When senior forward Yassin Idbihi stepped to the line to shoot clutch free throws against Bowling Green earlier in the season, Idbihi said he was thinking about his father listening to the game on the radio in Morocco.
For the first time since Yassin came to Buffalo four years ago, his father, Ahmed Idbihi, will be in the stands to watch his son play. There won't, however, be any extra pressure for Yassin to perform.
"I won't put more pressure because my dad tells me to play my hardest and whatever comes out, comes out," Yassin said. "As long as you know you gave everything you've got that's all you can do."
Ahmed has not seen his son play the game that he loves since Yassin was an 18-year-old senior in high school. Yassin moved from Morocco to play high school basketball at Schloss Hagerhof in Germany when he was at the ripe age of 15.
"Normally it's tough because he's very far away," Ahmed said about the distance between him and his son; Yassin translated for his father. "You can't talk to him on the phone and I couldn't visit either because it's so far away."
Though Ahmed is not fluent in the game of basketball, he has been picking up the game by listening to the Bulls on the radio. Ahmed also says that he has learned bits of English by listening to the games.
Even though his parents have not been able to help in the basketball department, Idbihi is grateful to them for instilling in him the determination to never give up once he has started something.
"He has had an impact because I look up to both of my parents a lot, but they don't know anything about basketball," Yassin said. "Both of my parents have taught me never to quit and once you start something you got to go through it. I left home when I was only 15 years old and I wanted to come home because I was homesick. But they didn't let me come back."
Though Ahmed is proud of Yassin's accomplishments on the court, he is just as proud as the person Yassin has become.
"What's important to me is that he stays who he is no matter what," Ahmed said. "That he stays the way he is no matter what happens."
While Yassin is excited to play in front of his dad for the first time in his collegiate career, he is more excited that his father will be able to watch him play, and see first hand what he has accomplished throughout his career.
"It's nice, but it's more for him," Yassin said. "I want him to see what I have been doing for the last four years, that's why I wanted him to come. I want to make him happy. It's less for me and more for him."
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
