RICH EXPERIENCE: Richmond Aririguzoh posts up for Novi Wealth Partners earlier this season in the Princeton Recreation Department Men’s Summer Basketball League. On Monday, former Princeton University men’s hoops star Aririguzoh scored eight points in a losing cause as fifth-seeded Novi Wealth fell 43-35 to fourth-seeded and defending champion Iron Peak in the quarterfinal round of the league playoffs. In semifinal action on July 22 at the Community Park courts, Iron Peak (5-3) will face top-seeded Princeton Supply (8-0) and second-seeded YSU (7-1) will play third-seeded Metrohm (6-2). The league’s best-of-three championship series starts on July 27. (Photo by Frank Jacobs III)
By Bill Alden
For Richmond Aririguzoh, getting the chance to play again with former Princeton University men’s basketball teammate Myles Stephens was too good to pass up.
At the suggestion of Stephens, a 2019 PU grad and three-time All-Ivy League performer, Aririguzoh ’20 decided to join forces with him on the Novi Wealth Partners squad in the Princeton Recreation Department Men’s Summer Basketball League.
“My guy Myles was hey just get out here,” said Aririguzoh, a former Trenton Catholic star who was a two-time All-Ivy performer himself during his career for the Tigers. “I haven’t really played 5 on 5 since I stopped playing overseas two years ago.”
Last Monday, the two former Tigers hit the Community Park courts as fifth-seeded Novi Wealth faced fourth-seeded and defending champion Iron Peak in the quarterfinal round of the league playoffs.
The contest turned into a defensive battle in the early going as Iron Peak led 17-14 at halftime.
“The way our team works, we want to get inside,” said Aririguzoh. “We want to get multiple guys getting shots and we want to post up. They did a really good job of making sure that they weren’t going to get beat that way. We did a really good job of dealing with what they warned to do, switching up zone and man. It was really a low scoring affair in that first half.”
In the second half, Novi Wealth found a rhythm on offense as it forged ahead 33-32 with five minutes left in the game.
“We tried to play a little faster and we found some success,” said Aririguzoh. “We were drawing fouls and really attacking.”
But Iron Peak found success down the stretch as it went on a 11-2 run to pull out a 43-35 win. Iron Peak, now 5-3, will face top-seeded Princeton Supply (8-0) in the semis on July 22. Second-seeded YSU (7-1) will play third-seeded Metrohm (6-20) in the other semi on Wednesday.
Aririguzoh credited Iron Peak with coming through in crunch time. The victors were paced by Brandon Russell, who scored 17 points, with Myles Mitchell-White chipping in 14.
“They made some adjustments as well,” said the 6’9, 230-pound Aririguzoh, who ended up with eight points and several blocked shots in the defeat which left Novi Wealth with a final record of 2-6. “I think for us we really couldn’t score at the end of the day. They made some timely shots too. Their young guys got going.”
In making his debut in the summer league, Aririguzoh has been adjusting on the fly as he has gone through the season.
“Out here you want to see where you fit in and evaluate, depending on the guys who show up,” said Aririguzoh. “For me, it is establish a presence inside and hold it down defensively.”
In his four years of pro ball overseas, Aririguzoh found a good fit as he played in three different countries.
“I started out in Denmark and then played in the Germany first league,” said Aririguzoh. “Then I went to Belgium and then first league Germany again. I did two stints in first league Germany. My last year I ended up playing with Ryan Schwieger (a Princeton 2021 alum and former men’s hoops standout) for one year which was a really good way to kind of end.”
While Aririguzoh was competing in Europe, he was thinking about his future beyond basketball.
“I knew I only wanted to play a few years, playing overseas gave me a chance to realize what I really want to do,” said Aririguzoh, who currently works as a data coordinator for oncology strategy at the Mount Sinai health system in New York City. “I like working in healthcare. I realized that I had an affinity for data and stuff like that. Right now I work in healthcare administration, that has been a really good experience. I have about a year over there.”
Teaming up with Stephen this summer has turned out to be a really good experience as well for Aririguzoh.
“It is cool,” said Aririguzoh. “At this stage, I just have fun talking to the guys on the other teams and the refs. It is great.”