2023-24 NEC Breakout Performers

 Central Connecticut State - Allan Jeanne-Rose - 6’7 200 grad transfer

While recently transferred Andre Snoddy (Stony Brook) was a consistent double-double threat for the Blue Devils’ last year, their addition of Fairfield grad transfer Allan Jeanne-Rose brings more versatility, athleticism and arguably more upside to the power forward position this season.

As a part-time starter throughout his first three seasons, Jeanne-Rose broke out in his senior season, starting every game and solidifying himself as one of the best two-way slashers in the MAAC. 

On defense, his best attributes are his switchability and off-ball rim protection while Jeanne-Rose's best offensive trait is breaking down the defense and getting to the bucket, evidenced by finishing last season with the 12th best free throw rate in the nation along with a strong 55.5 2P% and 74 FT%.

Simply put, the forward combo of Jeanne-Rose and Kellen Amos will be the Blue Devils’ strength. Don’t be surprised if the duo average for a combined thirty points per game with both forwards earning All-NEC honors.

FDU - Devante Jamison - 5’8 160 grad transfer

Even with former St. Thomas Aquinas head coach Tobin Anderson now coaching at Iona, the STAC to FDU pipeline will continue this offseason with incoming grad transfer DeVante Jamison. 

Current STAC head coach and Matthew Capell was kind enough to speak at length about Jamison, his impact at STAC and his immediate potential at FDU: “Jamison is a perfect fit with Jack Castleberry still pressing. We call him “Bullet”: he’s really shifty, a great first step, very good off ball screens, excellent at getting the ball to the paint, keeping the ball high and finding the open guy. As a junior, he was our leader in assists while playing only nineteen minutes-per-game alongside Meech [Roberts] and Grant [Singleton].”

For how much Capell raved about Jamison’s on court excellence, he was even more commendatory to Jamison’s leadership abilities, both on and off the court. “[Jamison] was a huge reason for me taking the head coaching position at STAC. What he did with our locker room and our culture will be hard to replace. At FDU, I could see him averaging double-digits and getting seven or eight assists per game.”

With Singleton and Roberts both graduating, Jamison is an easy pick to start next season as the starting point guard. Like his former STAC comrades the year before, it is also safe to consider Jamison as an All-NEC candidate. 

Le Moyne - Isaiah Salter - 6’0 160 fifth-year senior

Entering their first season in Division 1 basketball after spending nearly three decades in the Northeast-10 Conference, the previous home of both Stonehill and Merrimack, the Le Moyne Dolphins are in a unique position as they return a veteran roster with the potential of being an all upperclassmen starting lineup. 

Like FDU’s Demetre Roberts and Grant Singleton dominating the Northeast Conference after successful D2 careers, Le Moyne lead guard Isaiah Salter is looking to parlay his success in the D1 level after averaging 12 points and 3 assists last season with an efficient 40.4 3P% and 82.2 FT%.

LIU - Tana Kopa - 6’6 178 junior 

Rod Strickland’s debut season at LIU was an unmitigated disaster: a 3-26 overall record and finishing as KenPom’s least efficient offense meant big changes were needed. 

Tana Kopa, a transfer from Spring Hill (D2) via Perth, Australia, along with Strickland’s sons Tai and Terrell, was added to inject scoring for the Sharks, with Kopa finishing last season averaging 19 points-per-game while shooting an incredibly efficient 58.5 2P%, 42.4 3P% and 85.5 FT%. 

An elite spacer like Kopa will help mitigate the loss of small forward Marko Maletic, last year’s leading scorer and three-point shooter, and help open up the floor for the Strickland brothers and returning sophomore RJ Greene to create offense within Coach Strickland’s pace and attack style.

Merrimack - Jordan Derkack - 6’5 sophomore

Merrimack’s top-three scorers from last year: Jordan Minor (Virginia), Ziggy Reid (Youngstown State) and Javon Bennett (Dayton), all transferred this offseason, leaving sophomore Jordan Derkack as the team’s returning leader in points, rebounds, assists and steals. 

An NEC All-Freshman selection last season, Derkack’s biggest knock was his inefficient shooting from deep (1.1 three-point attempts per game at 22.2%), however a 75% free throw percentage and a 35.3 three-point percentage across the last nine games of the season foreshadow a stronger perimeter effort this upcoming season. 

After a stat-stuffing freshman year and a consistently strong defensive game Derkack has all the tools to finish the upcoming season as Merrimack’s star with increased responsibility and improved shooting efficiency.

