Basketball brothers have eye on big weekend games in Winnipeg

Winnipeg's Sesay brothers, who grew up in the inner-city Spence neighbourhood, are heading into the biggest basketball games of their lives.

Older brother Junior Sesay plays for the University of Victoria Vikes, who are heading into the CISsemi-finalSaturdayagainst Carleton University. William Sesay's Oak Park Raiders will wait for the results of another game to see who they will match up against in their quarter-final game in Winnipeg's high school league.

William, a point guard and one of the highest-scoring high school players in the province, grew up following in the shadow of his older brothers' basketball shoes.

"It was kind of hard growing up because everyone just expected me to be as good as my brother. It was really tough because people would push me," he said. "It was always, 'oh are you as good as your brother?'There were always those questions but I want to be as good as I am."

Raiders' coach Jon Lundgren, who'sbeen coaching William for the last seven years and was coaching Junior before, says that brotherly dynamic has shifted over the years.

"I think as they've gotten older they've kind of become more of a support system [for each other]. I know Junior supports his brother a lot and Will helps out Junior," he said.

"When they were younger, as most brothers are, they were kind of on each other a bit more."

Lundgren adds that there has always been something special about the two.

"I just think how much they enjoy playing. I think how dedicated they were and how competitive they were from a young age," he said. "Junior was always really athletic but Will was kind of the younger brother tagging along."

William, who now stands at 6-foot-3is no longer just tagging along.He's been named most valuable player in a few past tournaments along with being selected to multiple all-star teams across Canada.He also recently received a scholarship to the University of Winnipeg.

"For him to get the opportunity to go to university and have it paid for is great. It's great for anybody but especially for kids who maybe have a little less,"Lundgren said.

The Sesay family three boys and a single mom cameto Canada from war-torn Sierra Leone when William was four years old. Settling in the Winnipeg core hasn't always been easy, he said.

"It's been pretty hard for us to just get by for things. But since basketball is helping a lot with university it takes a lot of pressure off," William said. "It takes pressure off my mom so she doesn't have to pay for anything and it's good for me because I get to go the school and do something I really love."

William will have to follow his older brother at least one more time, though. Junior and his Vikes play Saturday afternoon and the Raiders don't hit the court until an hour later.