Tuesday, March 13, 2012

2012 NCAA Tournament: With native New Yorkers Kyle O'Quinn, Marcos Tamares on roster, Norfolk State has ties to NYC

Kyle O'Quinn leads city contigent into March Madness

NEW YORK, N.Y. -- The NBA wasn’t even an afterthought for Kyle O’Quinn four years ago when he was finishing at Campus Magnet High School in Queens. He had only one scholarship offer. Today there are scouts at most every game he plays as the starting center for NCAA Tournament-bound Norfolk State.

“I was very fortunate to get some accolades this year,” said the 6-10 senior, who was named MEAC Player of the Year, “but really the buzz comes when the team wins and wins championships.”

O’Quinn is the centerpiece of a great New York story. The Spartans (25-9) are in the tournament for the first time and have real city flavor with head coach Anthony Evans from Brooklyn, top assistant Robert Jones from Queens, eight players on the roster from the five boroughs and three more who attended high school in the surrounding area.

“I think you play a little harder when you play with people from your hometown,” said O’Quinn, who averages 15.9 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.7 blocked shots.

The Spartans are the No. 15 seed in the West Region and got dealt a matchup against No. 2 Missouri (30-4) on Friday in Omaha, Nebraska.

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