The NYC metro area is one of the richest sources of basketball talent, both on the individual level and in the volume of Division 1 programs within a short drive from the city.
Below is an alphabetical list of teams in the tri-state area that I’m excited to watch this season and a key reason why.
Columbia: The Underclassmen
With just four winning seasons this millennium (three of which led by current Washington State head coach Kyle Smith) and an overall 10-48 record over the last two seasons played, Jim Engles has somehow hit back-to-back home runs on the recruiting trail in each of the last two summers with the 2022 class his grand finale: according to 247’s composite rankings Columbia's 2022 recruiting haul is the highest ranked mid-major class in the Northeast.
Case in point, last season’s recruiting class was led by three-star prospects Noah Robledo and Geronimo Rubio de la Rosa, the latter leading the team last season with points scored and assists.
With eighteen consecutive years rostering a player committing to an Ivy School, it comes as no surprise that the talents from Northfield Mount Hermon headline the Lions’ 2022 recruiting class of combo guard Avery Brown and shooting wing Blair Thompson.
A point guard at NMH, Avery Brown shot 41% from beyond the arc and scored 30+ points seven times his senior season, making Brown an immediate candidate to play alongside Rubio de la Rosa in a dynamic, young backcourt pairing.
Brown’s teammate at NMH, Blair Thompson is a smooth shooting wing whose balanced, pretty stroke helps him score efficiently from all three levels and especially from beyond the arc, a skill that highlights the one bright spot of Columbia’s offense: last year, the Lions collectively shot 34.9% from three, good for 92nd in the nation.
While the top-end of the Ivy is led by stalwarts Penn, Yale and Princeton, the Lions can lay the foundation for an impactful rebuild with promising seasons from their underclassmen.
Fairfield: A Favorite to Finish Near the Top of the MAAC
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.
Junior big Supreme Cook (Preseason First Team All-MAAC) and fifth-year senior Jake Wojcik (Preseason All-MAAC Third Team) are the Stags’ top returning scorers and are two of the seven returning rotation players, all of whom averaged at least twelve minutes per game last season. The other returnees with the best chance at earning starting nods include 6’7 200 senior Allan Jeanne-Rose, a versatile defender, and 6’4 195 sophomore TJ Long, who led the Stags in three-point percentage as a freshman with a 40.3 3p%.
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.
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.
Fairleigh Dickinson: New Head Coach Tobin Anderson
With two NCAA tournament appearances in the last seven years, many were surprised and critical of Fairleigh Dickinson’s decision to fire veteran head coach Greg Herenda, who is a well-respected coaching staple in the Northeast since 1985.
Herenda’s replacement, Tobin Anderson, has no D1 head coaching experience and just two seasons as an assistant coach at Siena, but his achievements at the Division III level (118-63 record, three UCAA regular season titles and one UCAA tournament title at Hamilton) and the Division II level (209-62 record, six ECC tournament titles at St. Thomas Aquinas) is astounding.
While Anderson is an unproven commodity in Division I, his coaching ability is unquestioned. Three of the best Spartans from last season are joining their old head coach on the twenty mile trek between their departing and incoming schools, influxing FDU’s young group of returnees with veterans from a winning culture.
Last season at STA, 5’8 162 guard Demetre Roberts and 6’0 165 guard Grant Singleton averaged a combined 28.8 points, 7.3 assists and 4.8 steals in their senior years and both are expected to parlay their previous success into starting roles at FDU.
With Bryant moving to the America East and Mount St. Mary’s moving to the MAAC, the NEC is in transition and it would come to no surprise if the Knights exceed expectations this season.
Fordham: Fordham Basketball Ready to Flourish Under New Head Coach Keith Urgo.
When Fordham hired Kyle Neptune in March of 2021, it was fair to argue that he was entering one of the toughest jobs in the nation. With only four NCAA Tournament appearances in school history, Fordham last reached the tournament in the 1991-1992 season when Fordham was a member of the Patriot League. Overall, Fordham performed solidly in the Patriot, finishing 46-20 in five seasons and prior to that, Fordham was 71-49 in the MAAC.