Sacred Heart - Alex Sobel - 6’8 230 grad transfer

A leader on the 20-6 Middlebury Panthers, a team that finished the season 21th in D3 rankings, Alex Sobel earned the D3Hoops National Player of the Year award after dominating on the court both ends, finishing the season averaging 19.4 points, 11.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 3.9 blocks and 1.3 steals per game while shooting, 66.4% from the field. 

Of course, the transition from D3 to D1, even in a smaller league like the NEC, is a massive jump, but Sobel’s two-way production is undeniable and it would come to no shock if his play warrants him a starting role next year with last year’s starter Bryce Johnson packing his bags to Northeastern.

St. Francis - Cam Gregory - 6’5 165 sophomore

Faced with a massive roster overhaul, a cavalcade of mostly unproven underclassmen will lead the Red Flash. However, returning sophomore Cam Gregory is one of the few seasoned commodities for St. Francis, starting nineteen games last year.

Second on the team in assists, the 6’5 Gregory is an intriguing weapon on offense providing length to the point guard position, much like Sacred Heart fifth-year senior Brendan McGuire.

In his freshman season, Gregory was mistake-prone, but showcased his athleticism with his ability to finish at the basket and shoots well enough from three (30%) to hope for an improved perimeter game. As he enters his second season under Rob Krimmel who, with Josh Cohen (UMass), Maxwell Land (South Alabama) and Landon Moore (Butler) all transferring, is looking for playmakers, expect Gregory to be one of those breakout weapons.

Stonehill - Tony Felder - 5’10 165 sophomore

Impressing with a 10-6 conference record in their first season at the Division 1 level, Stonehill head coach Chris Kraus is faced with a brand new backcourt after Josh Mack, Isaiah Burnett and Shamir Johnson have all graduated. 

Senior returnee Thatcher Stone will reprise his low-usage supportive role on the starting lineup, but VMI transfer Tony Felder is expected to run away with the starting point guard role after starting 25 games in his freshman year.

Raised in Boston and offered from Georgetown and UMass out of Malden Catholic, Felder will fit right in with Kraus’ perimeter-focused offense, after shooting nearly 5.5 three-pointers per game and connecting nearly 34% of his attempts. 

Ranked first on the team and eighth in the SoCon in assists, Felder will need to work on limiting his TOs (1.5 A/TO ratio) and improve his shooting from inside the arc (37.9 2P%), but expect Felder to form a dangerous offensive tandem with fifth-year returnee Max Zegarowski and will be one of the more exciting point guards to watch grow as he continues his young collegiate career.

Wagner - Javier Ezquerra - 6’1 175 junior

It is now Javier Ezquerra’s time to seize the starting point guard role after sharing the lead distributing duties the last two seasons with DeLonnie Hunt, who transferred to Richmond. A committed defender and the Seahawks’ second best returning three-point shooter, Ezquerra is also expected to increase his usage rate both in assists and soaking up more shot opportunities in his junior season.

Another factor in Ezquerra’s breakout is in the impact his new teammates are expected to make on Wagner’s offense. One of the worst shooting teams last season, the transfer addition of Zae Blake from Green Bay (44.3 3P%) and Di’Andre Howell-South from St. Francis NY (31 3P%), as well as the smooth shooting from returning sophomore Julian Brown (43 3P%) will help open up space for Ezquerra to penetrate inside.

Manhattan's New Offensive Identify Under John Gallagher

 As the dust has settled after a turbulent April, the Manhattan Jaspers have spent the summer rebuilding their roster. Under the new leadership of former Hartford head coach John Gallagher, the current roster features just two returning Jaspers, signaling a stylistic sea change in Riverdale.

Manhattan’s offense with Steve Masiello was known for attacking the rim while their defense’s signature hounded turnovers on defense while preventing teams from producing on the perimeter.  

While Gallagher and Masiello share similarities in their defensive philosophies: namely their attention to defending the three-point shot, their offensive identities are very different. 

For example, Masiello’s Manhattan teams ranked within the top-75 nationally in free throw rate in eight of his eleven year tenure while Gallagher's Hartford squads never ranked higher than 182nd in free throw rate. 

Instead, Gallagher’s offense is centralized on three-pointers: all but one of his dozen seasons at Hartford finished in the top-65 in three point attempt ratio. Conversely, Masiello’s last three seasons at Manhattan finished no higher than 291st in that same metric. 

With a change in offensive philosophy of this breadth and a new roster to build, Gallagher and his staff had to act quickly to add pieces, but the Jaspers’ two returnees, fifth-year forward Logan Padgett and sophomore guard Raziel Hayun, are both willing shooters, last year shooting more three-point attempts than two-pointers. Their efficiency needs to improve (combined 29.1 3P%), but they both shoot well enough for defenses to honor their spacing.

