in 2015. In front, from left, are Achol, Akol, Maguy, and Atong. Next to Akoy is Aguir. Photo courtesy of Adaw Makier.
Fig. 25. Mabel and Benjamin Marantz, circa 1956, Miami Beach. Photo courtesy of Marantz family.
Fig. 26. Akoy at graduation from Georgetown in May 2017 with his mother, Adaw, and father, Madut. Photo courtesy of Adaw Makier.
Fig. 27. Akoy playing for SMU. Photo courtesy of SMU Athletic Department.
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