The Grind, presented by the Bank of Clarendon: Cisse carves his own path at Lakewood on gridiron, court

The last name Cisse carries a lot of weight at Lakewood.

Deondrae Cisse got his foot in the door as a safety for the Gators before Brandon became a breakout star. The middle Cisse was a four-star recruit, ultimately taking his talents to North Carolina State, where he's currently starting at corner for the Wolfpack. Cedric Cisse Jr. is the latest senior of the bunch, starring on both the gridiron and the basketball court for the Gators, while Makayla Cisse is on the rise as a freshman on the girls basketball team.

It's safe to say the Cisse family has left their mark on the halls at Lakewood, but they're each trying to do it in their own way.

When Cedric first came to The Swamp, he was just a hooper. He broke onto the scene as a freshman, thrust into a starting role after an injury to Camareyon McMillan. He didn't pick up a football at the varsity level until his junior season, a year after Brandon graduated. Naturally, plenty of comparisons followed, especially as Cedric played defensive back just like both of his older brothers. While Cedric takes pride in his last name, he knows there's so much more to his identity than being a younger brother. He's making sure the rest of the world knows that, too.

"When you have a brother before you that's a four-star recruit going to North Carolina State, they're looking at me, like I said, 'You're not gonna be better than him or anything.' I didn't pay no attention," Cedric said. "Of course, it's pressure, but it's only pressure if you make it pressure. I just went out there and played football and did what I could do to help the team.

"I didn't really listen to people really compare me; I create my own legacy. It's still part of the Cisse last name, but Brandon was like, 'Go out there, have fun, do your thing. This is your team; you have to create your own legacy.' I don't live off my brother. I try to do stuff for myself, too."

MOLDING THE ATHLETE

Growing up in a household with two older brothers, Cedric was born to compete. Whether it was football in the yard or booting up a copy of "Madden," the Cisses were ready to compete.

"I was always outside, me and my brothers (playing) one-on-one all day," Cedric said.

While the Cisses are most well-known for their exploits on the gridiron and basketball court, they have plenty of background on the pitch. Cedric and Brandon were able to play on the same soccer team growing up, forming plenty of memories - mostly fun with a few moments of frustration mixed in. At first, Cedric thought soccer would be his ticket to success.

"I was going to go play in the MLS. I'm gonna go play in the Euro League, but life changed; things change," he said.

Cedric eventually tried out for Sumter Splash in elementary school and quickly fell in love. Suddenly, basketball became his world. He played football in the seventh grade, but that only lasted one year after he injured his leg.

"My mom was like, 'You don't have to be playing football no more, just stick to basketball,'" Cedric said with a chuckle.

The decision to focus on basketball paid off. As an eighth-grader, he got to play junior varsity hoops with his brother, the only time the Cisse duo donned the same Lakewood jersey. By his freshman year, he was a varsity starter, joining a talented team that featured star wing Kam Rodriguez at the head of a senior-heavy roster. Cedric credits senior Jahquel Chavez for helping him learn how to be a varsity player early on.

"I really love that team. I remember coming in that summer I started varsity workouts, and I was way behind. I had to work my way up to it," Cedric said. "Coming in thrown into the fire, that wasn't really supposed to happen like that. I knew I was gonna come off the bench at first, but I didn't because our starting point guard got hurt, tore his Achilles in practice. So went in there. It was a little struggle at first, but I remember when Sumter High came here. That's when I remember running out and it was loud, I'm kinda getting chills, but that's how I kinda settled down the game play and I kinda figured my way into it."

Lakewood had a spectacular season, winning 15 games, including their first two of the postseason, before falling to Oceanside Collegiate in the third round of the SCHSL 3A playoffs.

A year later, Cedric was the only remnant of that team. Head coach Ed Scott left to coach at AC Flora, while the rest of the team graduated.

FRESH START

In 2022, Cedric had plenty of new things to adjust to. Cam Lee came over from Ridge View to coach the team and brought a standout player, Myles Squirewell, along for the ride. The rest of the team was getting its first shot at varsity, so there were some growing pains. Right off the bat, Cam knew he had a star on his hands with Cedric; the only question was how to build the team around this new dynamic duo.

"I saw he's just a good kid. The passion that he plays with, he's extremely talented," Cam said of his first impressions of Cedric. "Just seeing how hard he works, how much he wants to win (stood out). One thing I picked up quick is that he's going to challenge you as a coach, he wants to be pushed. If he feels like you're not pushing him or giving it 100%, he's not afraid to speak up. He's very inquisitive. He's got a very high IQ of the game, and I picked up on that pretty early."

Cam has plenty of experience on the court as a former international pro, so he was happy to show Cedric his bona fides firsthand. The pair quickly connected through their shared passion.

"It's different when you have a guy you don't know and he's trying to tell you to do certain things," Cam said. "We played some one-on-one games, many a game, competing against each other and just gaining his respect. He's started beginning to trust me and just building our relationship."

