By now, most of America has seen replays of Ja’Quan Newton’s buzzer-beating, game-clinching 35-foot prayer of a jumper that spoiled Senior Day for the North Carolina Tar Heels on Tuesday. It is Newton’s turn for Senior Day at the Watsco Center on Saturday afternoon, as the University of Miami closes the regular season against Virginia Tech.
Surely, he will get a rousing ovation. Deservedly so.
Newton has overcome a lot to get to this point in his career. His mother, Lisa Brown, with whom he was very close, died March 21, 2014, at 38 after a three-year battle with breast cancer.