Al Amadou is learning what it takes to succeed in Marquette’s NCAA Tournament run

Al Amadou learned early on about the standard of the men’s basketball team at Marquette.

There was a moment in the offseason, the freshman said, when he put himself in check. Amadou was told by senior Oso Ighodaro that his shoes weren’t basketball sneakers, and he needed to wear basketball sneakers during their workouts in the weight room.

However, he disregarded his teammate. During the next lifting session, Amadou, a Philly native who graduated from Springside Chestnut Hill Academy, walked into the weight room wearing the same shoes.

“He was yelling at me like, ‘Yo, you haven’t done anything yet, you need to prove yourself,’ ” Amadou said. “I really took that to heart, I didn’t take it in a bad way, I understood what he was trying to say — here, you’ve got to prove yourself.”

Amadou, a forward who’s averaging 3.6 minutes over 14 games, has used this season to develop. And he’s having the chance to do so while being part of a contending team.

No. 2-seeded Marquette will face No. 11 North Carolina State in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament on Friday in Dallas, marking the Golden Eagles’ first Sweet 16 appearance since 2013.

Two wins in the South Regional would advance them to the Final Four, a feat the program hasn’t accomplished since 2003.

“It’s been amazing,” Amadou said. “I see what it takes to get there. I see what we need to do to win. It takes a lot; I know what goes into it. We’re trying to make it to the ‘chip.”

The 6-foot-9 Amadou has been absorbing things from the sideline. It’s a role he has come to terms with, and Ighodaro has helped mentor him along the way.

Ighodaro, a starter, once was in a similar position. The 6-11 forward, who’s averaging 13.6 points in 35 games, played in five games as a freshman while averaging 7.6 minutes.

He knows the toll it can take when you’re not on the floor competing, Ighodaro said, but has reminded Amadou to see it through.

“My first impression of him was just a young kid with a lot of energy, a lot of talent, who’s just trying to figure things out,” he said. “I remember being in that situation. … I wanted to make that process easier for him.

“He’s already ahead of where I was as a freshman. He’s doing so many great things. He just has to stay patient.”

» READ MORE: Springside Chestnut Hill’s Al Amadou struggled when he started basketball. Now he’s committed to Marquette.

Amadou knows a thing or two about patience.

Before he was a four-star recruit or held offers from the likes of Miami, St. John’s, and Georgia Tech, Amadou had to learn the basics.

He didn’t play competitive basketball until eighth grade. His first AAU experience was with the Runnin’ Aces, ahead of his freshman year at Quakertown High School.

He transferred to Bishop McDevitt in Wyncote for his sophomore year and competed with Philly Pride. The recruiting process, however, was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic during his junior year.

Amadou reclassified to help get exposure to college programs, and, after McDevitt closed down because of declining enrollment, he attended Springside Chestnut Hill and repeated his junior year.

He was willing to put in the time to succeed, which has made the college transition even easier.

“Physically, I definitely changed a lot, I got stronger,” said the 210-pound Amadou. “Mentally, I changed even more, just growing up and learning how to be a young adult — being true to myself.”

When his name is called, though, Amadou has not disappointed.

His highlight moments have featured one-handed dunks and putback slams that send his teammates on the sideline into a frenzy.

“Every time he does that, I expect it,” Ighodaro said. “Al’s a really good player already. He just has good players in front of him as well. He’s done great things when he’s gotten the opportunity and he’s going to get more and more opportunities.”

Amadou hopes Marquette’s tournament run ends with an NCAA title, which the program has not achieved since 1977. He’s also soaking up the experience, as he plans to be a leader for the program in the future.

“We’ve been through a lot,” Amadou said. “I’m going to be prepared for anything that comes our way. Just staying in the moment is the main thing I’m trying to do because I feel like I get the most from that.”