FDU basketball's O'Garro is go-to guy off the court

Tyrone O’Garro was a nominee this season for the fifth annual Allstate National Association of Basketball Coaches Good Works team, which honors college basketball players who make a difference off the court.

The Fairleigh Dickinson University senior forward was not one of the Division I honorees announced this week, but he’s OK with that.

“I don’t do it for the recognition,” O’Garro said in a phone interview. “Quite honestly, I didn’t even pay attention to it. I’m happy for those individuals that were named. It’s a big achievement for them and their families and the communities that they serve.”

But even though O’Garro didn’t make the final cut, that certainly doesn’t diminish the impact the former Monmouth Hawk has had, both in Bergen County and in his hometown of Newark.

O’Garro currently is sidelined because of a chronic knee injury. He had a cortisone shot earlier this week and hopes to get back in the lineup soon for FDU (11-13, 9-4 Northeast Conference), which broke a three-game losing streak with a 79-62 victory over Central Connecticut State on Thursday.

O’Garro volunteers at the Boys and Girls Clubs in Hackensack and Lodi near the FDU campus, which straddles Hackensack and Teaneck, and has donated his time to the “Get Out and Vote in Bergen County” program. O’Garro, who grew up in the Central Ward, also is active in the community in Newark, including speaking to children and helping to run basketball practices as the John F. Kennedy Recreation Center on Kinney Avenue.

“I think the one activity that fulfills me the most is going back to my old gym,” O’Garro said, adding that when he speaks to the kids there, “I remember being in their position in middle school. I remember looking up to the college players who would come back to the gym, and asking them about how it’s going to be and what to expect. That gives me the most fulfillment when you sit there and talk to the next generation of kids.”

O’Garro, a political science major who now is working toward a Master’s degree, “is a very very special young man,” FDU coach Greg Herenda said. “His presence is really really important to me and our team and our program. He’s a calming positive influence on all of our players, especially our younger players. He exudes class and dignity.”

Even though he is sidelined, O’Garro “is still a very important part of our team,” Herenda said.

O’Garro, who played two seasons for Monmouth before transferring, said, “I feel like its important (to give back). It’s a tradition I was brought up in. My mom (Dina Bryant) had a big heart. … We didn’t have lot of things as far as money but she always made sure if a family member needed money or a place to stay, she always went out of her way to make sure they were taken care of.

“It’s just a tradition that’s continued into college,” O’Garro added. “Compassion is at the root of the human experience. It’s been a privilege to play for two colleges in New Jersey. It’s been fun to get to play in front of my family for all four years.”

As for the Knights, the redshirt senior leader said before Thursday's game, “I think right now we need to pull together, trust our coaches, trust each other and trust the game plan. We have to come closer together.”

Herenda sometimes calls him “President O’Garro,” likening him to former President Barack Obama.

“Every once in awhile I throw that at him,” Herenda said, “to let him know how much we respect him.”

“I take it as a compliment,” said O’Garro, who is considering entering politics sometime down the road.

“To actually serve the public and influence people’s lives is one of my goals,” said O’Garro, who intends to try to play professionally in europe after his college career ends this season.

The five Division I men’s honorees are Steven Cook (Princeton), Monte Morris (Iowa State), Rand Rowland (Georgia Tech), Sabri Thompson (Northwestern State) and Billy Garrett Jr. (DePaul). Garrett’s father, DePaul assistant coach Billy Garrett, is a former Seton Hall assistant.