However, since Fordham made the jump to the Atlantic-10 in the 1995-1996 season, the Rams have performed .500 or better just twice during conference play. In ten seasons prior to Neptune’s hire, Fordham’s record in the A-10 was a paltry 38-131.
With that history in context, Neptune’s rookie season should be seen as nothing else but a success: a 16-16 overall record and an 8-10 finish in the A-10 that included a victory against George Mason in the first round of the A-10 tournament.
Just six weeks after Fordham’s last game of the season, Jay Wright’s surprise retirement and the subsequent hiring of Neptune, his former assistant coach, to replace Wright shocked the college basketball landscape. In response, Fordham elevated Associate Head Coach Keith Urgo to Head Coach.
What happened next was rare in the landscape of the transfer portal: talent stuck around. After Neptune’s departure, just two new players joined the transfer portal, a mere drop in the ocean of over 1700 players in the portal.
Overall, seven Rams return this season, representing 53% of the team’s scoring from last season. That rate is good for any team, let alone a team experiencing its second coaching change in two offseasons.
The best returnee is fifth-year senior Darius Quisenberry, who is playing his second season in the Bronx. The 6’2 188 combo guard averaged 16.2p, 3.8r, 2a and 1.5s last season. Known more as a bucket-getter than a shooter, Quisenberry was one of the A-10s best rim attackers, ranking sixth in the A-10 in free throw attempts per game (4.3).
In addition to Quisenberry, the Rams return two other starters, guard Kyle Rose and rugged wing Antrell Charlton. The aptly named Rose is a 6’4 192 senior who is best known for his perimeter defense (1.3 steals/game) while also providing secondary scoring (7.5 points/game) and improved shooting (32.9 3p% last season was 7.9% higher than his previous season best).
The 6’3 205 Charlton is a physical wing whose game is somewhat reminiscent to another NYC matchup nightmare: St. John’s Dylan Addae-Wusu. Charlton is an inefficient shooter, but he provides steals (1.8), rebounds (5.4), assists (3.5) and an ability to play either forward spot or point in a pinch.
This season, Charlton will mostly be counted on to play the three-guard thanks to the addition of Georgia Tech grad transfer Khalid Moore. The 6’7 208 forward from Queens was a four-year starter at Georgia Tech, whose seven-foot wingspan, athleticism and grit will provide the Rams a defensive stopper at the 4 while also limiting mistakes on the offensive end (just 112 career turnovers in 117 career games at Georgia Tech).
Zach Riley, the 6’5 sophomore from New Zealand, joined the Rams in the spring semester of last and averaged 11.3 mpg. The son of Brad Riley, who played for the New Zealand Olympic Basketball Team in the 2000 Olympics, Riley is expected to compete as a scorer off the bench.
While Khalid Moore and the seven returnees will make up most, if not all of Fordham’s starting lineup, Fordham’s impressive five-man ‘22 class will be counted on to help keep Fordham flourishing in the A-10 for years to come:
Will Richardson, a 6’2 170 combo guard from New Jersey. According to 247, he is Fordham’s 2nd highest ranked prospect in program history. Richardson picked Fordham over seventeen schools, led by Xavier, Marquette, St. John’s, Seton Hall, TCU, Texas A&M, Stanford, Maryland and others. Richardson is a scoring two-way guard who rebounds well for his position.
Angel Montas, a 6’5 210 wing from the Dominican Republic. According to 247, he is Fordham’s 5th highest ranked prospect in program history. Montas picked Fordham over Illinois, Tennessee, Dayton and others. On offense, Montas is a downhill scorer thanks to his size, balance, agility and ability to finish at the rim with both hands.
Noah Best, a 6’5 166 combo guard from The Bronx. According to 247, he is Fordham’s 7th highest ranked prospect in program history. Best picked Fordham over eleven other schools including Illinois, George Mason and St. Bonaventure. Best is a catch-and-shoot scorer whose handle and vision helps make plays. Best’s improved focus on the defensive end will mesh well with his length.