Amongst their offseason additions, Hartford’s leading scorer last year, Briggs McClain, is the offseason headliner after averaging 14.4 points and 1.6 three pointers per game at 35.1 3P%.

Not only is the senior guard the Jaspers’ best bet to lead the team in scoring, but he is an essential leader to help liaison the newly formed roster after spending two seasons under Gallagher’s lead, highlighted by a 2021 America East tournament championship and an appearance in March Madness

Reflecting back on his time in the tournament, McClain called it “amazing for me. It is definitely something that I would love to experience again…the difference between getting there and not [...] is very slim. Details about how we go about everything matters.”

Gallagher was an essential cog to McClain’s ascension from an irregularly used back of rotation piece in his freshman and sophomore seasons to a lethal scorer his junior year: “playing for Coach Gal, he only gives you confidence,” McClain adds, “I believe with that I’ve grown so much in my ability to score from all three levels, just being able to go out and play my game. When a coach believes in his guys the way Gal does, it makes the game a lot easier.”

McClain’s on-court growth with Gallagher’s guidance is obvious, citing the coach’s track record as a mentor off the court: “He’s just an amazing guy. Once you’re a part of his team, you become family for the rest of your lives. He’s been doing this a long time. He’s been successful. So just buying into what his vision for us is important to get to where we want to go.”

In addition to McClain, JUCO addition Shaquil Bender is poised to become a lethal perimeter weapon fresh off his award-winning season where he not only won the Orange Empire Conference Offensive Player of the Year after finishing the season averaging 13.9 points and 2.0 threes made per game at a remarkable 47.1%, but also earned the MVP award in the California Community College State tournament where his Fullerton College Hornets won the championship after finishing the season with a 32-1 record. 

Grad transfer addition Perry Cowen also lets it fly from deep with career splits of over 75% of his shot attempts from three, converting 33% throughout his three seasons at Brown. A bigger shooting guard at 6’4 205, Cowan played both off-ball backcourt spots at Brown, a program with a reputation as a tough defending squad under current head coach Mike Martin.

Shooting only two three-point attempts in his redshirt freshman season at St. Bonaventure, Binghamton native Brett Rumpel is a 6’4 190 scoring combo guard who was arguably the most touted recruit of the Bonnies’ 2021 offseason, with seven D1 offers including DePaul, George Washington and Fordham. Out of high school, Rumpel was noted for his competitiveness, ability to break down defenders and comfort shooting midrange and beyond, a skill Gallagher and his staff will continue to foster in Rumpel’s first season in Riverdale. 

Out of DeMatha Catholic, incoming freshman Jaden Winston is a dynamic, gritty and unselfish two-way point guard with eye-popping quickness and great vision: “I’m a guard who really gets after it on the defensive end, picking up 94 feet, getting steals and deflections, trying to speed the opposing team up,” says Winston, “On the offensive end, I love to push the pace, getting out in transition and just making the right play whether it be for my teammates or for myself. I’ve been making a conscious effort to ‘take singles’ and not always go for that home run play on offense and defense [...] Keeping this on my mind has really made a difference in my game. I want not only the staff but also my teammates to trust me with the ball.”

Throughout his senior year and this offseason, Winston has worked on adding more tools to his offensive profile: “as for developments in my game, I’ve been going very hard in the weight room and getting up lots and lots of shots on The Gun daily.” 

Winston was an electric dynamo at DeMatha and will be even more poised to compete for an immediate role with an improvement to his perimeter game.

Amongst Manhattan’s frontcourt additions, 6’7 Bloomfield (D2) transfer Wesley Robinson is the most comfortable from the three point line, finishing last season shooting 32% from three and averaging throughout the last nine games 1.3 three-pointers per game, converting 36.3% of those attempts.

Incoming freshman Seydou Traore out of Our Saviour Lutheran is another 6’7 forward who is most known for his athleticism, but can score at all three levels, making him an exciting long-term weapon. 

A traditional low-post big, former Weber State sophomore transfer Daniel Rouzan received interest in the portal from programs like Temple, Oral Roberts, Tulsa and others thanks to his willingness to battle on the boards, an essential trait for big men playing on four-out offenses, extending possessions after long distance shot attempts.

With three scholarships still open as of late July, the final shape of the Jaspers’ rebuilt roster is still a mystery, but it is clear that this new look Manhattan squad will bring a sustained perimeter attack unforeseen at Draddy Gymnasium.

