It’s hard to miss senior guard David Mirikwe. At 6’2, he’s quick and has the uncanny ability to finish consistently at the rim.
Mirikwe compares himself to Los Angeles Clippers point guard Russell Westbrook. Westbrook, like Mirikwe, is an athletic, eruptive guard who punishes defenders at the basket.
Westbrook, in fact, is the reason why Mirikwe wears the number zero.
And while zero is the number he proudly sports on his jersey, it never shows up in his box score.
23, 25, 25, 18, 18.
Above are the point totals Mirikwe dropped in his first five games to start the season.
He has drastically improved over the course of his varsity basketball career.
Sophomore year wasn’t pretty. Not seeing the court often, Mirikwe felt discouraged.
However, things started to take a turn for the better. “I just kept working, and I finally got the starting spot toward the end of my sophomore year,” Mirikwe said.
Mirikwe ended his sophomore campaign averaging 4.3 points per game, 4.2 assists and 1.4 steals per game.
Mirikwe worked hard throughout the offseason in preparation for his junior season.
Mirikwe’s hard work had paid off and then some. He finished his junior season with an impressive 9.4 points per game, 3.4 assists per game and 2.4 steals per game.
Head basketball coach Rodney Carter praised Mirikwe—but not just for his talent on the hardwood.
“David has grown into a 6’2″all-court player who is strong-minded, confident and resilient. He has shown compassion for the game, his teammates and his school. David is an all-around athlete with no holding back,” Carter said.
Mirikwe’s senior year has already been off to a hot start, 19 games in. Mirikwe is averaging 17.8 points per game, leading the Tigers to a 15-4 record so far, guaranteeing the Tigers a winning season for the second year in a row.
Mirikwe is also averaging 2.4 assists and 2.9 steals per game, good for second in the 4A DAC conference in points and steals per game.
He leads the conference in field goals and is third in the state’s 4A East division. Of the 133 field goals he’s made, Mirikwe has drained 24 treys, ranking him fourth in the conference in three-point shooting. Altogether, he’s shot 55% from the field.
Mirikwe led the Tigers to the annual South Granville High School Holiday Invitational Tournament championship on December 30, 2023.
In the first round, the Tigers faced off against the Franklin Academy Patriots, and Mirikwe dropped 15 as the Tigers crushed the Patriots 74-49.
In the second round, the Tigers went up against the Nansemond River Warriors from Norfolk, Virginia. The game featured gritty defense from both teams, but the Tigers scraped by 41-38. The win propelled the Tigers to a championship berth against a familiar local team, the Northern Durham Knights.
The Tigers crushed the Knights to win the invitational, 69-43. Mirikwe had another 15 points and was awarded tournament MVP.
“It feels good to finally bring some hardware back to Chapel High School,” he said.
In terms of the future, Mirikwe has received interest from multiple Division II and III colleges, including Barry University, Guilford College, William Peace, Emerson and Wingate. Mirikwe, however, is currently uncommitted.
Regardless of where Mirikwe commits, his teammates are confident that he’ll have a similar impact at the collegiate level.
“David is a hard worker on and off the court. He is a great leader and teammate, always wanting to help the team in any way he can,” junior guard Wes Kreig said.
Sophomore guard Max Upchurch added, “David is an amazing leader who controls the game well and can hit big shots at any point.”
Mirikwe will next try to help the team sweep Jordan High School on February 2 after the Tigers defeated the Falcons 65-49 on January 12.