Elijah Gray, a 6’8 220 forward from North Carolina. According to 247, he is ranked 79th amongst small forward prospects. Gray picked Fordham over fourteen other schools including UMass, Murray State and others. With a legit seven-foot wingspan, Gray brings a versatile two-way style that emphasizes athleticism and pace. His comfort shooting from the outside and ability as a secondary ball handler profiles Gray with an enticing pro-level ceiling.
Romad Dean, a 6’7 185 wing originally from The Bahamas. Dean picked Fordham over twelve other schools, including high-major offers from USC, Arizona State, Minnesota, Ole Miss, Seton Hall and Butler. Dean is most known as an assertive rebounder with a motor on the defensive end.
Overall, the ‘22 class contains the high-end talent and overall depth that exceeds not only the incoming classes of most A-10 teams, but also a good portion of high-major programs too.
In summary, there’s a buzz in the Bronx and the Rams are excited to keep that momentum going. While accolades are deserving to Neptune, Keith Urgo was integral to the team’s success and Athletic Director Ed Kull smartly promoted Urgo to take lead.
Hofstra: Year 2 of the Speedy Claxton Era
Hiring alums with little to no head coaching experience (Chris Mullin, for example) yield mixed results, at best, but Speedy Claxton has bucked that trend. After spending nine seasons at Hofstra as an assistant coach, the Claxton-led Pride went 21-11 last season, headlined with a win over Arkansas in December.
The foundation of their starting lineup is built on reigning CAA Player of the Year Aaron Estrada and Darlingston Dubar, two versatile pieces who are assets on both sides of the floor. Playing about half of his minutes last season as the team’s de-facto point guard and best scoring guard, expect Claxton to provide Estrada more off-ball opportunities to maximize scoring opportunities.
One of the most acclaimed transfers entering the CAA this season, Tyler Thomas was a scoring machine at Sacred Heart, ranking 77th nationally with a 30.4% shot rate per possession but, like Estrada, is also capable of dishing it out (18th best assist rate in the NEC). Overall a below-average defender, but a good rim protector for his position, pairing Estrada and Thomas on the court at the same time will be a matchup nightmare with their scoring prowess and vision to find open teammates.
Similar to last season, the 5 spot will be mostly shared between two incoming transfers with Dubar playing the 5 in small ball situations. Manhattan’s Warren Williams is more of a classic low-post big whose 8.9% offensive rebounding rate will help replace Iyiola’s elite rebounding on the offensive end, as well as his rim protection.
Another nationally ranked rim-protector, Nelson Boachie-Yiadom is an athletic big who keeps things simple and limits mistakes. Anchored by his incredibly low turnover rate (1.0 per 40), strong passing ability (3.0 assists per 40) and ability to convert when given the opportunity to score, Boachie-Yiadom finished the season with a 117.3 offensive rating, which ranked 172nd nationally, according to KenPom. Given the fact that Claxton loves to run “responsibly” in transition offense, Boachie-Yiadom’s athleticism and efficiency could give him the starting nod over Williams.
Even with 61% of last season’s scoring either graduating or transferring, Hofstra was picked #2 in the CAA Men’s Basketball Preseason Poll, signaling another strong season in Long Island.
Iona: Pitino Leading the Gaels to the NCAA Tournament
Over the last forty plus years, Iona has steadily built a legacy as one of the most consistently prominent mid-majors in the nation. The groundwork was set by the legendary Jim Valvano while notable coaches like Pat Kennedy, Tim Welsh, Jeff Rutland and Kevin Willard helped keep the Gaels as one of the best teams in the MAAC.
The most successful coach in Iona history, and arguably in the entire history of the MAAC, is Tim Cluess, who led the Gaels throughout the 2010s to the tune of four regular season championships and five NCAA tournament appearances in just nine seasons. Health concerns forced Cluess to miss the entire 2019-2020 season and then ultimately resign in March 2020, a day before the Iona, amidst the global onset of the pandemic, shocked the college basketball world by hiring Hall of Famer Rick Pitino as his replacement.
