The Cinderella story that is St. Peter's revolves around a gritty local New York City product, a head coach who got his hoops teeth cut in the hostile proving ground that is IS8 in Jamaica, Queens.

While Shaheen Holloway continues to garner national headlines during the NCAA Tournament for his underdog program from a New Jersey commuter school's meteoric rise (the No.15 seed stunned Kentucky and beat Murray State to earn a berth in tonight's Sweet 16 matchup against Purdue), few have touched on his New York City upbringing. Beating Purdue om Friday, St. Peter's the only #15 seed to ever make it to the Elite 8..

Holloway's St. Peter's team is comprised of New York and New Jersey guys who went unsung and under recruited. This core mirrors the same attributes which came to define Holloway, a 5-foot-10 high scoring guard at Seton Hall as a player.

It's a gritty and workmanlike group which mirrors Holloway's style of playing with an immovable chip on the shoulder. This team scraps and claws. They dive for loose balls. They embody toughness and swagger.

While everyone knows Holloway for his career at Seton Hall and his role bringing national visibility to New Jersey power St. Patrick's, the alma mater of Kyrie Irving, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Al Harrington, and others, he's actually from Jamaica, Queens originally.

Holloway got his teeth cut playing at iS8. As a young kid from South Jamaica, Holloway learned the intricacies of the point guard role under the late and legendary Dave Edwards.

Edwards, a homegrown Queens product and dazzling dish first point guard at Andrew Jackson HS in his heyday, passed away in March 2020 due to Covid-19.

His lasting legacy is carried on through guys like Holloway, who has been the unrivaled hottest head coaching name in the NCAA these past few weeks.

The unique aspect of this story is Holloway's status as a lifelong underdog. As a 5-foot-10 McDonald's All American, he was constantly battling adversity and naysayers.

And while every coach at a lesser known and obscure school with Holloway's work ethic deserves to wear Cinderella's slipper, it would appear bigger plans are ahead.

Holloway is expected to take the vacant head coaching position at Seton Hall after this season's end.