As that bond grew, so did Lakewood's success on the court. The Gators snuck into the playoffs as the third seed from Region VI-3A but pulled off a first-round upset against Loris before eventually falling to Orangeburg-Wilkinson. Myles and Cedric did the heavy lifting. The senior big averaged a double-double while Cedric was the facilitator and secondary scoring threat, averaging 13.5 points per game.

NEW SPORT ENTERS THE FOLD

Just before the start of the football field, Cedric's close friend and recent transfer from Sumter High Tyler Washington-Broomfield approached the junior with the idea of playing football. Cedric decided to pull the trigger but did so the year after his brother graduated.

"I was like, 'Dang, about time,'" Brandon said. "I was definitely excited and anything he needed from me, I was going to pass every tool and bit of knowledge I've got."

After watching Brandon earn the chance to play Power 4 football at N.C. State, Cedric realized that football could open more doors for his future.

"Me and Brandon talk about that. I was just going to play basketball, but he was like, 'Man, 6-foot corners, they can go to the league and make a lot of money,'" Cedric said. "I just tried it out."

Cedric joined the program as Willie Offord was taking over as the head coach. While Cedric had to learn a lot of the finer details, Willie was excited to mold a player of his potential. Willie , a former South Carolina and Minnesota Vikings safety, put Cedric at his old position to start off.

"His natural athletic ability was able to help him grow in a very short amount of time as a football player. The transition from basketball to football and some of the skill sets he has definitely helped him out in terms of playing defensive back," Willie said. "Was he a little raw? Yeah, but his athletic ability is definitely what's going to help him out as he continues to grow after high school."

Football came with its own quirks. Suddenly, Cedric completely had to overhaul his workout regimen. There are a lot of traits that apply to both of Cedric's sports, but football is built around short bursts, while basketball is more about stamina. Luckily, a lot of the workouts Cedric started to incorporate for football had some noteworthy benefits on the court.

"It's very similar," Cedric said of the footwork required to play DB and basketball. "It's the same movements, depending on what technique you're playing. Some techniques, you want to use more of your hands, which you can't use in basketball because they call it foul. I remember going to basketball practice, and I'm over there like playing mirror, and I'm kick stepping, I'm using my hands. I'm like, 'OK, I can't do that.'"

Of course, as football season faded and basketball season began, Cedric had to learn how to make that transition. While he still trained for basketball during football season as a junior, he wasn't getting the same number of shots up a day.

"It's really the jump shot. It's the jump shot the most and then the ball handling," Cedric said on what he needed to work on most early in the basketball season. "But the defense, I feel like my defense got better because I'm way more explosive, I'm dunking easy. I'm doing everything easy when it comes to movements and explosion."

Cam immediately noticed some big differences in Cedric's game after his star picked up football.

"He's much more physical; he's not shying away from contact. His sophomore year, he would sometimes shy away from being touched, and the physicality of the game could affect him a little bit," Cam said. "As far as skill set, him playing defensive back has helped him. My main thing is on the defensive end. He always gave pretty good effort, but with his anticipation and footwork now, he's a guy who's going to take on the best matchup, the best guard, every night, and he relishes in that challenge. I think this year you'll see that it kinda took over the rest of the team, and they're trying to make that their identity."

BROTHERLY LOVE

This season, Cedric transitioned from safety to cornerback, following in his brother's footsteps. He essentially had a second coaching staff a couple of hours away, as he not only sought advice from his brother, but also learned all the tricks Brandon was picking up from the Wolfpack staff.

"We talk through techniques all the time, and there were multiple times working out with me where you could see it clicking for him and he understood the words I was using," Brandon said. "I've definitely passed down everything I've learned here to him, all the different techniques and ways to watch film, all the different formations and where my eyes need to be. I think he's done a great job taking all that stuff up. He's definitely ahead of the game from where I was in high school from a mental standpoint."

Cedric and Brandon would send videos back and forth and review film together. It was like they were back in high school, making their daily drive to school together, chatting about life and sports.

On top of the fundamentals Cedric can learn from his brother, the Lakewood senior is also able to take notes from Brandon's recruitment. While Brandon got more attention out of high school, there are plenty of lessons Cedric can take from how his brother interacted with college coaches.

"He helped me a lot, like how to talk to coaches, what to post on Twitter," Cedric said. "My first camp was N.C. State camp. I went out there, I had the highest vertical jump, I think I allowed one catch out of like four in man coverage, so I really had a great showing. Just from there, my recruitment went up. Some FBS but not P4 (Power 4). The only P4 that really was recruiting me at the time was N.C. State and Virginia Tech. Now I've got into Old Dominion, James Madison and schools like that."

Having an older brother at a Division I school can be a blessing and a curse. Cedric knows that a lot of coaches will compare him to his brother, but he also knows he's able to use the last name Cisse to open some doors. That being said, those doors only stay open if you can prove yourself.

