Virginia Commonwealth coach Shaka Smart has guided his team to one of Saturday's NCAA men's basketball tournament semifinals in Houston, but he probably wouldn't mind having another good shooter at his disposal. Dewayne Garner plans to be there, but sorry, Coach, he's out of eligibility.
Garner is a 1987 Brainerd High School graduate who after two years at Hiwassee College played at Virginia Commonwealth from 1989 to '91. His soft shooting touch is on display now in a 35-and-over pickup league in the Detroit area.
"He's one of those what you call a pure shooter," said Robert High, who recently completed his 36th season as Brainerd's head coach. "You don't get those too often."
Garner now can only root for VCU, which was one of the last four of 37 at-large teams given spots in the championship field. Thus the Rams were part of the inaugural "First Four" and now are in the Final Four.
VCU defeated Southern Cal 59-46 on March 16 at Dayton, Ohio, moving on as an 11th-seeded team, then had one day off before having to play in Chicago. After winning by 18 points each over sixth-seeded Georgetown and third-seeded Purdue, the Rams had their first Sweet 16 berth.
They headed to San Antonio for a date with No. 10-seeded Florida State, where it took overtime to dispose of the Seminoles, 72-71. Up next was top-seeded Kansas with a trip to the Final Four at stake.
As he got ready to watch what turned out to be a 71-61 VCU victory over top-seeded Kansas with his 8-year-old son, Cameron, Garner said he felt as nervous as if he was about to play.
"I'm very pumped," he said after the Rams pulled the big upset. "I watched the game at home, just my son and I. I think he's more excited than I am."
Garner lives in the Detroit suburb of Southfield. He's been in the construction industry for 11 years and works as a project superintendent.
After graduating high school, Garner said he felt he needed to become more physical to go up against bigger guards in college and saw Hiwassee's two-year program as being a good developmental level. At the end of his time at the Madisonville, Tenn., school, a few NCAA Division I schools came calling. Something stood out to him about Virginia Commonwealth.
"Sonny Smith, who used to coach at Auburn, was in his first year up at VCU," Garner recalled. "He met my mother and explained what his vision was. He knew I was going to be a good athlete for their system, but he really stressed me being a student first. That really, really drove things home. That's what sold me on VCU."
That basketball wasn't Garner's only focus wasn't lost on Coach High.
"He was good academically," High said. "I knew that was one of his concerns."
Garner graduated from VCU in 1992 with a degree in criminal justice. He said he hasn't had a chance to get back to campus but has received letters keeping him informed of some things.
Garner said he found Final Four tickets online and was able to take time away from work, so he'll be in Reliant Stadium on Saturday cheering VCU as it takes on eighth-seeded Butler at 6:09 p.m. EDT. The winner will play Monday at 9 against the winner of Saturday's second semifinal between fourth-seeded Kentucky and third-seeded Connecticut for the national championship.
The Rams' flight back from San Antonio to Richmond was Sunday night. Several news outlets reported that the university opened the doors of its Siegel Center at midnight and a crowd close to 7,500 showed up to celebrate with the team.
"I had heard the turnout was great Monday," Garner said. "I'm sure the celebration is still ongoing. I can only imagine the madness up there. They're on the world's stage now. They're in the Final Four."