Saint Bonaventure's Bolstered Backcourt: You Can Never Have Too Many Good Guards

 Last season, St. Bonaventure and their coaching staff were faced with a rebuild unforeseen ever before with the Bonnies returning just 0.1% of their minutes continuity and an ostensibly brand new team.

That being said, last season’s 14-18 overall record and a 8-10 finish in A-10 conference play was below the standards fans in Olean have been used to since Schmidt has taken over the helm prior to the 2007-08 season, but solid considering the context.

The biggest surprises were in the frontcourt. Morgan State transfer Chad Venning transformed his body and developed into one of the best big men in the conference while freshman forward Yann Farrell, one of the highest rated recruits in program history, earned an A-10 All-Rookie team selection thanks to his smooth shooting and strong rebounding. 

Freshman Barry Evans, yet another addition from the trusted Putnam Science Academy pipeline, played solid defense and was one of the team’s best offensive rebounders.

Entering last season, the backcourt was expected to be a strength: the leader was Saint Peter’s transfer Daryl Banks III, whose 38.3 minutes per game ranked for second highest in the nation, which comes to no surprise as Schmidt keeps tight rotations.

In addition to Banks III, Holy Cross transfer Kyrell Luc was the Bonnies’ two-way point guard while Hartford transfer Moses Flowers was a savvy shooter as a part-time starter.

This returning trio would rank among one of the better backcourts in the conference if Schmidt decided to stand pat, but for the second straight offseason the Bonnies’ staff mined the transfer portal to continue to bolster their backcourt, adding two grad transfers: Cincinnati combo guard Mika Adams-Woods and Bryant guard Charles Pride.

At first glance, it is hard to imagine why two transfers of this caliber would join a backcourt that returns three guards who all averaged 25 minutes or more per game last season, but we’ll dig deeper to investigate how Schmidt might best mix-and-match to optimize his rotations.

Crazy as it sounds, will next season be the one where Schmidt flexes his depth?

Before we delve into potential rotations, here is a snapshot of each guard (all shot charts via cbbanalytics.com):

Mika Adams-Woods 6’3 180 grad transfer; hometown: Syracuse, NY

• 2022-23 stats at Cincinnati: 9.1p, 2.4r, 3.2a, 1.5 TO, 49.6 2P%, 1.4 3PM, 36.6 3P%

about half of shot attempts from three, 1.2 FTA, 83.7 FT%, 1.1 STL

• Ranked 5th in offensive efficiency and 3rd in defensive efficiency on the Bearcats’ roster according to Evanmiya.com

A thirty minute-per-game player at Cincinnati, Mika Adams-Woods is the lynchpin to Schmidt’s decisions with the guard rotations. 

A jack-of-all-trades combo guard, Adams-Woods was the Bearcats’ starting shooting guard but soaked up minutes at point guard when starting point guard David DeJulius was on the bench. 

With Adams-Woods’ ability to play both guard positions puts Kyrell Luc’s role as the cemented full-time point guard in jeopardy. He is a strong defender and unselfish passer, but Luc’s shooting inefficiency (38.2 2P%, 30.4 3P%) and less than ideal turnover rate (3.0 per 40) makes it hard to justify playing 33 minutes per game next year, especially with a capable distributor and scorer like Adams-Woods now in the fold. 

Projecting ahead, a starting backcourt of Luc, Banks III and Adams-Woods seems likely, but with Luc getting minutes closer to the mid-to-high 20s and Banks III down to the high-20s to low-30s, minutes similar to Adams-Woods’ projections as I expect him to play all three backcourt positions. 

Charles Pride 6’4 200 grad transfer; hometown: Syracuse, NY

• 2022-23 stats at Bryant: 14.6p, 6.1r, 2.4a, 1.4 TO, 52.4 2P%, 1.9 3PM, 37.0 3P%, 

about half of shot attempts from three, 3.4 FTA, 84.8 FT%, 1.3 STL

• Ranked 1st in offensive efficiency and 2nd lowest in defensive efficiency on the Bulldogs’ roster according to Evanmiya.com

An important weapon in Jared Grasso’s high-octane Bryant offense for the last four years, Charles Pride is a rare guard who can combine efficiency with volume and is also an excellent rebounder for his size. 

Despite his gaudy stats, Pride has never led Bryant in scoring, but is capable in taking over a game if need be based on his ability to make plays and hit clutch shots when the pressure is at its highest. 

Nathan Mook of Rhody Vault and A-10 Vault writes: “Charles Pride was coveted by several Atlantic 10 teams because of his versatility, shooting and ability to rebound at the guard position. He will have an immediate impact for Schmidt in the Bonnies’ ball screen, motion offense. His versatility is what makes him so good. Pride does not need the ball to make an impact.”

