LONG JOURNEY: Elkamil thankful to be playing basketball, back home

To Gavyn Elkamil, it probably feels as if he’s had to go over some hurdles, through some hoops and around some barricades to get to where he is today. And that is playing Division II college basketball for the program at Missouri Southern State University.

Elkamil started his collegiate career as a Golden Hurricane at the University of Tulsa, Oklahoma. He played in four games but was eventually redshirted. He transferred then to Southeast Missouri State University and sat out the entirety of the 2022-23 campaign with a shoulder injury. He played in 18 games the next season but had to sit out again during the 2023-24 season.

“I want to give thanks to God because it’s been a long journey,” Elkamil said. “I appreciate my family and everybody as well. It feels good to be playing — at any level.”

Not only did MSSU head coach Sam McMahon give him the chance to play basketball again, this brought Elkamil back home.

The former Joplin Globe Player of the Year from the 2019-2020 school year prepped at Pittsburg High School in Pittsburg, Kansas, before moving on play at Link Year Academy in Branson.

Elkamil got a warm welcome last Friday after he and the Lions defeated Maryville University in the Pitt State Classic at Pittsburg State University. A young boy in an “Elkamil” MSSU jersey gave the senior a hug and congratulated him for his performance.

“Man, that’s E-man. I love that little dude. I coach his older brother, so he’s like family to me,” Elkamil said. “It’s so cool seeing moments like that.”

“E-man” is Eastyn Jessee, the younger brother of Elkamil’s student on the court, Landyn Jessee. The older of the Jessee boys is currently playing high school basketball at Pittsburg High School but is coached by Elkamil in summer basketball.

Now that Elkamil is playing at MSSU, he’ll have more of those postgame moments with area fans and family. Elkamil is the son of Loni and Ishmael Elkamil and has two younger sisters, Kyndall and Kynadee.

He talked about the opportunity to come closer to home and have family and friends at more games.

“Man, it’s awesome. Being able to have that support and finish what I started and give the kids where I’m from some hope and see that it can happen,” Elkamil said.

Elkamil is second on the team with 14.3 points per game and scored a season-high 21 last Thursday against Oklahoma Baptist University in the Pitt State Classic. He’s third on the team with 5.5 rebounds per game.

The 6-foot-5 guard has shot the ball at an efficient rate as well at 45% from the field (18 of 40), 34.5% from beyond the arc (10 of 29) and 84.6% at the free throw line (11 of 13).

“He’s a steady force. He’s never too high or too low. There’s no emotion with him. And then he’s an older, veteran guy on the floor that has been around and played a lot. He can rebound and shoot,” McMahon said.

The Lions’ only loss this season came against OBU last week in a 94-82 defeat. They’re 3-1 to start the year.

“It’s been a good start. We have to keep it up. Coach has really been on us playing hard, practicing hard, and it’s coming to fruition,” Elkamil said. “But 3-1, that’s not where we want to be. We just have to continue getting better and not really focus on the outcomes but focus on the process.”

Southern was back at home Tuesday to host Rockhurst University (2-1) inside Robert Ellis Young Gymnasium.

Elkamil was wanting to make his way back closer to home after leaving SEMO but ultimately got the opportunity at MSSU and ended up a Lion instead of a PSU Gorilla.

“I wanted to come back close to home; I just didn’t want to be at home. I knew coach Sam (McMahon) and coach JO (Jason Owens) really well from back in high school, so I would say that’s why,” Elkamil said about ending up in the green and gold.

Since making the transition from Division I to Division II, he’s been able to practice what he preaches to those he’s coaching in summer ball.

“I tell kids, ‘Don’t worry about the level, just play, have fun and enjoy it because you never know when it’s going to be gone.’ I’ve really just been trying to embrace that and just take it day by day,” Elkamil said.