Almost immediately after his hiring, Pitino and his staff led a recruiting blitzkrieg, adding eight new recruits that not only helped Iona earn a tournament bid in Pitino’s first season but also lay the foundation for Iona’s future. Three of Pitino’s recruits from his 2020 class remain with the team for this upcoming season:
Originally from Benin City, Nigeria and recruited from the NBA Academy Africa, Nelly Junior Joseph has been the most successful recruit from Pitino’s first class. Named the MAAC Rookie of the Year, the fourth in program history, Joseph was named to the All-MAAC First Team his sophomore season, averaging 13.0 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 1.9 blocks per game while shooting 54.8% from the field. The 6’9 240 junior combines high-major size with underrated athleticism that allows him to play with pace in Iona’s offense that was rated by KenPom to have the 42nd fastest tempo. While he does not have three point range, Joseph’s ability to shoot from the elbow allows enough space for rim attackers and slashers to do what they do best.
Returning for his extra year of eligibility, the last returning ‘20 commit is Berrick JeanLouis. The 6’4 200 guard started all but three games last season, bringing a persistent defensive effort and high-flying athleticism tailor fit for Pitino’s fast-paced offense.
A big part of the 2021-2022 team’s success was thanks to the stellar backcourt play of AAC grad transfers Tyson Jolly (SMU) and Elijah Joiner (Tulsa), but with their departures, the performance of Iona’s revamped backcourt will be a major factor this season.
After a promising freshman season, William Clayton Jr. is primed to take a major step in his sophomore year and hopefully seize a starting role from Day 1. Playing sixteen minutes-per-game as a depth piece behind Jolly and Joiner, Clayton’s per-40 stats show an efficient three-level combo guard with ability to dish and defend (18.1 points, 3.9 assists, 1.9 steals, 2.3 made threes and 4.6 made free throws while shooting 51.2 2p%, 35.7 3p% and 78.7 ft%.
Along with Clayton Jr., a trio of additions will compete for starting backcourt roles. The veteran of the three is Daniss Jenkins, a 6’3 175 transfer from Odessa College with two seasons of eligibility remaining. Playing his first two seasons at Pacific, Jenkins was named to the WCC All-Freshman list and averaged 12.2 points, 2.1 assists and 1.2 steals per game as a sophomore. A poor long-distance shooter at Pacific (24.0 3p%), Jenkins will look to carry over his three-point improvement from his time at Odessa (1.6 threes made per game at 40.3%) to help him earn a starting role with the Gaels.
Originally a three-star recruit for Missouri, Anton Brookshire joins Iona with three years of eligibility remaining. In limited time last season, 6’1 175 guard struggled from three (4 for 26) but was a good shooter in high school and possessed a willingness to play downhill with the awareness to read the situation well and decide whether to attack the rim or kick out to his teammates.
Originally committed to play at Oregon State, incoming freshman Cruz Davis is, according to 247, the second highest rated recruit in Iona’s history. Originally from Texas and finishing his high school career at basketball powerhouse Huntington Prep, the 6’3 170, Davis has a smooth lefty stroke, but needs to hit the weight room in order to help absorb contact when attacking the rim. Considering the talent added into the program, Davis is the least likely of the five guards mentioned to earn a starting role, but his upside is immense.
The backcourt quintet of Clayton, JeanPierre, Brookshire, Jenkins and Davis offers a variety of rotations for Pitino to mix and match. The most likely starting lineup from Day 1 is Junior Joseph at the post, Slazinski at the stretch 4 (8.4p, 34 3p%) with JeanLouis, Jenkins and Clayton Jr. in the backcourt.
Iona’s non-conference schedule doesn’t feature a ton of impact matchups, but their more than solid slate includes no cupcakes: Penn, Hofstra, Vermont, Santa Clara, Saint Louis, St. Bonaventure, Princeton, New Mexico (in the Pitino Bowl) and SMU are all ranked within the top-170 in KenPom’s preseason rankings. This slate not only will aptly prepare the Gaels for conference play, but help make clearer the roles in the backcourt.