As valuable he is on offense, Pride’s defensive liabilities best suits him as a high-impact instant offense bench piece who will contribute at the 2 and 3 guard spots and even allows Schmidt to play four-guard lineups, as an option for when Yann Farrell is on the bench, with Pride playing akin to the Jaden Adaway role during the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons. 

There is some overlap between what Pride and returning senior Moses Flowers provides for the Bonnies: like Pride, Flowers is an efficient shooter who can score in volume when needed but is a more consistent defender than Pride that allows him to mesh well in a variety of combinations.

To maximize Pride’s offensive abilities while keeping the Bonnies’ defense fortified, Schmidt could choose to limit Pride’s time on the court with Yann Farell and instead to pair Pride alongside Evans, a lengthier and more versatile defender at the power forward. 

Irregardless to prospective roles, few teams in the A-10 have a quintet of guards as talented as St. Bonaventure’s, which will bring versatility and creativity to his rotations unforeseen in Olean in years. 

Minutes Projections for St. Bonaventure’s Guards

• Banks III - 30 mpg

• Adams-Woods - 29 mpg

• Luc - 25 mpg

• Flowers - 20

• Pride - 16

2023-24 MAAC Breakout Performers

 Quinnipiac: Richie Springs 6’9 235 grad transfer

With Tymu Chenery transferring to Binghamton and Ike Nweke graduating, Richie Springs is poised to help solve a major hole for Quinnipiac at power forward. Finishing his high school career at basketball powerhouse The MacDuffie School, Springs was heavily recruited by a wide-range of programs, including thirteen high-majors. 

At UConn, Springs played limited minutes behind a crowded and talented frontcourt that included Adama Sanogo, Donovan Clingan, Alex Karaban, Isaiah Whaley and Tyrese Martin, so Springs will look to parlay his new opportunity to showcase a wide array of skills: “I’m excited to show my ability to make plays, handle the ball in transition and also showcase my improved outside,” Richie Springs wrote to me back in May.

With a 6’9 235 frame, athleticism and versatility to his game, the offensive-minded Springs pairs perfectly with defensive stalwart Paul Otieno and backup big JJ Riggins. 

A championship ring to his name and four years of experience at Storrs, Springs also elaborated on the veteran leadership role he is poised to take on in Hamden: “I’m going to lead by example with my work ethic and how hard I go in practice everyday. Being on that championship team has taught me a lot and I can’t wait to bring what I learned to QU.”

Bobcats fans have got to be salivating at what Springs can bring to the court. Not many teams on the MAAC field a forward with his size and willingness to run and stretch the floor, making Springs an easy pick to breakout next season. 

Iona: Greg Gordon 6’5 210 junior

Greg Gordon, Iona’s only Junior College addition, brings toughness and intangibles that makes him a top breakout threat this season out of the eleven new pieces new head coach Tobin Anderson has added in his first offseason at the helm.

In both seasons at Dyersburg State Community College, Gordon was a NJCAA Division I All-American where he averaged a career 23.1 points, 11.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.0 blocks per game. 

Watching Gordon’s highlight reel draws immediate parallels to FDU’s Sean Moore, a do-everything, two-way glue guy who played both forward positions and led Tobin Anderson’s previous team in offensive rebounding rate despite his modestly listed measurements of 6’4 and 175 pounds. 

Like Moore, even though Gordon is only listed at 6’5 210, he has the strength, makeup and motor to fight for the starting power forward spot, and at the very least, develop into an important energy piece off the bench. 

Fairfield: Birima Seck 6’11 200 junior

As of mid-July, the Stags’ strength is their backcourt, led by starting point guard Caleb Fields returning for his extra year of eligibility, but after Supreme Cook (Georgetown), Chris Maidoh (Stony Brook) and Makai Willis (Louisiana-Monroe) all transferred this offseason, New Mexico transfer Birima Seck is set up to be the Stags’ savior at center. 

Originally from Senegal, the 6’11 200 forward was offered by the likes of Kansas, Texas Tech and Arizona State during his time at Dream City Christian School before landing at Albuquerque.

Geoff Grammer of the Albuquerque Journal wrote of Seck: “He’s a former soccer star that can run the floor, use his agility to create problems for defenders and has great footwork. He’s got some stretch-4 to him and I think he was at his best when playing a little farther from the rim than some might expect of a 6’11 guy,” which in turn, would allow the Stags to open up more space for cutters and penetrating guards, something that was a problem for the Stags last year after the team shot just 28.5% from three last season. 

