For Munster senior Igboamaka Odeluga, basketball is one of many.

To teammate Arroya Mongerie, Odeluga is one of one.

“I’ve seen her do so many things and be good at them,” Mongerie said. “She went to (Austria) for choir, which is insane. She picked up basketball (again) in seventh grade, and the way she’s been able to grow and get better at track … now she’s planning on running in college. Just seeing how well she starts something and finishes it stronger is impressive.”

Odeluga and Mongerie, who are co-captains for the Mustangs, have been best friends for years. They first connected when older siblings began dating — a long story, they said — and stayed close after the siblings’ relationship ended. Basketball only strengthened their bond.

“She has so much to her, so much depth, and she’s just such an amazing person,” Mongerie said.

On the court, Odeluga gives the Mustangs (5-15, 1-4) modest scoring with 3.4 points per game in her third varsity season, but her defense and rebounding stand out. In the Northwest Crossroads Conference, the 5-foot-9 forward ranks third in rebounds with 7.3 per game, fourth in steals with 3.1 per game and third in blocks with 0.9 per game.

Munster’s Igboamaka Odeluga (33) guards Kankakee Valley’s Olivia Adams during a Northwest Crossroads Conference game in Munster on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (Michael Gard / Post-Tribune)

Munster coach DeAndre Williams attributes Odeluga’s production to her mentality.

“She has a relentless nature,” Williams said. “Just her mindset, you know. She may not have the best skills, but if you ask her to run through a wall, she’s going to do whatever she can to get through that wall.”

That approach has helped Odeluga, who qualified for the past two state meets in track and field, blossom into an exemplary leader in her senior season.

“This year, she’s taken a more vocal role with her leadership,” Williams said. “That’s what I’m most proud of her for, just being more vocal when it comes to practice or in the locker room. She’s the big sister of the group, and all the girls listen to her. So her being more vocal shows she’s taken a major leap.

“It’s been an honor and a privilege to have her these last four years. She’ll definitely be missed when she graduates.”

Odeluga keeps busy on and off the court, balancing school, basketball practice, track practice and homework. Her schedule isn’t always easy to navigate.

“I have terrible time-management skills, but somehow it all works together,” she said. “I try to take life day by day and get my ducks in order at least for the week. But I seriously don’t know how I get it all together. It’s really God at this point.”

Odeluga’s parents, Chinyere and Kanayo, emigrated from Nigeria and settled first in Chicago and later in South Holland, Illinois, and Odeluga is one of five children. Her siblings include her sister Nwanmachideluuli, a sophomore forward for Munster, and her brother Kenenna, a linebacker for Illinois.

Munster’s Nwanmachideluuli Odeluga moves the ball during a Northwest Crossroads Conference game against Kankakee Valley in Munster on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (Michael Gard / Post-Tribune)

Odeluga jokingly calls herself the “stereotypical middle child,” often forgotten and occasionally a nuisance. She credits her tight-knit family for shaping her.

“My grandma and grandpa on my mother’s side were living with us, so I’ve always lived in a multigenerational household, and it’s always something I’ve valued because there’s a lot of wisdom there and a lot of love,” she said.

“I’ve always grown up with an understanding of my culture because my parents always instilled in me and my siblings that our culture is our power, it’s our strength and it’s what makes us different from others. Even if the world tries to make us feel like it’s a negative thing that we’re not like everybody else, we should carry it with pride. My culture makes me feel super unique, and that’s something I really love.”

Odeluga’s first name tells that story.

“My name is two words put together, ‘Igbo’ and ‘Amaka,’” she said. “’Igbo’ refers to my tribe, my language, my people and my land, and ‘Amaka’ means beautiful in the Igbo language.”

According to Odeluga, census data at the time of her birth indicated she was the first person with that name.

“My parents gave it to me because of their overwhelming pride in our culture,” she said.

Noah Poser is a freelance reporter.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/21/basketball-munster-igboamaka-odeluga/