In March's MAC Quarterfinal win over previously undefeated Miami (OH), Jayden Ndjigue put together one of the strongest games of his career with 16 points and eight rebounds, shooting 7-of-10 from the floor and making a number of critical plays down the stretch.
What allowed him to be so successful on one of the biggest stages?
He lives in the moment.
"I just tried to stay present and keep my mindset as simple as possible," he said. "Try not to overcomplicate things and try not to be in my head."
That mindset certainly worked, as Ndjigue helped the Minutemen to a thrilling 87-83 victory over the previously 31-0 RedHawks.
"It was a good indicator that when we're firing on all cylinders, doing what we're supposed to be doing and we're connected, we can beat anyone in the conference," Ndjigue said. "We can be one of the top teams in this league."
The Minutemen are working hard to reach that goal, with hopes high entering 2026-27. Ndjigue is a critical leader for a team that returns seven of its 10 underclassmen, while featuring three transfers and six freshmen.
"Adding experienced guys such as Jordan (Clayton), Abdullah (Ahmed) and Junjie (Wang), the transfers and the returning players will be able to set a very good example to follow and raise the standard and expectations for everybody on our team," Ndjigue said.
From an early age, Ndjigue has raised the standard in everything he's done. One of his first basketball memories was his hometown Boston Celtics play the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2009 NBA Finals.
Ndjigue was a fan of Kobe Bryant.
"I grew up close to Boston, but I remember being the only one in my house rooting for the Lakers," he said.
Ndjigue's love for basketball blossomed.
"My parents got me a mini hoop for Christmas when I was six," he said. "I started playing every day in the house, and from that point on, I would play every day after school, and on the weekends. I watched basketball more and more after that."
"Things grew from there."
Ndjigue's Roots Run Deep
Ndjigue's parents Airiau and Carine came to the United States from Cameroon in 2001. Jayden was born in 2004 and has an older sister, Shandy, and younger brother, Brycen.
"My parents have had a huge impact on my life," Ndjigue said. "They immigrated to the States to give my siblings and I a better life. I got to see firsthand all the work they put in to make sure we had all the resources we needed to be successful.
"Watching how hard they worked has motivated me to work hard to make them proud and pay them back one day," Ndjigue continued.
Ndjigue has learned a lot from his parents that he's carried forward – concepts that can be applied to all aspects of life.
"One is understanding before you make a decision the pros and cons of the decision you're making," Ndjigue said. "And understanding that very few things in life are perfect. There's going to be good and bad that comes with everything."
Becoming the Best Version of Himself at UMass
Ndjigue has continued to progress in all aspects of his life at UMass, a place that felt like home during the recruiting process.
"Compared to the other visits I took, UMass just felt right," he said. "And with everything UMass has to offer, I knew it would give me the best chance to be the best basketball player and best person I could possibly be.
"Also, the competition that we'd be playing from a basketball standpoint [appealed to me]."
To say Ndjigue jumped right in would be an understatement. He started all 31 games as a freshman for a team that finished 20-11, averaging 5.5 points and 4.9 rebounds.
"Jayden has grown tremendously," UMass head coach Frank Martin said. "As a freshman, he was a great complementary player to a team that had a returning point guard, two first team All-League players, and the Most Improved Player in the league."
Senior Jayden Ndjigue has started since the season opener his freshman year, accumulating 89 career starts along the way??
Ndjigue went on to start 25 of 31 games as a sophomore and all 33 as a junior.
"Jayden had an unbelievably solid year last year, taking a step forward," Martin said. "At the end of the year, he was willing to accept more responsibility. He has carried that over into the spring and summer, and he's becoming a lot better with his voice as he continues to find the confidence to continue to grow."
From being a veteran last year to the veteran entering the upcoming season, Ndjigue is ready to step up to the challenge.
"I want to take strides as a leader, actively and properly communicating with my teammates at all times," he said. "Last year, there were times when I was lacking in that department. Helping make sure we're all on the same page, we all know the task at hand and we're connected in order to get the job done."
"UMass impacts the community and the community impacts UMass. Although they're separate, when they work together in harmony, everybody gets the opportunity to benefit."
Steady Improvement
Ndjigue learned something else from his parents: getting better every day.
"It doesn't really matter how slowly you progress, as long as you don't stop progressing," he said.
It's something Coach Martin has noticed.
"Jayden cares about winning, cares about representing us the right way and he cares about getting better," Martin said. "Jayden is always improving – his skill work, understanding of the game, accepting more responsibility offensively, and learning how to implement those things to how he plays in practice and eventually gaining the confidence to do them in games."
Ndjigue's approach is also a recipe for winning.