Grammer adds: “defensively, he’s a good shot blocker and rebounder, but is foul prone. Gets too active at times, but also in playing limited minutes at UNM, played more with a reckless abandon than he likely will if his minutes are going to be consistently over the 20 minute mark. His length allows him to block and alter shots without him dropping his hands.”

A project that has been steadily developing for two years, Stags fans should be excited that Seck’s “improvements he was making on defense – not just coaches talking about a kid getting better, you could tell he was a better player the day he left UNM from the day he arrived.”

Calling Seck “happy, positive and likable guy as there is,” Grammer sums up: “He’s still getting better and I think has a chance to be a really good piece to a team’s puzzle because he not only has that length, but is really starting to realize the best ways to use it on the court.”

I expect that the Stags will add more size between now and the start of the season, but Seck is poised to impact the Stags’ frontcourt from day one. 

Rider: Tariq Ingraham 6’11 255 senior

A three-star recruit out of Philadelphia, Tariq Ingraham finally got regular rotation minutes in his first season at Rider after playing a total of sixteen minutes across his first three seasons at Wake Forest. 

A preseason Achilles injury forced Ingraham to redshirt his first season and he dealt with long-term Covid symptoms after playing just two games as a redshirt freshman, but Ingraham played every game last season, starting the the last fourteen games of the season. 

Overall, Ingraham’s minutes were inconsistent, but underlying analytics lauded Ingraham’s defensive abilities, as Ingraham finished last year as Rider’s most efficient defender on the roster, according to Eyanmiya.com. 

At 6’11 255, Ingraham is a classic low-post big, whose season highlight was a 20 point, 8 rebound and 3 block performance against Saint Peter’s back in March. With Ogemuno-Johnson graduated, Ingraham is finally poised to step up as next year’s full-time starting big.

Marist: Max Allen 6’9 260 sophomore

Last season, Patrick Gardner parlayed his Division 1 breakout into an All-MAAC Second Team selection and an invitation to the NBA Summer League by the Miami Heat.

In his wake, Max Allen, a transfer from San Jose State, has an opportunity to fill the massive void left behind in Gardner’s graduation.  

Originally from Las Vegas, the former three-star recruit finished his high school career at the basketball powerhouse AZ Compass Prep where he chose SJSU over Houston, BC, DePaul and his hometown UNLV. 

Playing just eight games in his freshman year before a lower-leg injury cut short the remainder of his season, Max Allen brings a whole lot to the court than just a low-post frame and a soft touch under the basket. In high school, Allen was comfortable shooting it from the elbow and beyond, with a true shooting form that, with time, translates to three-point potential.

Only a sophomore, Allen will compete with The Citadel sharpshooter Jackson Price for minutes at the 5, but Allen’s long-term potential is evidently clear. 

Saint Peter’s: Marcus Randolph 6’5 195 junior

With six new players, Saint Peter’s is rebuilding their backcourt in short order and Richmond transfer and Willingboro, NJ native Marcus Randolph is looking to parlay his length and smooth shooting ability into a breakout role with the Peacocks.

At 6’5 195 and with a career 39.6 three-point percentage, Randolph will look to offset Saint Peter’s seventh worst three-point percentage in the nation, shooting an inauspicious 29.0%. 

Prior to his first two seasons at Richmond, Randolph was one of four current D1 basketball players in his class at the venerable Archbishop Wood High School where he averaged 16.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game. 

While his career minutes have not allowed Randolph the time to develop into the versatile scorer he was back in high school, Randolph’s shooting efficiency will help jumpstart the Peacock’s revamped offense.

Mount St. Mary’s: Jedy Cordilia 6’9 210 junior

Sometimes injuries propel younger players into breakout roles and Jedy Cordilia was one underclassmen last year who benefitted from that scenario. An early January injury to the Mountaineers all-time rebounding leader Malik Jefferson opened the door for Cordilia to step into the starting role and he even played alongside Jefferson once he returned from injury.

While Cordilia’s career numbers are modest, over the last sixteen games of the season he averaged 9.6 points, 5.1 rebounds and shot over 60% from two and 80% from the free-throw line. Six three point attempts hint towards a possible development of his outside game, which would in turn help open up the floor on offense. 

The mid-July addition of Presbyterian forward Terrell Ard creates competition to Cordilia’s playing time, but Cordilia is expected to break out, providing Mount St. Mary’s with a bouncier and shiftier forward than Malik Jefferson to allow Dan Engelstad to possibly be able to play at a quicker pace than his mostly glacial offenses over the last five seasons. 

Niagara: Harlan Obioha 7’0 280 sophomore

There is not a physical specimen in the MAAC, or frankly, almost anywhere else in Division 1, quite like Harlan Obioha. 

