Local teams ready for day two at Powerade Invitational
by Jamaar Hawkins, recruit757
Norfolk State men’s basketball coach Robert Jones kicked off his second youth camp as head coach of the Spartans this week. More than 80 youth athletes, ages 8-18, will participate in this week’s session, which Jones said has grown in number of participants with each year.
“There’s been some good growth this year and last year. Hopefully, there will be even more next year. I think the kids are having a great time and we do a lot of things for them that you wouldn’t normally see at a camp like this. The kids will be leaving with tons of prizes. We’re giving away New York Knicks posters, a replica of Madison Square Garden and a few other things. So, when you’re comparing what we do to some of the other local camps, I think the kids will be blown away by our camp,” Jones said.
The camp runs from 9:00am and concludes at 4pm each day. Former Spartan Kyle O’Quinn made his first appearance at the camp on Wednesday. O’Quinn, who will begin his second season with the New York Knicks in 2016, can also attest to the growth of the Spartans men’s basketball program, which hadn’t made the NCAA Tournament prior to his arrival. Immediately upon his arrival, the 6-foot-10 big man flashed his trademark wide-grin before stopping to greet a hoarde of eager campers.
O’Quinn was an attendant at Knicks teammate Kristaps Porzingis’ youth camp last week in Porzingis’ hometown of, Liepaja. The former MEAC Player of the Year is hosting a separate camp in Northern Virginia this week. O’Quinn also played in Kam Chancellor’s Celebrity Basketball game during Memorial Day weekend. Though a native of New York, O’Quinn considers Norfolk his second home.
“well, these kids not only support the university and the program but they are the kids of the future. Just to put a camp together at my alma matter, it feels good to do so. We just want to see kids have fun, learn somr fundamentals and experience fun competition in the summer time. This is my home. I grew into a man here. You have to think, what else could these kids be doing right now,” a question asked by O’Quinn with added meaning due to the increase in teen violence in Hampton Roads.
Since the team’s March 2012 upset win over Missouri, which still constitutes as the lone NCAA tournament victory for any local school during that time span, Norfolk State has gone in 51-13 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, including an undefeated 16- the season following the upset. The Spartans, despite a less than stellar home attendance has gone 37-9 in the friendly confines of Echols Hall in the same time period. Since the 2011-12 season, Norfolk State men’s program has averaged a shade over behind only VCU and UVA among Virginia schools. Norfolk State is the lone HBCU program to see its win-total surpass 17 games during that span as well.
“The program is doing good,” O’Quinn noted. “Coach Jones has been here awhile. I think the program is going in the right direction. I think the school is behind it with all the new renovations. With the support of the alumni and the way we’re doing things I think this program will continue to grow into one of the top mid-majors in the country.
New York Knicks forward Kyle O’Quinn stops by NSU youth camp (photo: Jamaar Hawkins/recruit757)
Norfolk State will also switch to Nike to outfit its athletic program. The deal with the company will officially begin on July 1st. In the past with the Spartans going with lesser-known apparel companies, primarily due to financial restraints, other schools have used the absence of a major apparel deal to negatively recruit against Norfolk State.
“With us switching from Russell to Nike it kind of takes away some of things schools can use against us in recruiting. We’re also installing a brand-new $1.,” Jones noted.
Session two of the youth basketball camp will run from August 1-5. The last day of the youth camp will also mark the beginning of the boys elite camp, also hosted by the Norfolk State men’s program. Both camps will take place at Joseph Echols Hall on the campus of NSU. For more information, visit www.nsuspartans.com.
-Jamaar Hawkins
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