Few people know that Syracuse basketball center Craig Forth has a Croatian brother that plays basketball for LeMoyne.

And while Forth and LeMoyne guard Darko Sedlar are not technically related, they share a bond stronger than most brothers.

Forth and Syracuse face Sedlar when LeMoyne visits the Carrier Dome tomorrow at 7 p.m. for SU’s first exhibition game.

Sedlar, a native of Zagreb, Croatia, came to America in 2000 as part of an exchange program. He spoke little English and knew nothing about the area where he was placed – East Greenbush.

When Sedlar arrived in the United States, he was greeted at the airport by Jim Obermayer, the basketball coach at Columbia High School, and his host family, the Forths.

‘I had no idea what to expect,’ Sedlar said. ‘It was different. I was kind of scared. Everything is bigger here. It’s about four or five years ahead of what’s in Croatia. But I couldn’t get a better family. They’re awesome. It was rough because of the language, but they helped me.’

At ease with his new surroundings thanks to the Forth family, Sedlar was able to strive for the goals he set – learn English and play basketball.

Although Sedlar was hampered by a language barrier at first, he quickly made friends through basketball. Sedlar, who was a welcome addition to the Columbia High School team, even had a fan club that came to games and waved Croatian flags.

‘He took this place by storm,’ Obermayer said. ‘He was almost like a rock star. It was something.’

But Sedlar was faced with a dilemma. He began to draw attention from Division I scouts, but most programs had already given away their scholarships. Unable to afford college, Sedlar was faced with the prospect of returning to Croatia after he graduated high school.

Once again, Forth helped his friend. At a family get-together, Forth introduced Sedlar to Steve Evans, the head coach at LeMoyne. Evans knew Forth from his time as an assistant at Northwestern, where he tried to recruit Forth.

LeMoyne offered Sedlar a scholarship soon after the two met. Sedlar accepted, obviously excited by the notion of playing collegiate basketball less than three miles away from his best friend.

‘I knew I had a little to do with his decision,’ Forth said. ‘I was the only one he knew around here. He’s grown into his own person now. He’s very Americanized.’

While Forth and Sedlar took very different directions, they still remain close. Sedlar stays with Forth whenever there is a break from school, and the two talk frequently.

‘It’s great for Craig to have Darko,’ Obermayer said. ‘(Craig) was a different kid and they had some similar interests and became close. They’re still very close. They’re almost like brothers.’

When graduation rolls around in the spring, Sedlar, once again, faces a difficult decision. He hopes to go to graduate school and pursue a career in database programming. If Sedlar cannot attend graduate school, he will be forced to return to Croatia and serve in the military. No matter what happens, Sedlar will be strengthened by his experiences in America.

‘I came here by myself,’ Sedlar said. ‘It’s tough to be by yourself for five years without seeing your family. I’ve played college basketball, which is very tough and competitive. Once I’m out in the real world, I’m going to do well.’

For now, Sedlar wants to focus on the rest of his basketball career. Sedlar is living his dream by playing in America. And when he meets Forth on the court for their first official competitive game, there’s no doubt he’s looking to outdo his American brother.

‘There’s been enough one-on-one between those two in the back yard,’ Evans said. ‘Darko doesn’t stand a chance against Craig and Craig doesn’t stand a chance against Darko. It would be an interesting matchup, that’s for sure.’

Published on October 31, 2004 at 12:00 pm