"From Jayden's first day on campus, his enthusiasm for winning was obvious to all of us," Martin said. "The reason we recruited him was his willingness to impact the game in ways that stats don't show."
A Northwestern transfer, Jordan Clayton played with Ndjigue (with Mass Rivals) and against him (in high school). Mass Rivals is a prominent New England-based AAU basketball program. Ndjigue played high school at The Rivers School while Clayton played for Bradford Christian Academy.
Jordan Clayton and Jayden Ndjigue reunited at UMass
Clayton echoed the sentiments of Coach Martin.
"Jayden just makes winning plays," Clayton said. "A lot of people make plays, but not a lot of people consistently make tough and gritty plays. That's where he specializes."
Ndjigue looks to continue making winning plays while growing in other areas.
"Continue to improve as a defender, getting downhill, putting pressure on the rim and rebounding," he said. "I would like to shoot the ball better, especially from three and the free throw line. Also, be more aggressive and put more pressure on the defense to collapse, so I can find my teammates for open shots."
Committed to UMass
Entering 2026-27, Ndjigue is the senior who has plenty of valuable game action under his belt. In a day and age with plenty of movement around college basketball, Ndjigue has stayed committed to the University of Massachusetts.
The reason Ndjigue came to UMass in the first place is what's keeping him coming back.
"I have built such strong relationships here, and I've made a lot of friends and great connections here," he said. "I believe we can do great things on the court and thought this was the best place for me to finish my career."
Among Ndjigue's new teammates his senior season is Clayton.
"I've known Jordan for years now and he's become one of my closest friends," Ndjigue said. "Jordan is someone who can score the ball, who also plays hard defense, always is trying to make the right play and ultimately wants his team to win. And he's prepared to do anything necessary to make sure that happens."
Sounds a lot like Ndjigue.
The Minutemen look to take the strong aspects of last season, such as their resilience and camaraderie, while growing in other areas. Newcomers like Clayton should only help reinforce the strengths and address the weaknesses.
One example of the positive foundation in place came entering the 2026 regular season finale against Ohio, a must-win to advance to the MAC Tournament. Having lost five straight entering the matchup, the Minutemen stepped up to the challenge.
"We approached the [Ohio] game with the mindset of everything that happened in the past is no longer in our control," Ndjigue said. "The only thing we can control is how hard we play for these 40 minutes."
The Minutemen ended the game on a 22-9 run to turn a one-point deficit into a 94-82 win, preceding the historic MAC Tournament win over previously undefeated Miami (OH).
While advancing to the MAC Tournament and winning one game is not the ultimate goal, it was a strong sign of the program's potential.
"We were able to play with that mindset (being in the present) and ultimately came out with the victory," Ndjigue said.
Catalyst for Success
Ndjigue was a catalyst for the late-season victories, tallying a combined 26 points and 14 rebounds over the Ohio and Miami (OH) wins. Against the RedHawks, UMass trailed by nine with less than eight minutes remaining. Ndjigue knocked down field goals at the 7:50, 7:25, 5:22 and 4:46 marks. An offensive rebound putback and the foul evened the score at 74.
Winning doesn't only happen on gamedays, but also with the intangible aspects of any team.
"Jayden might have a handshake with every person in the gym," Clayton said. "I don't know how he remembers them all."
That may sound small or trivial, but Ndjigue has a way of keeping things serious, while also loose and fun.
"I have [college basketball] experience, but I have to learn what University of Massachusetts basketball is before I can put my own voice on things," Clayton said. "Jayden being here, showing the standard, helps me become my best self.
"He's a big resource."
Ndjigue isn't just entering year four, but he's entering year four with 89 games started under his belt.
"People ask me all the time why I'm still coaching. I coach because of guys like Jayden Ndjigue," Martin said. "There used to be a team full of guys like that. Guys like Jayden who don't run away from the good, they don't run away from the bad, they believe in where they stand and believe in the people who are willing to help them. They stay the course.
"By the time Jayden is done here, he's going to be a key part of the remaking of the UMass basketball program," Martin continued.
Entering his senior season, what is Martin hoping to see from Ndjigue?
Coach Martin with Ndjigue
"I want him to start the year the way he finished last year," Martin said. "He was playing aggressive offensively, finding a niche of how he could impact the game from an offensive standpoint. I want him to start that way. That way, he can play through confidence, then he can start sprinkling in the different things he's been working on.
"I also want him to impact where he's great, and that's winning," Martin continued. "I want him to be a part of a MAC Championship and experience the NCAA Tournament."
To reach that goal, the Minutemen know they need to take one day at a time, not get too far ahead of themselves and live in the moment.
There's no one better than Ndjigue to lead the charge.
