Vince Adrian Abanilla
Founder & Head Coach
About Coach Vince
Coach Vince brings over a decade of coaching experience, working with youth, middle school, and high school players across Northern Virginia. Known for his focus on fundamentals and player development, he’s helped shape athletes into confident, disciplined, and high-IQ basketball players.
Coach Vince’s approach goes beyond the scoreboard—he uses the game to teach life skills, reinforcing effort, accountability, and a growth mindset in every player he coaches.
Coaching Philosophy
Coach Vince’s philosophy is simple: chase progress, not perfection. At NOVA Knicks, he emphasizes developing the skills players need to compete at the next level. He places a strong focus on ball handling, knowing it’s what keeps players on the floor and in control of the game. He’s also committed to teaching the little things—the fundamentals and details that are often overlooked but essential to long-term growth.
Off the Court:
Coach Vince graduated from John Lewis High School in Springfield, VA in 2017. He then earned his Bachelor of Science in Information Systems and Operations Management from George Mason University in 2021. He is currently an IT Project Manager with the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA). Outside of coaching, Coach Vince enjoys spending his free time on the golf course and discovering new food spots with his wife.
Connect with Vince in LinkedIn
Tim Nied
6th Grade Boys Assistant Coach
Coach Tim brings four years of experience coaching basketball at the local, travel, and AAU levels, serving as both Head Coach and Assistant Coach. A multi-sport athlete with a background in high school basketball, Tim’s passion for the game was reignited by watching his children embrace it. His coaching philosophy emphasizes teamwork, collaboration, and mutual trust, believing that these skills are essential not only on the court but also in life. He measures success by the individual progress of each player throughout their basketball journey, focusing on teaching valuable life skills through the sport.
Growing up in the Chicago suburbs, inspired by the Chicago Bulls, Tim attended Drake University, earning a degree in Information Systems and Insurance and competing in club volleyball. Currently, he manages a team of Technical PreSales engineers at SAP Concur, leveraging his professional experience to help players develop valuable skills both on and off the court.
MacFarlane Okonta
6th Grade Boys Assistant Coach
Coach MacFarlane grew up immersed in sports, starting with soccer and track before discovering his passion for basketball at age 14 in Lagos, Nigeria. Despite a late start, his dedication and drive quickly propelled him into Nigeria’s semi-professional league and the Junior National Team, where he represented his country at the 1995 FIBA World Junior Championship in Greece. His talent later earned him a scholarship to Redemption Christian Academy in New York, where he played alongside future NBA star Lamar Odom, before continuing his collegiate career at the University of Wyoming and Murray State College in Oklahoma.
Since 2024, Coach MacFarlane has dedicated himself to coaching basketball, inspiring young athletes to pursue their potential with the same passion and perseverance that defined his own journey. A lifelong Los Angeles Lakers fan, he brings that culture of excellence, teamwork, and commitment into his coaching. Off the court, he enjoys traveling and spending time with his family.
His coaching philosophy emphasizes fundamentals, accountability, and resilience, while encouraging creativity and joy in the game. Believing basketball to be more than just a sport, Coach MacFarlane sees it as a platform for developing discipline, confidence, and teamwork—skills that extend far beyond the court. He measures success not only by wins, but by the growth of each player as both an athlete and a person.