March Madness: Seven players with Long Island ties in the NCAA men's basketball tournament
(L-R) Baylor's VJ Edgecombe, Tennessee's Zakai Zeigler and Bryant's Rafael Pinzon are among the Long Islanders in this year's NCAA men's basketball tournament. Credit: AP; Getty Images; AP
Meet the seven men’s basketball players with Long Island ties who will compete in the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
Jalen Celestine, Baylor
Celestine, a graduate student guard who played his high school ball for Long Island Lutheran, has appeared in 29 games, including nine starts, for the Bears this season and is averaging 7.2 points and 3.5 rebounds.
First game: Ninth-seeded Baylor will play No. 8 Mississippi State in an East Region game at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Friday.
Aaron Davis, Bryant
The sophomore guard from Bay Shore has appeared in 12 games for the Bulldogs this season and is averaging 5.3 points.
First game: The No. 15 seed Bulldogs, who won their first America East title and will make their second appearance in the NCAA Tournament in school history, will play No. 2 seed Michigan State in a South Region game at Rocket Arena in Cleveland on Friday.
Darlinstone Dubar, Tennessee
The former Hofstra star is a graduate student guard for the Volunteers. He is averaging 3.6 points in 29 games, including one start, this season.
First game: The second-seeded Vols will play No. 15 Wofford in a Midwest Region game at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky, on Thursday.
VJ Edgecombe, Baylor
The freshman guard played for Long Island Lutheran and was a two-time Newsday Player of the Year. Edgecombe is averaging 15.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.1 steals in 31 games — all starts — this season. Edgecombe was named Big 12 Freshman of the Year and was selected to the Big 12 All-Freshman Team and All-Big 12 second team.
First game: Ninth-seeded Baylor will play No. 8 Mississippi State in an East Region game at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Friday.
Rafael Pinzon, Bryant
The senior guard played his high school ball for Long Island Lutheran and played his first two years of college ball for St. John’s before transferring to Bryant. Pinzon is averaging 18.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.0 steals in 30 games, including 28 starts, this season.
First game: The No. 15 seed Bulldogs, who won their first America East title and will make their second appearance in the NCAA Tournament in school history, will play No. 2 seed Michigan State in a South Region game at Rocket Arena in Cleveland on Friday.
Jayden Ross, UConn
Ross played for Long Island Lutheran. The sophomore forward has appeared in 32 games, including one start, this season and is averaging 2.4 points per game.
First game: The Huskies, seeded No. 8, enter the NCAA Tournament looking to defend their 2024 national title. UConn will play No. 9 Oklahoma in a West Region game at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Friday.
Zakai Zeigler, Tennessee
The senior guard from Wyandanch attended Immaculate Conception in New Jersey and Our Savior Lutheran in the Bronx. Zeigler has played in 33 games — all starts — for the Volunteers this season and is averaging 13.8 points, 7.3 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game. Zeigler was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Year and was selected to the All-SEC first team and All-SEC Defensive Team. Zeigler had 23 points, eight assists, five rebounds and three steals in the SEC Tournament championship game against Florida and was named to the SEC All-Tournament Team.
First game: The second-seeded Vols will play No. 15 Wofford in a Midwest Region game at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky, on Thursday.
*Wyandanch native Ace Talbert, a sophomore guard, is out for the season with an injury and will not play for Northeast Conference champion St. Francis (Pa.) in the NCAA Tournament. Talbert averaged 10.2 points in five games this season.
