Alabama’s loss to Duke in the Elite Eight ended its season, and with that came the end of five Crimson Tide seniors’ college careers. Here is a look at the careers of the five departing seniors.
Max Scharnowski, forward
The walk-on, nicknamed “Shark,” has been with the program for the past five seasons after playing at Wheaton Academy in Illinois.
Scharnowksi is studying to be a doctor and is regarded by his teammates as the smartest player on the team. Last season, he received the NCAA Elite 90 Award, which is given to the student-athlete with the highest GPA at the Final Four.
Whenever Scharnowksi comes into games, usually late when the outcome is already decided, it is much to the pleasure of fans inside Coleman Coliseum, who give him a rousing ovation any time he steps on the floor.
Clifford Omoruyi, center
The big man from Nigeria was the No. 36-ranked player in the class of 2020 and committed to Rutgers, where he would spend his first four years of college. In 121 games and 104 starts across four seasons with the Scarlet Knights, Omoruyi averaged 10.3 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game.
After a senior season in which he swatted 93 shots, the most by a Big Ten player since 2018, Omouryi opted to use his COVID year and committed to Alabama as a fifth-year player. He was a staple of the frontcourt, starting all 37 games and recording averages of 7.9 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game.
He played his best basketball come March Madness time, as he averaged 12.3 points on an impressively efficient 78.9% from the field in the Crimson Tide’s three tournament wins. A memorable moment from his final season is when he posterized Auburn forward Johni Broome.
“If I was to make my decision coming out of high school and I got offered by Alabama, if I knew what I know right now, I would commit to Alabama,” Omoruyi said after his final game.
Chris Youngblood, guard
Originally from Tuscaloosa, Youngblood spent his first three seasons at Kennesaw State, averaging 13.8 points per game on 38.7% from downtown. He then transferred to South Florida, where he had a stellar season, averaging 15.3 points per game on 41.7% from 3-point range, which resulted in him winning co-AAC player of the year.
After the season, he used his COVID year and returned home to play for Alabama. He was out until December due to an ankle injury he suffered during summer practice, but he played every game the rest of the way and started in the last 18, averaging 10.3 points per game on 38.8% from beyond the arc.
Youngblood gained a reputation for being a Mississippi State-slayer. He averaged 25 points in two contests against the Bulldogs and knocked down seven 3s in both contests. Another highlight from his final season was knocking down five 3-pointers against BYU, contributing to an NCAA Tournament record of 24 3s made for the Crimson Tide.
“After my first workout, I knew that it would be a great year no matter what the end result was,” Youngblood said. “These are my brothers for life, and I’ve built great relationships.”
Grant Nelson, forward
A North Dakota native, Nelson opted to stay home for his first three seasons of college, playing at North Dakota State. He averaged 12.1 points per game over three years, including a junior campaign in which he averaged 17.9 points and 9.3 rebounds per game.
He then transferred to Alabama following the season with two years of eligibility left. Nelson played in every game in his two years with the Crimson Tide and averaged 11.7 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. His 1.6 blocks per game last season ranked fourth in the SEC.
One of Nelson’s most memorable moments came in last season’s Sweet 16 game against North Carolina, as he recorded 24 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks, including one as time expired to seal the Alabama win. Nelson had another moment Alabama fans are particularly fond of when he dunked over Auburn center Dylan Cardwell, then immediately hit the “Crimson Crane” celebration.
“Playing here meant the world to me,” Nelson said. “I’m just so thankful for my teammates and my coaches and what they’ve done for me.”
Mark Sears, guard
The Muscle Shoals native was a 3-star prospect out of high school and spent his first two seasons at Ohio. He didn’t play much his first season but had a breakout sophomore campaign in which he averaged 19.6 points per game on 40.8% from 3 and earned first-team All-MAC.
Sears then opted to come back to his home state, transferring to Alabama the following offseason. He would become a Crimson Tide legend, playing and starting in all 111 games over his three seasons, averaging 17.6 points per game.
He had a particularly stellar season in 2023-24, setting the program record for most points scored in a season with 797 and averaging 21.5 points per game on 43.6% from three. Sears helped lead Alabama to the Final Four and was named a second-team All-American.
The final season for Sears saw him average 18.6 points per game, and he was a first-team All-American. He hit a buzzer-beating floater in his final match against archrival Auburn to stun the Tiger crowd in Neville Arena.
Sears made sure to deliver one final memorable moment in crimson. He scored 34 points and tied the school record with 10 3-pointers against BYU en route to Alabama breaking the NCAA Tournament record.
“I’m just blessed to be able to play for The University of Alabama, especially being from the state of Alabama,” Sears said. “I’m just very thankful I got the chance to play for Coach Oats here.”