Manhattan: The Last Waltz for the Nonet of Fifth-Year Seniors
With the Covid-19 pandemic allowing players to opt into an extra year of eligibility, the Manhattan Jaspers are entering this season with an unprecedented stat: their rotation includes nine fifth-year seniors, eight of which played for the Jaspers last season.
The heart-and-soul of their squad is 6’5 220 wing Jose Perez, the Bronx native who was named the MAAC Preseason Player of the Year after averaging 18.9 points (44th in the nation), 4.5 assists (68th in the nation), and 6.1 free throws made (3rd in the nation) last season.
Anytime a team is led by a ball-dominant, bucket getter like Perez, it is important to surround that player with capable shooters. The 6’4 180 guard Ant Nelson, a Preseason Second Team All-MAAC selection, not only averaged 10.9 points per game and shot 36.1% from three, but he was also second on the team in overall defensive metrics, according to Evan Miya. The Jaspers also return 6’0 180 guard Samir Stewart, their most prolific and efficient three-point shooter who averaged 1.8 threes made per game at 39.4%.
Despite the returns of Nelson and Stewart, the Jaspers’ overall team 29.9 3p% (329th last season nation) makes the arrival of Hofstra transfer Omar Silverio that much more important. The 6’3 200 guard averaged 10.9 points and 2.3 threes made per game at 35.8 3p%, giving the Jaspers a much needed boost to their offense.
Leading the frontcourt is 6’9 220 forward Josh Roberts. After starting 46 games across three seasons at St. John’s, Roberts achieved career highs in his first season at Manhattan averaging 8.9 points and 6.5 rebounds per game in a near even platoon with Warren Williams. With Williams transferring to Hofstra, Roberts will look to parlay his efficient offensive play (6th best offensive rating according to KenPom), dominance on the boards (top-80 in both offensive and defensive rebounding rates) and rim protection (85th in the nation) to a more featured role.
Under head coach Steve Masiello, his championship teams played with quick tempos and had stout defenses (both metrics ranked top-50 nationally), so the retention of their best backcourt pieces, along with the addition of Silverio, will likely create rotations with Perez at the 4, a 5 and then three guards allowing for better spacing and ball-handlers on offense with quickness on defense, all reasons why Manhattan was picked second in the MAAC 2022-23 Preseason Coaches’ Poll.
Sacred Heart: A Chance to Win the Wide-Open NEC
It’s rare when a team loses its starting backcourt and enters next season with more preseason hype than the previous year, but Sacred Heart is one of those teams.
With Bryant moving to the America East and Mount St. Mary’s moving to the MAAC, most prognosticators expect the NEC to be a three-dog race between Merrimack, my pick to win the NEC, St. Francis (PA) and Sacred Heart.
The bedrock of Sacred Heart’s starting lineup is their frontcourt led by returning juniors Nico Galette and Bryce Johnson. After playing a rotational role in his freshman season, Nico Galette finished his sophomore season with a bang, prepping him for a clear All-NEC Preseason First-Team nomination. Across the last twenty games of the season, the 6’6 210 forward averaged 14.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.5 threes made per game at a whopping 44.8 3p%, finishing the season with a 26 point, 10 rebound effort against LIU.
Similar to Galette, junior forward Byrce Johnson played his best basketball at the end of last season, averaging 10.6 points, 10.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists and a 66.7 fg% over the last seven games.
On paper, Galette and Johnson appear undersized at the four and five spots, respectively, but both forwards are deceptively long (Galette boasts a 7’1 wingspan). According to KenPom, both forwards finished last season within the top-350 nationally in offensive and defensive rebounding rates.
With Alex Watson (7.0 ppg) graduated, Tyler Thomas (16.4 ppg) transferring to Hofstra and Aaron Clarke (16.0 ppg) transferring to Stony Brook, their backcourt scoring will be missed, but reinforcements from the transfer portal will help balance the Pioneers’ overall package around budding star junior forward Nico Galette.
