In this millennium, the Fairfield Stags have been a consistently competitive program in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference: an overall conference record of 220-206 and fifteen of those seasons with a .500 or better conference record. During that time frame, current Providence coach Ed Cooley coached for five seasons, leading the Stags to an overall 92-69 record in the halcyon days of late 00’s Fairfield basketball.
After Cooley left Fairfield to coach at Providence, Fairfield hired Princeton coach Sydney Johnson, who was a four-year starter at Princeton in the mid-90s. Fresh off a 25-7 season that earned the Tigers a 13-seed and a narrow 57-59 defeat to Kentucky in the first round, Johnson seemed like an impressive hire at the time. While his eight year tenure was more good than bad, Johnson was let go after a 9-22 record in the 2018-2019 season.
A Northeast basketball lifer, Fairfield hired current head coach Jay Young, whose most recent work was as a fourteen season assistant coach under Steve Pikiell at Stony Brook and then Rutgers. Prior to the start of the 21-22 season, Fairfield extended Young’s contract through the 2025-2026 season, ushering an exciting new chapter in Stags basketball history as the university will open its newly renovated Alumni Hall this upcoming season.
While the new on-campus arena brings new buzz onto campus, Young and his staff have worked hard to retain their best talent and bring in an impressive ‘22 class of high school graduates and transfers.
Long before this upcoming season, Young had an early start planning how this year’s roster would be shaped without fifth-year seniors and four-year starters Taj Benning and Jesus Cruz, two 200+ pound guard/wing hybrids with the right level of skill and moxy to compete in the MAAC.
The bedrock of his returnees is the efficient low-post duo of junior Supreme Cook and senior Chris Maidoh. Starting every game at center last season, the 6’9 215 Cook is a classic back-to-the-basket low post forward, averaging 10.1 points per game and converting field goals at a 50.8% rate. A monster on both ends of the glass, Cook averaged 2.9 offensive and 5.4 defensive rebounds per game. More of a physical defender than a rim protector, Cook blocked 25 shots.
An athletic rim-running forward, the 6’10 210 Maidoh vastly improved his efficiency last season thanks to his improved strength (he’s gained at least twenty pounds since his freshman season) and simplifying his offensive game by eliminating three pointers from his offensive repertoire (3-19 career from beyond the arc). His 68.9% field goal percentage last season was a huge upgrade over his previous career average of 45.3%. While it’s unrealistic to expect Maidoh to continue to shoot at nearly a 70% rate, Maidoh will continue to play meaningful minutes behind Cook and he is more than capable of taking over the starting role, if needed. Earlier in the previous season, some of the team’s rotations featured both Cook and Maidoh sharing the court, but by season’s end, the two bigs became a formidable tag team.
Continuing the theme of efficiency, fifth-year senior Jake Wojcik and sophomore TJ Long are the best returning shooters. Originally a Richmond Spider, the 6’5 190 Wojcik played nearly thirty minutes-per-game last season, averaging 9.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal. Scoring mostly from the perimeter, 61% of Wojcik’s field goal attempts last season were from three and he connected at a 34.5% rate. Similar to last year, Wojcik is projected to start either at the 2 or 3 guard spot.
The 6’4 190 TJ Long quickly developed an important role as a decently sized shooter off the bench, averaging 7.2 points and 1.6 threes per game, connecting at a 40.3% rate. Long is one candidate to earn one of the vacant starting spots, but he will have competition in the ‘22 transfer class.
Bowling Green transfer Caleb Fields is nearly a sure bet to start. The 6’2 185 combo guard is poised to earn the starting role after former Holy Cross transfer Caleb Green graduated. Sitting out last season for undisclosed reasons (based on this, Fields should have two years of eligibility remaining), Fields maintained an impressive 2-to-1 assist/turnover ratio while playing for one of the fastest offensive systems in the country (according to KenPom, Bowling Green’s offensive tempo ranked 45th the 20-21 season, Fields’ last healthy season). Fields’ career shooting splits are not ideal (career 46.1 2p%, 31.3 3p%, 62.2 ft%) but they also reflect the poor overall efficiency of Bowling Green teams during his time on the Falcons. The more deliberate pace of Jay Young’s system could improve Fields’ efficiency.
Brycen Goodine is the other incoming transfer for Fairfield. The 6’4 190 incoming senior out of New Bedford, MA was a four-star recruit for Syracuse but has yet to secure more than just an occasional rotational role between his time at Syracuse and Providence. In his career, he’s shot at a 40.5 2p%, 23.9 3p% and 77.8 ft% rate but his length, smooth athleticism and 2.3 steals per-40 rate suggests Goodine will be at least a valuable defensive piece with the potential ceiling to put it all together on the offensive end. With Fields, Wojcik and Long projected to play significant roles, it will be interesting to see if Goodine can compete to finally earn a starting role at his third college stop.
Arguably the biggest wild-card this season is four-star ‘22 commit James Johns Jr., the son of second year assistant coach James Johns Sr. The 6’6 180 shooting guard picked Fairfield over UConn, Miami, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Oklahoma State, Penn State and three A-10 teams, a recruiting boon easily ranking Johns as the program’s top-rated recruit of all-time. Projected early on as a catch-and-shoot piece, his game will expand as he gets stronger with improved strength, handle and ability to finish consistently in traffic. His length and athleticism will also be a major asset as a perimeter defender.
A major strength of this upcoming season’s roster is its veteran depth with Young easily able to go ten deep if needed. Originally from Martinique, the 6’7 195 senior Allan Jeanne-Rose has been a steady two-way rotational piece, with efficient scoring inside the arc (54.1 2p%) and capability playing either forward spot. With the Stags’ depth at the guard and wing positions, Jeanne-Rose will likely play most of his minutes at the 4, helping to soak up some of the minutes left up for grabs following Jesus Cruz’s graduation.
Originally from Rice, the 6’9 225 forward Zach Crisler is more of a stretch forward, with nearly two-thirds of his shot attempts from beyond the arc. However, unless his shooting efficiency improves (29.7 3p% at Fairfield), Crisler will be more of an end of the rotation piece. Missing twelve or more games in each of his two seasons at Fairfield, Jalen Leach was a valuable rotational guard, when healthy. Playing 28 games between his two seasons at Fairfield, Leach has averaged 5.5 ppg with respectable efficiency (50.0 2p%, 32.5 3p%, 76.3 ft%).
The end of the bench will feature Makai Willis, a 6’9 235 second year player out of Florida and a pair of ‘22 prospects: Anthony “Ant” Davis Jr. and Michael Rogan, each with five Division 1 offers apiece. Davis is the son of Anthony Davis Sr., an offensive tackle who started 32 games for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Ant Davis is an athletic 6’5 guard with a willingness to score at all three-levels. After averaging a triple-double in his final season at Saratoga Springs High School, the 6’7 Rogan finished his career at South Kent School where he became renowned to have some of the best range in New England combined with a scrappiness and willingness to battle inside. With the depth in front of them, Willis, Davis Jr and Rogan are not projected to play much this season but are exciting long-term pieces.
While it is clear that Iona is the top dog of the MAAC, there is an opportunity for Fairfield to step up and compete in the next tier, especially with Saint Peter’s experiencing wholesale turnover in the roster and coaching staff and Monmouth moving onto the CAA.
OOC games as of 6/30/22:
11/7 @ Wake Forest
11/15 @ Xavier
11/25-11/27 Savannah Invitational. Three games against possible opponents
Evansville, James Madison, Mercer, Nicholls State, Robert Morris, South Alabama, South Dakota State, Towson and Valparaiso
TBD v Monmouth
TBD @ New Hampshire
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