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| [ PHOTO: THE MONROE NEWS-STAR ] |
Peter Solari, Editor in Chief Follow @4PeteSakeNY
Tony Skinn, the starting point guard on the 2006 George Mason men's basketball team that captured the imagination of the nation with their improbable run to that year's Final Four, is returning to the big dance for the first time since, after the Seton Hall Pirates received an at-large bid to this year's NCAA Tournament
Skinn, who was born in Nigeria and grew up in Tacoma Park, MD, arrived on the Fairfax campus prior to the 2004 season with three years of eligibility and made every one of them count. After graduating Mason in 2006, Skinn played professionally for a few years in Europe, and was a member of the Orlando Magic's Summer League team in 2008.
In 2012, Skinn was a member of the Nigerian National Basketball team which advanced all the way to the Summer Olympics in London, England. At the Olympics, Skinn showed the world what he was made of when he famously broke NBA all star James Harden's ankles and sent him to the floor in a full split, with the same wicked crossover that dazzled Mason Nation for three seasons.
Prior to the 2015-16 season, Skinn joined his former Mason assistant coach Erik Konkol at Louisiana Tech, where Konkol is now the head man. Skinn helped the Bulldogs to back-to-back 23-win seasons and 63 wins overall in his three years in Ruston, LA.
Last April, Seton Hall head coach Kevin Willard introduced Skinn as his newest assistant coach, replacing Pirates legend Shaheen Holloway, who was named the head coach at St. Peter's University in Jersey City.
"Tony has had great success both as a student-athlete and as a coach and, with his work in recruiting and skill development, he will bring a hard-working mentality that meshes well with our team's identity," said Willard at the time of the hiring.
Skinn was also one of Patrick Ewing's finalists for an assistant job at Georgetown before he landed at Seton Hall.
With the Pirates officially on their way to this year's NCAA Tournament, now-Coach Skinn will see if he can bring a little bit of that Mason March magic to South Orange, NJ.
Seton Hall will be the #10 seed in the Midwest Region and will open tournament play this Thursday as the underdogs against a very tough Wofford squad, in Jacksonville, FL
The #7 seed Terriors are coming off a fantastic season in which they finished 29-4 and dominated the Southern Conference. Wofford was nationally ranked for the first time in program history this season, and in many ways resembles that Mason team from 2006. Luckily for Seton Hall, their assistant coach has experience in this area.
Best of luck to Coach Skinn and the Seton Hall Pirates this March!
Tony Skinn, the starting point guard on the 2006 George Mason men's basketball team that captured the imagination of the nation with their improbable run to that year's Final Four, is returning to the big dance for the first time since, after the Seton Hall Pirates received an at-large bid to this year's NCAA Tournament
Skinn, who was born in Nigeria and grew up in Tacoma Park, MD, arrived on the Fairfax campus prior to the 2004 season with three years of eligibility and made every one of them count. After graduating Mason in 2006, Skinn played professionally for a few years in Europe, and was a member of the Orlando Magic's Summer League team in 2008.
In 2012, Skinn was a member of the Nigerian National Basketball team which advanced all the way to the Summer Olympics in London, England. At the Olympics, Skinn showed the world what he was made of when he famously broke NBA all star James Harden's ankles and sent him to the floor in a full split, with the same wicked crossover that dazzled Mason Nation for three seasons.
Prior to the 2015-16 season, Skinn joined his former Mason assistant coach Erik Konkol at Louisiana Tech, where Konkol is now the head man. Skinn helped the Bulldogs to back-to-back 23-win seasons and 63 wins overall in his three years in Ruston, LA.
Last April, Seton Hall head coach Kevin Willard introduced Skinn as his newest assistant coach, replacing Pirates legend Shaheen Holloway, who was named the head coach at St. Peter's University in Jersey City.
"Tony has had great success both as a student-athlete and as a coach and, with his work in recruiting and skill development, he will bring a hard-working mentality that meshes well with our team's identity," said Willard at the time of the hiring.
Skinn was also one of Patrick Ewing's finalists for an assistant job at Georgetown before he landed at Seton Hall.
With the Pirates officially on their way to this year's NCAA Tournament, now-Coach Skinn will see if he can bring a little bit of that Mason March magic to South Orange, NJ.
Seton Hall will be the #10 seed in the Midwest Region and will open tournament play this Thursday as the underdogs against a very tough Wofford squad, in Jacksonville, FL
The #7 seed Terriors are coming off a fantastic season in which they finished 29-4 and dominated the Southern Conference. Wofford was nationally ranked for the first time in program history this season, and in many ways resembles that Mason team from 2006. Luckily for Seton Hall, their assistant coach has experience in this area.
Best of luck to Coach Skinn and the Seton Hall Pirates this March!
