The guard from Coastal Carolina loves his name so much that all he could do was giggle when yet another reporter brought it up.

It’s easy to see why. Despite different spellings, his first and last names are pronounced the same, and whisk off the lips and tongue like a rhythmic beat from his native Liberia.

Pele Paelay.

Now repeat it quickly with the right emphasis. PE-le PAE-lay.

Dan Harwood, Paelay’s coach at Magruder High School in Rockville, Md., said everybody Paelay meets is captivated with it too.

‘It’s so nice, you’ve got to say it twice,’ he said.

But lest you think Paelay is noteworthy only because his name brings to mind one of the world’s most famous athletes, think again.

Paelay emerged out of nowhere this season to be named Big South Conference Player of the Year. After averaging 5.5 points a game as a sophomore, Paelay led the conference in scoring this season with 17.0 points a game.

He carries the Chanticleers into the Big South tournament tonight in a first-round matchup against Winthrop.

His journey to that position is as unique as his name.

Born in Liberia in 1984, Paelay was 6 when his family fled the West African nation in 1990 after a Civil War broke out late in 1989. The family moved to Maryland because they had relatives in the area.

Paelay’s parents did not realize how difficult the adjustment was for their son until they got a call from his first grade teacher, Mrs. Jones.

‘She wondered if something was wrong with him,’ said Paelay’s father, whose name is – surprise – Pele.

Jones told his parents that the little boy never spoke in class and never associated with any of the other kids. Since his family spoke English in Liberia, language was not the issue. Paelay was simply too shy to talk to strangers, which in this case, was everybody. After talking to his parents, Jones introduced Paelay to a few other kids in the class, and he slowly settled into his new environment.

Those early friendships drove Paelay to the two sports that would define his athletic life – basketball and yes, soccer.

Soccer, the most popular sport in Liberia, was his first and most obvious choice. He joined his first youth league team during elementary school after one of his friends took note of his extensive kickball rsum.

‘Yeah, I used to kick it really far,’ Paelay said.

Soccer seemed a natural fit, if only because of his name. But Paelay’s father is quick to point out that Pele is a popular name in Liberia and has nothing to do with the Brazilian hero. In fact, Paelay said ‘Pele’ in Portuguese is just a nickname for ‘somebody who goes around kicking things.’

Destiny would have to wait, though, when later in elementary school Paelay finally convinced his father, who is also an engineer, to build him an adjustable basketball hoop outside their house. The family even repaved its driveway so he could play on a flat surface. Even though he still played soccer, basketball quickly became his favorite sport once he could shoot on his own hoop.

But he was cut from the junior varsity basketball team his freshman year at Magruder and made the varsity soccer team. His passion for soccer returned, and by the time he made the varsity basketball team as a junior, he starred for both teams. He led the basketball team to a state title his junior year and the soccer team to a state title his senior year, playing improbable roles in each of the championship games.

In the basketball final, played in front of 10,000 people at Maryland’s Cole Field House, Paelay was struck in the head with a vicious elbow early in the second half. Paelay, who was bleeding profusely, was helped to the locker room, unlikely to return as Magruder headed toward defeat.

‘His mother went to pieces,’ Paelay’s father said.

Five minutes later, Paelay emerged cleaned up to an enormous roar. Magruder had kept the game close in his absence, and he pleaded with Harwood to let him back in the game. Harwood obliged, and Paelay scored 17 points in Magruder’s comeback win before heading directly to the hospital for stitches.

‘It was an awesome experience for me as a father,’ Paelay’s dad said. ‘That was something I’ll never forget.’

Nor could he forget the soccer championship game a year later. Paelay scored the winning goal on a booming turnaround shot with 30 seconds remaining in the game.

Though Paelay was probably a better soccer player – he was named All-Met Player of the Year by The Washington Post in soccer, second team for basketball – he decided to attend Coastal Carolina to play basketball for two reasons: Basketball was more popular in America and he was awarded a scholarship.

‘I think he might have played soccer if there were packed gyms for it,’ Harwood said.

Harwood said Paelay struggled his first two years at Coastal Carolina because athletic ability alone was suddenly not enough at the Division I level. The work he put into his game last summer turned him into an instant sensation this season.

Paelay is itching to get back on the soccer field, though. While he has practiced with the soccer team occasionally since arriving as a freshman, Paelay said he wants to play in the upcoming spring soccer season.

After all, his name basically demands it.

But did he really giggle when asked about his name?

Yes, but only after surprising himself when he repeated it out loud.

Regaining his composure, Paelay regretfully said: ‘I don’t get to say it that much.’

NO. 13 SYRACUSE (+6) AT NO. 15 CONNECTICUT

SATURDAY, 4 P.M., CBS

Both the rebounding advantages and Hakim Warrick career highs in points that SU enjoyed against St. John’s and Providence don’t mean a thing. The true test is only beginning for the Orange against the Huskies, which outrebounded SU by six and held Warrick to 16 points in its 74-66 win on Feb. 7. UConn gets the season sweep.

PICK: UCONN 67, SU 64

NO. 14 WASHINGTON (-9) AT STANFORD

SATURDAY, 6 P.M. FSN

With Arizona State’s two losses last week, the Cardinal is now in the best position to snag a third NCAA berth from the Pacific 10. But with leading scorer Stan Grunfeld out for the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, Stanford must keep this game close to prevent its bubble from popping.

PICK: UW 82, STANFORD 75

NO. 24 PITTSBURGH (PICK ‘EM) AT NOTRE DAME

SATURDAY, 2 P.M., CBS

Despite their ranking, the Panthers enter this game at 9-6 in the Big East, a game behind the Irish, assuming Notre Dame defeats Rutgers tomorrow. All the talk about Pittsburgh being a lock and Notre Dame being on the bubble is backwards. The Panthers pull out a much-needed win.

PICK: PITT 59, ND 57

NO. 9 LOUISVILLE (-8) AT DEPAUL

SATURDAY, NOON, ESPN

Conference USA could get as many as five berths in the NCAA Tournament. The Blue Devils are the team on the bubble in this one. DePaul’s Drake Deiner looks to make up for the season-ending injury to his brother Travis, who plays for Marquette. He won’t be enough in this one.

PICK: LOUISVILLE 78, DEPAUL 64

MARYLAND (-5) AT VIRGINIA TECH

SATURDAY, 4 P.M., NO TV

This game could very well be a must win for both of these bubble teams, who each will probably be looking to post respectable, yet discomforting .500 records in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Hokies continue to ride a late-season surge that included a victory over Duke.

PICK: VA TECH 80, MARYLAND 74

Published on February 27, 2005 at 12:00 pm