San Antonio Texas, the place where everything is bigger and size absolutely matters. It appears that someone forgot to tell Villanova star Donte Divincenzo as the small town product put on a Texas sized showing in the college basketball national title game.
Divincenzo played his high school ball at Salesianum School in the tiny state of Delaware. It was in this small pond that Donte honed his skills and blossomed into the Most Outstanding Player of the final four.
Things were not always as automatic as they seemed in the title game, however.
In his senior season at Salesianum, Donte struggled to balance the stress of becoming a D1 athlete with leading his current team. The team limped their way to a 10-10 finish to the season and made the state tournament by the skin of their teeth.
It was in this state tournament, that Donte exploded and put everyone on notice that this kid was a killer.
Divincenzo dominated the opposition while averaging 27.7ppg throughout the tournament. Donte's inferno was in full effect as he put the entire school on his shoulders while cruising to his second consecutive Delaware State Title.
The good times wouldn't last as Divincenzo would be forced to red shirt his freshman season due to injury and miss out on Villanova's championship run. He spent this season getting stronger and furiously training with his best friend and AP player of the year, Jalen Brunson.
It was in these late night workouts that the pair made a pact; they were going to have their moment in the sun.
Fast Forward to April 2nd of this season; Divincezo and company have found themselves back in the championship game and boy where they ready. Divincenzo got in that same zone that he found in the Delaware State tournament, and from that moment on there was no stopping him.
He saw his chance to capture the goal he so greatly desired and played the game like a man possessed. Divincenzo turned in one of the greatest finals performances of all time en route to scoring 31 points on 10-15 shooting.
Divincenzo's star was born in a highschool gymnasium in Wilmington De, but he won't let it dim until the world comes to understand just how special he can be between the lines.