Quinnipiac grad transfer Brendan McGuire is the one addition that will be most counted on to boost the team’s defensive stoutness and offensive versatility. The 6’7 210 point forward finished last season with the second highest DBPR for Quinnipiac, +3.1, making McGuire one of the three Bobcats with a positive DBPR.
At 6’7, McGuire might be the tallest projected starter for the Pioneers, but his his career 25% assist rate ranks higher than any Pioneer from last year’s roster, giving the team a long point forward option that allows floor spacing guards Joey Reilly and Mike Sixsmith (last season combined for 53 for 140 from three, 37.8 3p%) and Niagara grad transfer Raheem Solomon (107 three pointers made in 82 career games, 35.8%) to provide spacing.
Speaking of Solomon, the Hartford native and Sacred Heart High grad is expected to immediately start in the team’s new backcourt as an off-ball, three-level scoring guard.
Sitting out last season, Solomon was an efficient, two-way secondary scoring piece for Niagara, finishing the 20-21 season with a 8.8% turnover rate, good for the second lowest in the MAAC, a 3.0% steal rate, the eighth highest in the MAAC, and the team’s best BPR.
Overall, with Galette the star and a more efficient supporting cast, head coach Anthony Latina has good reason to feel like his squad is as good as another other in the NEC.
Seton Hall: Year 1 of the Holloway Era
After a dozen years, the Kevin Willard era could best be summarized as consistently good, but wanting for more. Prime example: five tournament appearances over the last seven seasons and just one tournament win. You can easily argue that Kevin Willard is the second best coach in Seton Hall history, but his resignation in March was an amicable split that could work out for both parties.
The timing of Willard’s resignation couldn’t have been any better with former Seton Hall great (all-time leader in assists and fourth all-time in steals) and Willard’s former assistant coach Shaheen Holloway hired to replace Willard. Considered one of the more promising young coaches prior to the 2021-2022 season, his stock skyrocketed as Saint Peter’s became one of the most cherished Cinderella stories in March Madness history reaching the Elite Eight as a 15-seed.
Widely considered a slam dunk hire, Holloway’s Saint Peter’s teams were known for their suffocating defense, willingness to attack the basket and fight for offensive boards, even though his rosters tended to be size deficient.
Now at Seton Hall, Holloway has a wealth of talent unforeseen in his head coaching career, even with three of the team’s top-three scorers graduating. In parallel with Willard’s most recent teams at Seton Hall, Holloway’s squads play with a deep bench blurring the lines between starters and bench players. Last season, Seton Hall had nine players averaging 18+ minutes per game and there’s a good chance next season’s roster will have a similar wide range of contributors.
Kadary Richmond is Seton Hall’s most talented and versatile returning player. A five-tool guard blessed with a 6’9 wingspan, Richmond is poised to be one of, if not the leader in South Orange as long as his game-to-game performance is more consistent. For example, in nine games last season, Richmond scored four or less points.
A monster on the offensive glass, Alexis Yetna returns for his fifth year. Shooting just 22.8% from three last season, Yetna hopes to shoot closer to the 34.6% rate when he was at South Florida. Also returning for his fifth year is sharpshooting guard Jamir Harris who converted on 36.9% of his threes and will play alongside his brother Jaquan, a ‘22 commit.
Projected to split time at the 5 are returnees Tray Jackson and Tyrese Samuel. A former top-100 recruit for Missouri, Jackson’s junior season flashed his stretch forward potential, converting threes at a team leading 39.5% rate. More of a classic, back-to-the-basket big, Tyrese Samuel is the stronger rebounder and rim protector of the two.
Hailing from Indianapolis, the Davis brothers were Holloway’s first additions of the offseason. Louisville transfer Dre Davis, a former four-star recruit, is a big, strong glue guy wing who shoots efficiently inside the arc. His younger brother Tae Davis is a Louisville decommit and is Seton Hall’s top ranked prospect of the ‘22 class.
