How Zsolt Boros came from Slovakia to Savannah to realize his hoop dreams
Zsolt Boros made the 5,000 mile trip from his home in Slovakia to come to Memorial Day School in Savannah at the start of the school year -- joining the basketball team with dreams of making it big in America.
The 6-foot-1 senior fit right in with the basketball crazed culture of Savannah and quickly bridged the cultural gap with his teammates as he became a leader on a Matador squad that won the GIAA Class A championship.
Boros scored a game-high 20 points in the championship win over Monsignor Donovan in the championship game. He was selected as the GIAA Class A State Player of the Year and played in the Savannah Senior Showcase on Wednesday night at Savannah High.
On Friday, Boros set his future in motion as he signed to play at Brewton-Parker College, an NAIA program in Mt. Vernon.
"The coaches at Brewton-Parker believed in me and are giving me everything I need to become successful," Boros said. "I think I have a chance to be a starter and have an impact right away -- now the next step is for me to do the best I can, on and off the court."
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Boros averaged 13.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.9 steals per game for the Matadors, who finished the season with a 21-4 record. He also did well in the classroom, maintaining a 3.2 GPA.
He said coming to America was a huge change from the lifestyle he was accustomed to in Tomášikovo, a village of 1,663 in Slovakia, which borders Poland, Ukraine, Hungary, Austria and the Czech Republic in Europe.
"The lifestyle here is a lot faster that what I was used to in the small village where I lived," Boros said. "But coming to Savannah has been a great experience. It has been a year that I'll never forget. My teammates accepted me right away, and we had a great season."
Memorial Day Coach Dale Mock said he knew Boros had a high basketball IQ and would be a good decision maker at guard, but he was surprised by his athleticism and shooting ability.
"Zsolt is such a team oriented player -- he's sometimes unselfish to a fault," Mock said. "He fit in so well with all the guys. He's a great player and a great kid."
Memorial Day Athletic Director Tyler Helmly and his wife Meredith, serve as host parents for Zsolt -- and they have four children of their own -- including a newborn. The family hosted a Slovakian exchange student, who is also a basketball standout, last year. Christian Adam is currently a freshman who just finished his first season playing at Erskine College.
"Zsolt is a fine young man," Tyler Helmly said. "Coming from a country 5,000 miles away, he was a bit shy at first, but he's become part of our family and he connected right away with his basketball teammates. It's been a great experience for our family. It's going to be hard to see him go off to college, but selfishly we're glad he'll be so close at Brewton-Parker. We'll be out at his games to support him."
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Slovakia native Zsolt Boros of Memorial Day signs with Brewton-Parker
