Utica College men's basketball team grieves after death of freshman Bamba

Chris Bamba, a Pioneers forward who just completed his freshman season, drowned on Tuesday while swimming in a creek with friends.

- as a member of the utica college men's basketball team died unexpectedly last night.

Christopher bamba - a pioneers forward who just finished his freshman season in utica - drowned while swimming with friends in a creek nearby his hometown of kingston.

According to the ulster county sheriff's office - at 5:40 p-m - first responders were dispatched after the 18-year-old became distressed in the water and despite initial rescue efforts - was unable to reach shore.

Divers recovered him - and attempts to resuscitate were made but he was pronounced dead at the scene it's been an understandably tough 24 hours for the pioneers family.

Though he was only at u-c for one year - his impact was far greater than his brief time there.

Sean coffey: he was only with us for about a year but most guys would feel like he's been here for three.

His personality was one that he was extremely quick witted kid, always a smile, just always had a ton of energy, he just fit in.

He fit our campus perfectly, fit our locker room perfectly, so just a terrific kid, terrific person and he just had so much going.

He was going to be a great player, he was a freak athletically.

6'7" being able to move the way he did he could just jump out of the gym and that's just the hardest part, the what if's.

Just where his trajectory was going so high so really, really difficult to swallow at this moment bamba checked into nine games for the pioneers this past season.

Academically - he was on the dean's list with a 3.9 gpa.

Coach coffey and the team video conferenced tonight to grieve together.

He said they plan on honoring number five when they return to campus.