"I'm his brother. I can't change that. It does help, I'm not gonna lie, but you also have to have film that it backs up," Cedric said. "I'm not just my brother's little brother; my tape speaks for itself. I really go out there and put up the numbers and put up the stats and play ball."

Both brothers also note they have very different styles of play, which shows up on tape.

"He's more physical than I was at the high school level, and there were a lot of things speed-wise that a lot of people don't have," Brandon said. "I try to tell them he's his person with his own career, just like my older brother, Deondrae, had his own career. I don't want anyone to remember him as Brandon's brother. I want them to remember him as Cedric Cisse Jr."

ONE LAST RIDE

Cedric balled out as a senior. He finished with four interceptions, six pass breakups and 44 tackles. His production helped him earn a spot in the Touchstone Energy Bowl North-South game, one of the premier senior bowls in the state. Willie said this recognition is only the beginning.

"It was just his growth in terms of how to play the position, the details that it takes to play cornerback and just kind of home in on playing defensive back more than being an overall athlete on both sides of the ball," Willie said of Cedric's development. "His commitment level to perfecting his craft at defensive back is where we saw the most gains and the most growth. He has an unbelievable upside in terms of playing defensive back at the next level. In my opinion, he hasn't even scratched the surface with how good he can be."

The North-South game comes with some tricky caveats for someone who plays both football and basketball. The game will be played on Dec. 21 and includes a full week of practice at Myrtle Beach High School. Most years, that wouldn't be a huge problem, as the high school season typically saves its most important games for after New Year. Well, Lakewood is in one of the larger regions in SCHSL 4A. With seven teams that each play each other twice, they need to start in December. Lakewood's first two region games come Dec. 17 and 20 against two teams ranked in the Top 10 in the SCBCA preseason rankings, No. 1 Wilson and No. 10 Darlington.

"Coach Cam doesn't actually know right now," Cedric said with a laugh. "We were looking to see if I can sneak out or something, but that's not going to work because if you sneak out and get caught, you can't play in the North-South Game, and now I can't play in front of scouts and the scouts are going to be like, 'What type of person is he? What type of character does he have?' I don't want to risk it."

While not ideal, Cedric and the Gators will get a second shot against each of those teams as they battle through arguably the best region in the state. Lakewood's biggest rival, Crestwood, shares the region with a No. 4 ranking in 4A, while South Florence is ranked ninth.

"It's more like a playoff game (when) you're playing in the toughest region in 4A. I don't think anybody can really argue that, especially basketball-wise," Cedric said. "Every game matters, and it goes down to the little things. We teach discipline in our program. When you walk in, you hold yourself to a high standard."

Lakewood is more than happy to fly under the radar. Cedric has an extremely talented team around him, which includes Darius Franklin, who started his career at Sumter High before winning a state title at Ridge View last season, Andre McBride, another SHS transfer, and seniors Pop Cato and Jamaal Baxter, who have both been on varsity for three seasons at Lakewood. Washington-Broomfield will also be a staple when he recovers from an injury suffered during football season.

"This is a special team. It's really like all the kids I've grown up with. We have a strong bond," Cedric said. "It's going to be a very, very special season. My prediction, (we will) probably be one of the best teams Lakewood ever had."

LEADERSHIP

While this will be Cedric's last season at Lakewood, Willie thinks his presence will be felt for years to come because of the way he led a young Gator squad this fall.

"That's the legacy he's going to leave with our program," Willie said of his leadership. "We have a lot of young kids, sophomores and some freshmen, that have gravitated to him. Even though basketball has started for us now, Cedric is still in the weight room, still training, still being around the guys. Whether they realize it or not, the impact he made on Lakewood in terms of football will be carried on for a few years to come."

Cam has seen that leadership blossom and grow over the last three years. Now, he's the heart and soul of the Gators with the work ethic to back it up.

"It came with growing pains, if I'm being honest. He wanted to be good, and he worked hard when he was young, but now he's starting to understand what it means to be a leader," Cam said. "It's more than actions. It's holding guys accountable, it's being able to be coached, it's being able to set that example on and off the court, when coach is around and when he's not. To see him grow into that role, it's a beautiful thing."

Cedric takes great pride in being a leader at Lakewood both on and off the court. He's an excellent student and will graduate with his associate degree from USC Sumter in the spring. He wants to leave a path that fellow Gators want to follow in every aspect of his life.

"Leadership isn't just one sport; leadership is the way you live, the way you hold yourself accountable to your standard that you live by," Cedric said. "I take it very seriously because a lot of guys are going to depend on you. If guys are depending on you, you have to be the one that's going to make that decision. I like calling the shots. If it works, it works. If it doesn't, it doesn't, but I take full accountability because I learn from my failures and hopefully succeed from it."