NCAA finally rules on guard Jahvon Quinerly's request to play this season

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The University of Alabama men's basketball team will have to play 2019-20 season without guard Jahvon Quinerly, as the NCAA turned down his request not to sit out for a year.

“We just received notification from the NCAA that our request for Jahvon Quinerly’s immediate eligibility has been denied," Alabama said in a statement from athletic director Greg Byrne and basketball coach Nate Oats on Friday afternoon.

"We are disappointed in this decision and will be appealing. He and his family have been through a lot, and despite those challenges, Jahvon has done everything he’s been asked since he’s been here.”

Quinerly posted a statement on Twitter, expressing his disappointment.

Quinerly transferred from Villanova in June and immediately applied to play for Alabama this season.

As a recruit, he originally committed to Arizona, but changed his mind after the FBI’s high-profile corruption investigation went public.

Although he was eventually cleared by the probe, speculation about his recruitment still followed him to Villanova, where the former McDonald’s All-American averaged just 3.2 points and 9.1 minutes per game while dealing with numerous injuries.

That experience was the basis of his appeal.

“That would help us out a lot, especially with having Kira,” teammates John Petty Jr. said over the summer, alluding to how it will allow Alabama to have two standout point guards on the floor with sophomore Kira Lewis Jr.

“He’s amazing,” Petty added. “He’s going to fit in real well with the team, with his ball-handling, his shooting and his skills. Getting to know him these last few weeks has been real fun.”

Quinerly did not play in Alabama's "secret" scrimmage over the weekend against Jacksonville State.

The Crimson Tide will host Georgia Tech at Coleman Coliseum for a charity exhibition game on Sunday at noon, CT.