U.S. Rep. Albio Sires (D-8), who played basketball during his tenure at St. Peter’s University, praised the Peacocks after another gritty performance yesterday.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“Last night’s performance by the Saint Peter’s Peacocks shows that you should never underestimate an underdog, especially one from Jersey City,” Sires said in a statement this afternoon.
“Coach Holloway and his team embody the energy of their community with their hard work and determination in the face of obstacles that would break the spirit of other teams. When their facilities flood or budgets tighten, they just keep strutting and outworking the competition.”
At the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia Friday evening, St. Peter’s pulled off another spectacular upset, defeating the No. 3 ranked Purdue Boilermakers 67-64.
The Peacocks are now the first No. 15 ranked team in NCAA history to make it to the Elite 8 round of the March Madness tournament, doing so after knocking off Kentucky, who came in as the No. 2 seed, and then Murray State – who were ranked No. 7.
“As the son of Cuban immigrants who worked hard to give me opportunities they never had, going to Saint Peter’s with a basketball scholarship was not only part of my American dream, but also my parents’,” the congressman continued.
“I know that is the case for many of my fellow alumni and current students. I am extremely proud to be part of the Saint Peter’s community and root for a team that has shown the nation what it means to be Jersey Strong.”
After a successful hoops career at Memorial High School in West New York, Sires earned a basketball scholarship at St. Peter’s, where he played guard between 1970 and 1974.
