Alabama Athletics
Nate Oats Hopeful Alabama Wins Jahvon Quinerly Appeal With NCAA
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama head basketball coach Nate Oats discussed his thoughts on the upcoming Monday conference call with the NCAA concerning sophomore guard Jahvon Quinerly’s appeal for eligibility.
Quinerly was denied eligibility by the NCAA after transferring to Alabama from Villanova soon after Oats was hired.
“It would be nice if we could get Quinerly cleared,” Oats said. “One more healthy body in the mix. Hopefully we’ll find an answer on that tomorrow afternoon before the game.”
After the team’s practice for its Monday matchup against Florida Atlantic, Oats discussed the situation with Quinerly and his hopes that the NCAA sees the full picture of his situation at Alabama.
“I mean we didn’t fit one of the boxes I guess real well for the waiver,” Oats said. “I think the committee kinda looks at the whole thing just with what they’ve gone through with committing to Arizona, the FBI deal where their family got put into a situation that they didn’t deserve to get put into. It was based completely on something someone else that was employed at a different school had said done.
“They got thrown into it, so it kinda caused him and his family quite a bit of— they’ve been through a lot. I don’t want to get into all the particulars but they’ve been through it a lot. More than any kid or family should have gone through just based on deciding what school to go play basketball at. So he needed a fresh start in a bad way, we gave it to him.”
Despite not being eligible to play, Quinerly has practiced with the team since arriving in Tuscaloosa. The 6-1, 175-pound guard, if deemed eligible, would provide a strong presence to the Crimson Tide, and the pairing of him with sophomore guard Kira Lewis, Jr. is potentially a deadly combination under the rebuilt Oats squad.
Oats remains hopeful, and hopes to see Quinerly in the lineup tomorrow night against Florida Atlantic.
“I think he’s done everything he’s [been] asked since he’s been here, so hopefully when they committee that listens to the teleconference call hears the totality of the story that they can show some sympathy—compassion—agree with our attorneys and with our compliance people here that he deserves a chance to play right away this year so we’re hoping we’ll get a favorable answer tomorrow.”
The Crimson Tide take on the Owls at Coleman Coliseum. The game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. CT tipoff (SEC Network+).
