Shrewsbury’s TJ Power finally found a home at Penn. Now he’s led the Quakers to the NCAA Tournament.

A few hours after delivering one of the most remarkable performances in Ivy League men’s basketball history, Penn junior TJ Power sat alone in his hotel room and let himself cry.

“It’s emotional,” said Power, a Shrewsbury native. “A lot has gone into this three years in college. To have a moment like that, it makes it all worth it.”

Power was once a five-star recruit and Gatorade Player of the Year at Worcester Academy. But as a freshman at Duke he averaged just 6.7 minutes per game in 2023-24. He transferred to Virginia the next year, averaging 9.3 minutes as a sophomore.

But this season, with coach Fran McCaffery as a guiding light, Power has rediscovered his joy for the game in what he describes as a full-circle moment. He’s averaging 16.8 points and 7.9 rebounds, and shooting 43.3 percent on 3-pointers as the Quakers head into the NCAA Tournament.

Power erupted for 44 points and 14 rebounds Sunday, burying a tying 3-pointer at the end of regulation to fuel Penn to an upset win over Yale and send the program to the tournament for the first time since 2018.

With the 6-foot-9-inch forward as an anchor, the 14th-seeded Quakers will try to electrify the college basketball world again when they face third-seeded Illinois Thursday at 9:25 p.m. on TNT.

“It’s nothing I could have planned out,” Power said. “I think all the suffering and all the struggles were necessary for me to learn things I had to learn and push myself even harder.”

Power grew up playing in the driveway with his parents, Tom and Shannon, his sister Lauren, and his neighbor Nick Pasquale. Power sharpened his skills at the Friendly House in Worcester and often drove around the city with his father to find open gyms.

Power won a district title his sophomore year at St. John’s Shrewsbury under longtime coach Bob Foley, then transferred to Worcester Academy and captured back-to-back NEPSAC championships under Jamie Sullivan. Even as he blossomed into a national star, Power never lost what defined him.

“It was never about the recognition,” Power said. “I just love the game so much. It was an escape from everything.”

He also raised close to $15,000 for A Shot For Life, a sports-based nonprofit organization that funds health and cancer research initiatives.

Founder and CEO Mike Slonina will never forget how Power enthusiastically jumped at the opportunity to volunteer for the ASFL Gauntlet, even when Power wasn’t required to.

“That is so core to who he is,” Slonina said. “He’s never been someone that wanted clout or attention. He’s just a really, really good person.”

Power arrived at Duke hoping to live out a childhood dream, but he averaged just 2.1 points on a powerhouse squad that advanced to the Elite Eight. He and coach Jon Scheyer both expressed interest in him staying, but he elected to transfer once he knew the full picture of the roster.

Power decided to play for Tony Bennett at Virginia, then Bennett retired right before the season. Power lost his starting spot and averaged 1.3 points per game as the Cavaliers sputtered to a 15-17 season.

“That’s a tough spot to be in mentally, when you’re in your second year and you have all these expectations coming into college and it’s not going your way,” Power said. “I had to fight that.”

As he entered the transfer portal again, Power chose to follow McCaffery, who was let go at Iowa at the end of the 2024-25 season, wherever McCaffery went next.

Power said McCaffery had long been a supporter and had always believed in his abilities, empowering him to play with freedom and creativity.

McCaffery attended every one of Power’s spring and summer games, and they both realized the timing was right.

Sunday’s game introduced the college basketball world to Power, but those who know him well have seen this coming for years.

“He didn’t hang his head,” McCaffery said. “He learned. He worked. He persevered. He never stopped believing in himself.”