Sibling Rivalry Lands In Penn Gymnasium

Sisters Vashti Nwagbaraocha for William Penn (33) and Vivevca Nwagbaraocha for LB (11) battled each other for the win.

Oskaloosa, Iowa – The William Penn Lady Statesmen battled from behind against Lindenwood-Belleville on Monday night.

The back and forth battle between the two teams was a good one for the spectators and coaches to enjoy.

On the far side of the players’ seating, sat a lady in a white sweater, camera in hand trying her best to take in the moments, and preserve them for the family to enjoy later. She wasn’t there to cheer on just one daughter, but two.

Vevette Nwagbaraocha cheered for both of her girls, as they battled for their respective teams, while the sisters often squared up against each other on the floor.

“I root for both of them”, said Vevette of the unique experience. “They are both extreme competitors, and my expectation has always been, you leave it out there”.

“We are family, we are friends, we love each other, but until that whistle blows, your job is to do your job”, explained Vevette of her daughters’ tenacity on the floor.

Vevette was witnessing family history as her daughters squared off someplace else besides the hoop in the back yard. “To me, this is the backyard brawl.”

“They are both extreme competitors, very good defenders and they know how one another plays”, said Vevette as the referee spoke about the two sisters’ competitive behavior on the court. “This is how they get.”

Vevette is familiar with refereeing the two, “When they were young, I had to put them on the steps for time out because they got too competitive”.

As the game counts down, Vevette says that “they have grown so much since the back yard. They really have.”

“It’s a beautiful moment, it really is”, added Vevette. “They’ve put so much work into getting here.”

Vevette sat as a proud mom, “Look at them… So beautiful”.

Vashti Nwagbaraocha, who is a member of the William Penn Lady Statesmen basketball squad met her sister, Vivevca Nwagbaraocha, as she got off the bus. The two hugged and greeted each other. “It was heart-warming because I haven’t seen my sister in a long time. I only get to see her on the holidays.”

Vashti said it was an experience playing against her sister, “since I have played with my sister since high school, and I haven’t played against my sister ever. It was good to see her, but then again, you have to get the job done.”

“We talked on the court. We had some laughs. It was good to see her. It was an experience, people don’t get to come by often. I’m thankful,” added Vashti.

“When we were younger, we use to play each other. She’s always been bigger than me”, but Vashti said that since those younger days, “We’ve aged, and it’s a lot different. It’s not all the same anymore”.

As the sisters will now travel back home for Christmas, Vashti says there “may be some disputes and some laughs, it’s all love”.