For three years, Oberlin men’s basketball fans have filled the Philips Gymnaisium with cheers of “Spencer!” Senior Chicago native Quinton Spencer has been a dominant force for the Yeomen, turning in impressive performances week in and week out. The days of watching his acrobatic plays and silky smooth shooting have unfortunately come to an end, as he capped off his college career with a home victory against Earlham College last Saturday.

Spencer, who transferred to Oberlin College in 2004, led the NCAC in scoring his first season, averaging 20.6 points per game. His high scoring average coupled with his strong rebounding ability brought him NCAC honors as “newcomer of the year” for the 2004-2005 season. During Spencer’s second season he averaged 15.8 points per game and 9.2 rebounds, earning him honorable mention honors. In his final season at Oberlin, Spencer passed the 1000-point mark to end his career at 1,221 points. It is a remarkable total for a player who had a career that can be termed “incomplete” given that he spent only three seasons with Oberlin.

Spencer’s great basketball ability is evident in his speed and strength on and off the ball. He has great court vision and the ability to score from long range. When Spencer himself was asked what he thought made him such a good player, he brought to light certain aspects of his game that are not evident from the stands, including his “ability to listen and learn.”

“I think my ability to understand different situations throughout the game and the season itself help propel me to my success,” he said.

Spencer’s contributions have not only included leading the team in scoring and rebounding; he has also been a huge source of encouragement to his teammates and a great team player, pushing his teammates when they seemed beat and setting a good example for the younger players.

First-year Jerome Goings recognized these qualities and explains how he was fortunate to be able to play with Spencer. “Quinton is one of the hardest working players I’ve ever played with. He brought his ‘A Game’ every night on both ends of the floor. A player with Q’s eminence on the court is hard to come by and I highly respect him and was happy to be under his wing this past season.”

Spencer being such an influential player, his presence will definitely be missed. Teammate Matthew Godwin acknowledged this, saying, “Q was an exceptional player as well and a good person, and he will definitely be missed next season.”

At the end of the 2006-2007 season, Spencer was confident the team was heading in a positive direction. “I feel as though I have left the team in good hands and the lessons I taught the younger guys will transition into success in the future.”

The veteran went on to say, “I’m excited for the future of the program, because I know there will be success.”

Spencer, who shared his plans to go into research marketing, indicated that regardless of his desire to pursue a career in the financial world, Oberlin is not the end of basketball for him. When asked if he saw himself playing after graduation, he replied, “I definitely see myself playing somewhere after Oberlin, hopefully overseas.”

Despite his evident love for the game and his bond with his teammates, when asked what he would do if given the chance to spend one more season with the Yeomen, Spencer replied with wisdom, saying, “That’s a tough question. I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, so I think my time was meant to be up.”

As he departs, Spencer leaves encouraging words for his teammates: “Keep working hard and stay focused on your dream because your dream is but a reach away! Be a listener, not just a doer!”

He also shows his gratitude for the dedication the Oberlin fans have displayed, saying, “And for the fans, thank you for all the support!”

Much like other Oberlin basketball greats, Spencer has definitely left a mark and he will be remembered for a long time to come.