The tension was building inside the McIntyre Lounge inside Dineen Hall at St. Peter’s College Sunday afternoon, with the throng of basketball enthusiasts wondering where their beloved Peacocks were going in the NCAA Tournament.
It was a celebration of sorts, because the Peacocks were headed to the Grand Dance, also known as March Madness, for the first time since 1995. They punched their ticket by winning the MAAC Tournament championship a few days earlier, but the excitement was reaching the crescendo with the announcement of the March Madness field.
Before the Selection Show was aired, the Peacock players were asked if they paid attention to the pre-bracket prognostications. Some experts had the Peacocks flying to Charlotte to face either Duke or North Carolina. Others said UConn and others had the University of Florida.
“I really hadn’t been looking at it at all,” said senior guard Wesley Jenkins. “I’m just enjoying everything. I hadn’t looked at a bracket or anything. It doesn’t matter who we’re playing. I know we’re playing someone.”
“I didn’t look at all,” fellow senior guard Nick Leon said. “I want to be surprised when I hear the news. I heard someone say UConn, but it doesn’t matter. We’ll be ready for whomever we play.”
“I didn’t want to look and I didn’t want to know,” said senior Ryan Bacon. “It’s very exciting to find out with everyone else.”
Even the mentor of the Peacocks, head coach John Dunne, didn’t really want to know beforehand.
“I wasn’t looking on a daily basis, but sure, I peeked a few times to see where they might be seeding us,” Dunne said. “But I really didn’t pay attention. Anything will be better than playing Duke in Charlotte.”
As the selection show began, the Peacocks gathered together in the middle of the room, watching the projection screen that was set up for all of the 200 or so in attendance could enjoy. The Peacocks were huddled around the MAAC Tournament trophy that was situated in the center of the group.
As the announcers talked about the teams headed to Tucson, there was hope the Peacocks could get a warm-weather excursion. But the Tucson bracket was announced and gone and the Peacocks didn’t have a destination. The same occurred when the Tampa pairings were announced.
The room really started to anticipate that the Peacocks were going to actually be paired with the Huskies of UConn in Washington, D.C., but when the Huskies were paired with Bucknell instead, there were sighs and groans. The same when Notre Dame’s name came up. There was thought that’s where the Peacocks were headed, to take on the Fighting Irish in a battle of Catholic schools right around St. Patrick’s Day. More sighs, more groans of disappointment.
About 20 minutes into the show, senior Jeron Belin was overheard saying, “I think they forgot about us.”
No worries, because when the Southwest Region was announced and No. 3 seed Purdue’s name was placed in a bracket, the No. 14 seed was next.
“The Boilermakers of Purdue will take on the Peacocks of St. Peter’s,” CBS announcer Greg Gumbel said.
With those words, bedlam broke out in McIntyre Lounge. The players all sprung to their feet with a loud roar. Applause and cheers followed. A chant of “SPC, SPC, SPC,” rang out. The Peacocks were headed to Chicago to face JaJuan Johnson, E’Twaun Moore and the Purdue Boilermakers.
“Going into today, there was a lot of speculation as to whom we were playing,” Belin said. “When I heard UConn, I expected to hear our names called. But I’ll take going to Chicago and facing Purdue.”
“It’s exciting,” Leon said. “I am not focused on how we match up with Purdue, but they should be focused on how they match up with us.”
“I’ll embrace the opportunity to play him,” Bacon said of facing the Big Ten Player of the Year Johnson, who has about five inches and 70 pounds on Bacon. “I’ve seen him play on ESPN. I just have to go out and play ball.”
“I don’t know much about Purdue,” Dunne said. “My wife doesn’t let me watch much basketball when I’m home. But I’m going to know a lot about them. I’m sure they’re big and physical and tough. It could be a good match in terms of tempo. We’re going to do what we do and try to keep it close.”
Jenkins was just happy to have an opponent, any opponent. The day he dreamed about when he signed on at St. Peter’s was about to happen.
“I’m ready to take on any challenge,” said Jenkins, who made it through two severe knee injuries this season. “We’re finally getting a chance to put our name out there.”
It should be exciting to see how the Peacocks handle themselves under the national spotlight…
There were some strong local performances at the New Balance High School National Indoor Track and Field championships last weekend at the 168th Street Armory. Competing in his first-ever pentathlon, Dickinson’s Jose Veras finished fourth in the country, just another amazing performance for the Ram senior. Veras did the 60-meter hurdles, the long jump, the high jump, the shot put and the 1,000-meter run. He also placed 10th overall in the 800-meter run. Simply amazing.
St. Peter’s Prep’s Najee Glass was second overall in the 400-meter dash.
In the Emerging Elite class, Snyder won the 4×200-meter relay in 1:30.17, with Rashawn Taylor, Zamir Thomas, Timoy Malcolm and Taylor Lane doing the honors. Taylor was fifth in the Emerging Elite 200-meter dash in 22.37 seconds….–Jim Hague
Jim Hague can be reached at OGSMAR@aol.com.