Hailing from Hoxie, Kansas, Niagara was Obioha’s only D1 offer but saw his playing time increase throughout his redshirt freshman season, averaging 4.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 0.7 blocks in about 14 minutes per game, shooting 81% in the span across the last nine games of the season, highlighted by an 11 point, 11 rebound and 2 block performance against Quinnipiac.

Also an offensive lineman in high school, Obioha’s footwork on the line of scrimmage translates to the low-post, as he’s quicker in small spaces than expected and he is also able to keep his head up, kicking out when necessary. 

Part of what drives Obioha’s potential breakout is Niagara’s new look frontcourt: starting center Sam Iorio graduated, leaving Obioha to compete for a starting role alongside UMBC transfer Yaw Obeng-Mensah and JUCO addition Aime Rutayisare. 

Siena: Killian Gribben 6’10 208 sophomore

If there is one consistent theme in this piece, it is showcasing the opportunities for young forwards to step up in the place of their All-MAAC predecessors and Siena’s Killian Gribben, with Second Team selection Jackson Stormo graduating, has the tools to become Siena’s next great big.

Playing his high school ball at Choate Rosemary Hall after moving from his hometown of Letterkenny, Ireland, Gribben is just as comfortable letting it go from the three point line as he is working out of the post, evident by the fact that nearly half of his field goal attempts last season were from the three point line, converting 27% of those attempts.

For the second straight summer, Gribben is representing his home country in the FIBA U20 Division B championship where he is currently averaging 11.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists and a whopping 4.3 blocks per game across the first four games of the tournament. 

Canisius: Joe Jones III 6’9 230 junior

With Jacco Fritz transferring to Hofstra and George Maslennikov graduating, ultimately, whichever player who secures the starting center spot, be it Georgia State transfer Joe Jones III or sophomores Youri Frtiz or Frank Mitchell, will be the breakout performer for Canisius. 

Buffalo native and graduate of Buffalo’s Orangeville Prep, Joe Jones III is poised to finally breakout and become the defensive stalwart he started to show in his freshman season at Georgia State where he finished the season with the team’s top defensive metrics, according to Evanmiya.com.

However, after injuries derailed his 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons, Jones ceded playing time to a new wave of forwards and a new coaching staff, so a wide open competition in the Griffins’ frontcourt will allow Jones to not only return to his hometown, but provide Canisius with a steady low-post presence that is much needed after the team allowed a way too high 51% of two-point attempts during conference play.

Manhattan: Shaquil Bender 6’2 170 junior

After the Manhattan administration unceremoniously chose not to retain RaShawn Stores, who rallied the Jaspers after Manhattan fired Steve Masiello in late October, just weeks before the start of the season, new head coach John Gallagher is facing the present challenge of rebuilding a program on the fly that returns just three scholarship players from last year.

JUCO addition Shaquil Bender, fresh off his award-winning season where he not only won the Orange Empire Conference Offensive Player of the Year after finishing the season averaging 13.9 points and 2.0 threes made per game at an insane 47.1%, but also earned the MVP award in the California Community College State tournament where his Fullerton College Hornets won the championship after finishing the season with a 32-1 record. 

Simply put, it is always wise to instill winners to a rebuilding squad and Bender is a good bet to start in the Jaspers’ opening backcourt alongside former Hartford stud Briggs McClain. 

2023-24 Rider Season Preview: A Chance to Take the Crown from Iona?

 

As Kevin Baggett enters his twelfth season leading Rider, he has built a reputation as one of the most consistent coaches in the MAAC. 

The Broncs have had regular season success following their 2017-18 regular season championship, but have yet to lace up their March Madness dancing shoes in nearly thirty years.

However, with both Siena and Iona going through major rebuilds, this could be Rider’s year to be the last team standing in the MAAC Tournament in Atlantic City. 

Similar to last year with All-MAAC First Team selection Dwight Murray Jr. and Ajiri Ogemuno-Johnson returning for their extra year of eligibility, the foundation of this year’s team will be fifth-year returnees Mervin James (Second Team selection) and Allen Powell, who is hoping to return to his 38.5 3P% combined across his sophomore and junior seasons after shooting just 29.2% from three last season. 

James and Powell are clearly the best two returning scoring weapons, but were both ranked in the bottom-two of the team’s defensive efficiency ratings, according to Evanmiya.com, necessitating the need elsewhere to balance their offense with others’ defense. 

Returning seniors Corey McKeithan and Tariq Ingraham ranked third and first, respectively, in defensive efficiency with McKeithan penciled in next season as the first guard off the bench and Ingraham in the mix to start at center. 

