Norchad Omier -- Arkansas State men's basketball's glass-pounding, double-double producing freshman forward -- needed little time to prove himself to an upperclassman like Marquis Eaton.
It was July, and covid-19 regulations had largely kept Coach Mike Balado's Red Wolves from practicing or playing together. Finally able to organize a live, five-on-five scrimmage, Balado teamed Omier up with Eaton, a senior, redshirt senior Christian Willis and sophomores Caleb Fields and Antwon Jackson,.
In 10 minutes of action, Omier, 6-7 and 230 pounds, had 14 rebounds and had flashed his scoring touch, and when Balado began drawing up the final possession of a tie game for Eaton, the senior guard insisted the last shot go to the freshman from Nicaragua.