Jahvon Quinerly reflects on reaching the Sweet Sixteen a year after tearing his ACL in the NCAA Tournament

It took only a few minutes for Alabama’s 2022 NCAA Tournament to go completely sideways. In an opening matchup against Notre Dame, the Crimson Tide’s sophomore do-everything point guard Jahvon Quinerly went down with what turned out to be a torn ACL and Alabama was beaten by the Irish.

More than a year later, and it was Quinerly pouring in 22 points to lead Alabama to a Sweet Sixteen, where the Crimson Tide got bounced from the NCAA Tournament in 2021, Quinerly’s sophomore year. Now his team is back and looking poised to potentially go much further.

“It’s amazing. Just tearing my ACL and being able to get back to this point — to make it back to the Sweet Sixteen for a second time, it’s amazing,” Quinerly said to sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson after the game. “The emotions are very high, I’m just very proud of my team.”

As much as Quinerly is proud of his team, they should also be proud of him. He scored his 22 points on a scorching 64.3% from the field and made 4-of-6 attempts from 3, including two back-to-back deep 3s late in the game to stick a dagger into Maryland’s hopes.

With the crowd roaring in Birmingham, Alabama, and the Crimson Tide minutes away from the Sweet Sixteen, Quinerly ran down the court fired up, even staring at the broadcast cameras for a moment.

“It’s electric. It’s the best 64 teams in the country and everything’s at stake,” Quinerly told Wolfson after the game.

Quinerly also has stepped up and shone for Alabama recently, including in the NCAA Tournament opener when star freshman Brandon Miller was held scoreless, largely due to dealing with a groin injury. And while Miller played — and scored 19 points — while dealing with that knee injury, Wolfson reported more than the physical ailment weighed on him.

“As you guys mentioned, Brandon Miller dealing with that groin injury, but Nate Oats was really honest with us yesterday when he said that’s not the only thing that was holding him back on Thursday,” said Wolfson. “All the media attention, the accusations, the threats that he’s received. He told us Brandon is receiving counseling and he has an armed security with him at all times, but it is definitely affecting him on and off the court.”

Fortunately for Alabama, if Miller comes up struggling on another night in the tournament, its got a player like Quinerly to turn to.