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The Tuscaloosa News
Alabama basketball's Mark Sears talks about his time at Hargrave Military Academy
- Story byThe Tuscaloosa News
- Alabama basketball's Mark Sears talks about his time at Hargrave Military Academy
CLEVELAND — Alabama basketball guard Mark Sears was asked about his time as a cadet at Hargrave Military Academy, a prep school in Chatham, Virginia, on Thursday ahead of the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
The No. 2 seed Crimson Tide faces No. 7 seed Saint Mary's in the second round of March Madness on Sunday.
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Here's what he said about his 37-4 run to the National Prep Championship semifinals with Hargrave during the 2019-20 season and life in the military school.
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"You gotta wake up at 6 a.m. Then at 6:30, you've got to March. At 7, I think it's breakfast. Then after that, everybody breaks up to go to class," Sears said.
The Muscle Shoals native estimated that he and his fellow cadets were in class from 8 a.m. to noon, and then it was all about basketball and physical training.
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Sears laughed when he was reminded of how he used to break into the Hargrave gym after hours to practice shots. He's been known to have late-night shooting sessions at Alabama to this day.
"I remember late nights especially," Sears said.
Alabama basketball's Mark Sears reflects on military school experience before NCAA Tournament
Mar 21, 2025; Cleveland, OH, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide guard Mark Sears (1) shoots the ball in the second half against the Robert Morris Colonials during the NCAA Tournament First Round at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
"We were supposed to be in our room doing study hall or cleaning or room. Nah, I'd try to sneak out there and go to the gym," Sears said.
If he wasn't splashing 3-pointers, he was trying to get a workout in or hit the weight room.
"If they caught you, you had to go to bullring," Sears said, remembering the hours he spent walking with his replica rifle along the square at the center of campus.
Alabama basketball star Mark Sears pictured in his cadet uniform at graduation from Hargrave Military Academy, a boarding school in Chatham, VA.
"The bullring is not easy. You can't talk. Have to walk in a straight line," Sears said. "No phone, no music."
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That extra time for self reflection, plus a daily routine of being inspected for pressed uniforms and pristine living quarters, helped Sears do a lot of growing up in the short time he was about 10 hours from home in Alabama.
"I was there for like six months, and I definitely learned how to be my own person," Sears said.
In the home of the Cleveland Cavaliers , No. 2 seed Alabama (26-8) and No. 7 seed Saint Mary's (29-5) will tip off at 5:10 p.m. CT on TNT, which can be streamed on Sling .
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Emilee Smarr covers Alabama basketball and Crimson Tide athletics for the Tuscaloosa News. She can be reached via email at esmarr@gannett.com. Tuscaloosa News columnist Chase Goodbread contributed to this story.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama basketball's Mark Sears talks about his time at Hargrave Military Academy.