On May 4th, Clemson’s Al-Amir Dawes committed to join Seton Hall’s backcourt. Born and raised in Newark, Dawes is a sweet shooting combo guard who is also a capable secondary ball-handler and distributor. Over his last two seasons at Clemson, Dawes about two-thirds of his shot attempts were from three, connecting at a 39.7% clip while also averaging 2.1 assists per game.
Four days later, the versatile Femi Odukale transferred from Pittsburgh. Originally from Brooklyn, Odukale profiles a bit like Richmond, blessed with a 6’11 wingspan, strong court vision (led Pitt in assists) and a willingness to attack the rim (4.7 ftas/game) while shooting well enough from deep to keep defenses honest (33%).
The longer he stayed on the portal, the more likely it seemed that defensive whiz KD Ndefo would follow Holloway to Newark and in late May those rumors came to fruition. Armed with an iron will and one of the best motors in all of college basketball, Ndefo’s defensive prowess finally got the national attention it deserved as he was the 2022 recipient of the Lefty Driesell Award, which is presented annually to the top defensive player in Division 1. At only 6’7 195, Ndefo swatted 2.8 blocks per game and overall stuffed the stat sheet. While his skills will help him earn starting or close-to starting minutes, he is also an important conduit to help the team transition coaching regimes.
While it’s not “tournament or bust” for Holloway’s first season at Newark, the combination of the Pirates’ returning talent and reinforcements from the transfer portal make for a safe bet for Seton Hall to return back to the tournament, earning a seed somewhere in the 9-11 range.
St. John’s: A More Team Oriented Style in Year-One Post-Champagnie.
A big part of St. John’s success during Anderson’s tenure was Julian Champagnie, the hometown kid whose volume and efficiency will be greatly missed: whenever the team needed a big bucket, Champagnie never blinked when asked to play hero ball.
Which begs the following question: were the Johnnies too reliant on Champagnie over the last two seasons where the opponent’s strategy in late game situations was simply “stop Champagnie”?
There’s no way to know for sure until the games are played, but Anderson’s “40 Minutes of Hell” system transcends any one player: a full court press creates turnovers that transition into incredibly quick offensive possessions. Last season, St. John’s averaged 14.6 seconds per offensive possession, the quickest pace in the nation.
The head of the snake is Posh Alexander. A physical defender with a bulldog’s mentality, Alexander is also efficient inside the arc (56.7 2p%) and is an underrated offensive rebounder (2.6 offensive boards per game). Helping replace the loss of Champagnie is DePaul transfer David Jones. The lefty wing was stuffed the statsheet in his second year at DePaul and his length, toughness and ability to penetrate will be counted on to be one of, if not the team’s top scorer. Removing an eleven game cold shooting spell in the middle of last season, Jones shot 35.2% in the other seventeen games.
Three more starters from last year will likely reprise their roles this upcoming season. Blessed with a linebacker’s build, Dylan Addae-Wusu does a little bit on defense while has the strength and quickness to defend multiple positions. Returning for his fifth year after playing his first three seasons at Rutgers, Montez Mathis whose defense and ability to contribute as a secondary scorer and distributor helps the Johnnies play at their pace while limiting unforced errors. Starting 26 games last season after playing his first two years at Fordham, Joel Soriano is a classic low post big who protects the rim (1.7 blocks/game) and is efficient on the low post (56.9 fg%).
Last season’s backcourt depth was provided by the so-so efforts of grad transfers Stef Smith (Vermont) and Tareq Coburn (Hofstra) but this season’s backcourt depth packs a lot of long-term intrigue. Illinois transfer Andre Curbelo struggled last season recovering from a neck injury, but his talent, creativity and moxie is undeniable. An awful three point shooter (16.9% in his career), the question is whether Alexander and Curbelo can play together. Their highest rated recruit since Shamorie Ponds, AJ Storr has immediate potential as a much needed catch and shoot wing in his freshman season. Playing in just thirteen games last season, Rafael Pinzon also fills a need as a slick shooting wing who opens up space for Alexander and Curbelo.
If St. John’s can stay close to their three point shooting percentage from last year (33.5%) they will keep defenses honest enough to allow space for their athletes to attack the rim in the front court.
