Former Newcastle Royal Grammar School pupil Tosan Evbuomwan has won a top college basketball award in the US.
Tosan, 21, had starred for Newcastle Eagles before coaches at Princeton University were so impressed by a video of him playing they invited him across the Atlantic two years ago on a scholarship.
Since then he has been picked out as a star on the hugely competitive college basketball circuit playing for the Princeton Tigers, which saw him voted the unanimous Ivy League Player of the Year.
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His success has not comes as a surprise to the managing director of Newcastle Eagles, Paul Blake.
He said: "He was always a super intelligent kid, very coachable, very level headed and to make it to that next step that's half the battle.
"You have to have that mentality and from what I know of Tosan has that mentality, absolutely. He is a very impressive young man."
Tosan was brought through the ranks at the Eagles by Head Coach Ian MacLeod.
It was Ian who sent an email to several American universities in October 2018 detailing Tosan's academic achievements, his basketball statistics and a highlights reel set to R&B music.
Brett MacConnell, the associate coach at Princeton, reportedly opened the email, watched the video, reviewed it with head coach Mitch Henderson and replied to Ian that afternoon.
A 6ft 8in forward, Tosan helped Princeton to the Ivy League regular season title.
He led the league in assists (5.0), was second in field goal percentage (53.2%), fourth in points (15.4), fifth in rebounds (6.4) and fourth in steals (1.4).
Tosan is the first British player to win the award since Ugonna Onyekwe who won it back to back in 2002 and 2003.
And this despite having to remain in Newcastle during part of the pandemic when Princeton classes were conducted virtually.
After getting permission from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), he was allowed to practice with the Eagles.
Due to his achievements scouts from NBA teams are flocking to the New Jersey university to run the rule over him.
The NCAA, of which the Ivy League is a part, is one of the major ways into the NBA through the draft system.
It could mean in years to come Tosan will share a court with the likes of basketball superstars Lebron James, Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
"The kind of stats he is posting this early in his college career are astonishing and sure to attract attention," said Paul.
"Obviously we're all very proud of what he has achieved."
