Rutgers University-Newark men’s basketball team accomplished a goal four years in the making: an Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) championship. The March 6 victory was their first ECAC win since 1996.
The Scarlet Raiders also exorcized demons from two previous losses in the ECAC finals, in 2019 and 2020 (there was no tournament in 2021 due to COVID-19), with a 56-53 win over William Paterson University.
But this win represented more than just a trophy for Coach Joe Loughran and his squad: it was the manifestation of years of hard work.
"The guys did a really good job of doing things the right way. Going to class, behaving, and taking care of business on the practice floor. It was nice to see that process develop as they got better and better as the year went along,” said Loughran. “It was a hard tournament to win because it’s three games in three days.’’’
There has always been an emphasis on the “student” portion of being a student-athlete at Rutgers-Newark. While success on the court, or in the field, are certainly important, success in the classroom takes precedence. This runs in lockstep with Loughran and his coaching staff’s approach.
“It’s very important to emphasize the importance of getting a college degree,” said Loughran. “I tell our guys you are here at Rutgers-Newark first and foremost to get a college degree. I am very proud of our team’s success in the classroom; it makes me extremely happy to see my players graduate and enjoy success after school.”
Senior guard Quincy Rutherford, who has led the team in scoring the past two seasons, attributes his success to having a more organized approach to his mornings and an increased dedication to academics.
“When I was really getting better was when I was getting up early in the morning,” recalled Rutherford. “I was getting my school work done in the morning or I would be getting to the gym and getting my shots up before anyone else. Especially with school work, it allowed me to study in the morning and work out before practice. That really helped me get better and help my jump shot.”
That work led to Rutherford’s consistent listing not only as a top play in the Scarlet Raiders’ conference, the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC), but also on the Rutgers-Newark dean’s list.
“I started off my freshman year on the bench and on grade level, I was getting a 2.56 [GPA]. For some guys, that’s great. But that’s not me. Every year since I’ve made dean’s list. I’ve really prided myself on getting that and putting in the effort,” said Rutherford.
Abe Kromah, another senior and a player described by Loughran as the team’s “emotional leader,” cited the team’s resilience and dedication as primary reasons for its success. Entering the season, the Scarlet Raiders had dreams of winning their conference title and earning a trip to the national NCAA tournament. But when those dreams fell short, there was no quit with this group.
“We wanted those accolades because Coach Loughran worked so hard,” said Kromah, who transferred from the County College of Morris to Rutgers-Newark as a junior. “As a team, we sacrificed a lot. When we fell short of the NJAC and the NCAA tournament, we still wanted to leave with something because we battled so hard. Going into practice after losing the NJAC, we felt like we still deserved more. We were destined to win something.”
As for Kromah, it was his game-winning jumper with 16 seconds left in the championship game that propelled his team in front. And when that shot went in, the feeling was euphoric.
“In my head, when I got the ball at the top of the key, I was looking around for coach to call the play. I looked over my right shoulder and he was just looking at me like ‘make a play,’” recalled Kromah. “When it went in, I was like, ‘AHH!’ And then I had a little cold walk-off because that’s what I do.”
Despite leading the team in scoring, teammate Rutherford had no doubts when Kromah’s number was called for the big shot.
“I just knew. I just knew,” declared Rutherford. “Do or die, make or miss. Abe is a dog. He knew he was going to make that shot.”
The brotherhood between Rutherford and Kromah extends far beyond the court. It’s a consistent theme for a team that battled all year long and ultimately found the success it deserved.
“Quincy - man I love that kid. Just playing with him, he’s just got the heart of the champion. He’s so humble. He told me he used to look up to me, but I used to look up to him,” said Kromah. “He texted me like ‘you’re an inspiration to me’ and I’m like ‘bro you’re an inspiration for me!’”
The Link LonkMarch 18, 2022 at 09:36PM
https://www.newark.rutgers.edu/news/mens-basketball-team-perseveres-thanks-hard-work-and-brotherhood
Men's Basketball Team Perseveres, Thanks to Hard Work and Brotherhood - Rutgers Newark
https://news.google.com/search?q=hard&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en
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