VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — If Kansas and Duke prevail in their respective semifinal games this weekend, they would meet for the national championship. If that happened, both of the starting centers in the biggest game in college basketball would hail from Norfolk Academy. Furthermore, Bulldogs would make up 20% of the starters on the floor for tip...IN THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. An astounding accomplishment for any school in America, for Norfolk Academy head coach Eric Acra, it defies logic.
"They could meet in the finals, and that would be a big special moment. To have two Norfolk Academy students from a place that's really not known as a basketball powerhouse," says Acra.
Mark Williams came to Norfolk Academy in 1st grade, already standing 5 feet tall, while David McCormack arrived in 7th, taking dance lessons to improve his footwork and balance on the basketball court.
McCormack transferred just as Williams arrived on varsity, preventing the ultimate twin towers lineup from forming. Still, their similarities are glaring according to Acra. Hard work, he says, is the through line that connects the two.
I asked if he could used to the idea of Norfolk Academy as a "basketball factory"....laughter precedes his response, "I wouldn't know, come back if we get some more Mark Williams and David McCormack's in here, then we can call it a factory, right now it's just kind of a special moment."
A special moment indeed.