Kyle Neptune, assistant coach of Villanova Wildcats Men’s Basketball, is still on cloud nine after his team clinched the NCAA title, beating North Carolina to win the national championship recently, giving his Caribbean parents a gift of a lifetime.
Guyanese-born Alex Neptune told this publication that he and his wife Brenda are very proud of their son’s accomplishments to date, stating that 31-year old Kyle has had a life-long passion for basketball.
“As a student, Kyle’s team at Brooklyn Friends won the NYS Class Championship in 2001, from where he was awarded MVP of the tournament,” said senior Neptune, who along with his Trinidadian-born wife Brenda, saw the spellbinding finish on the Houston basketball court.
Alex Neptune, a former sportsman in Guyana who played basketball, volleyball and table tennis, said Kyle went on to Lehigh University where, in his first year, his team won in their division and appeared in the NCAA tournament.
A graduate of Lehigh University with a major in journalism, Kyle briefly played professional ball in Europe and Puerto Rico, said Neptune, who hailed his son as being passionate about his job as a coach, and mentor.
With passion and drive for the game, and to coach, Kyle became the assistant coach at Niagara University and Hofstra University before joining the coaching staff at Villanova as the assistant basketball coach in 2012.
“We have dedicated our lives to making sure that we provided the best opportunities for both Kyle and our daughter Alisha, and we are proud of both of their accomplishments to date. Alisha is in a leadership position at a New Your City Charter school,” he noted.
Alex Neptune, who said both him and his wife are now retired from corporate America, adding that when their son’s team won the championship he was very happy. They hugged each other and told Kyle ‘great job.’
“Kyle will continue to coach at Villanova. Most assistant coaches in college are in their late 30’s and 40’s,” said Alex Neptune, adding, “Kyle is already busy on the road, recruiting players for next year, and future years. Coaching is a 24 / 7 365-day job.”
“Many coaches, and assistant coaches go through their entire career never getting to the Final Four, much less winning it all, so this accomplishment by them is very big.”
Alex mused that he asked Kyle if he could sneak him in to the White House when they go to meet President Obama later this year.”
Villanova Wildcats Men’s Basketball Team, which celebrated the outstanding win of the second National Championship with a 77-74 over the North Carolina Tar Heels, under the American-born coach of Caribbean roots, no doubt benefited from the skill set the former basketball player brought to every champion, since 2013.
Head Coach Jay Wright said, “Kyle is a great addition to this staff. During his time at Villanova, Kyle demonstrated all the qualities you want to see in a young coach — commitment, passion, and the ability to communicate with young people.”
Wright added that “over the past three years he learned from one of our game’s accomplished teachers, Joe Mihalich, and he returned to us a well-rounded and seasoned young coach.”