A three-star recruit out of Philadelphia, Tariq Ingraham finally got regular rotation minutes after playing a total of sixteen minutes across his first three seasons at Wake Forest. A preseason Achilles injury forced Ingraham to redshirt his first season and he dealt with long-term Covid symptoms after playing just two games as a redshirt freshman, but Ingraham played every game last season, starting the last fourteen games.

At 6’11 255, Ingraham is a classic low-post big, whose season highlight was a 20 point, 8 rebound and 3 block performance against Saint Peter’s back in March. With Ogemuno-Johnson graduated, Ingraham is finally poised to step up as next year’s full-time starting big.

In competition with Ingraham will be incoming JUCO transfer JT Langston. With a build similar to Ogemuno-Johnson’s, Langston will be able to pitch in at both the 4 and the 5.

John Mosley, Langston’s head coach at East Los Angeles College, writes: “First and foremost, Rider fans are getting a loyal kid who comes from a great family. JT Langston was a leader for ELAC with his play and commitment to doing whatever it took to win.” 

“He led our team to the CCCAA Final Four as an All-American, All-State selection and Conference MVP. He is a very athletic shooting forward who can defend multiple positions and is a competitor when finishing at the rim. There are not many kids [today] that are cut like JT Langston.”

Averaging just 14 minutes per game last season, Langston’s per-40 stats are off the charts: 24.8 points, 18.0 rebounds and 4 blocks. Obviously, there's a jump from the CCCAA JUCO level to the MAAC, but more importantly, Langston’s can-do attitude and two-way versatility should make him an important rotation piece right away. 

The scoring and shooting void left behind from Murray Jr. and Allen Betrand graduating will be taken on by the additions of brothers TJ and Tyriek Weeks.

A redshirt senior with 56 career starts at UMass, the 6’4 185 TJ Weeks has been a consistent scorer, averaging ten points per game and shooting 36.5% from the three point line throughout his career. 

Expected to immediately start in the backcourt alongside Powell, TJ can impact the offensive end in a variety of ways: “a catch-and-shoot maestro with a smooth lefty stroke, TJ possesses an excellent shooting touch from deep,” writes UMass beat writer Michael Bergman of Hoop Group, “TJ also excels in designed off-ball screens [and is] a great cutter on the baseline. Great rebounder for his size too, well developed positioning skills and footwork.”

An efficient scorer who doesn’t turnover the ball frequently, TJ Weeks certainly has All-MAAC potential and has two years of eligibility remaining.

At 6’6 200, TJ’s brother Tyriek is Rider’s likely starter at the 3-guard after an impressive freshman season at Miami Dade Junior College where he averaged 14.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and 0.9 blocks per game, while shooting 40% from three and nearly 80% from the charity stripe.

As it stands, the Weeks brothers, Ingraham, James and Powell will make up the team’s starting lineup with Langston and McKeithan regularly counted on bench pieces.

The remainder of Rider’s roster, although one scholarship is still available, are freshmen with this year’s class summing up as one of the Broncs’ most widely recruited in quite a few years. 

Originally a three-star prospect that was recruited by USC and San Diego State out of Fairfax High in Los Angeles, freshman combo guard DJ Dudley played a post-grad season last year at LA Premier Prep. 

Their head coach Keion Kindred writes: “DJ is a special talent. A great kid who truly loves the game of basketball. A student of the game. DJ is an athletic guard who plays at his own pace. Very shifty and versatile, [DJ] can finish above the rim with both hands and has the ability to make difficult shots on the perimeter. He competes at both ends and plays with a chip on his shoulder. Many schools recruited DJ, but his heart was set on Rider when meeting Coach Baggett. DJ could be one of the next greats to come out of Rider! Enjoy the show!”

Considering that all of Rider’s guard depth behind Powell, the Weeks brothers and McKeithan are freshmen, Dudley, along with incoming freshmen Ruben Rodriguez and Nic Anthony, will compete for immediate rotation minutes.

A native of Reading, PA, Rodiguez was offered by Drexel, Saint Peter’s, FDU and Jacksonville while Rider was Nic Anthony’s only offer. 

Philadelphia area native Ife West-Ingram picked Rider over offers from St. Bonaventure, FDU, Quinnipiac and Robert Morris. The 6’6 180 wing put his athleticism on display in the 2023 Philadelphia All-American Game Dunk Contest where he defeated Saint Joseph’s commit Dasear Haskins. With a frame similar to Tyriek Weeks, West-Ingram has a chance to earn immediate playing time behind Weeks at the 3-guard. 

Even though incoming freshman Moustapha Sanoh stands at 6’11, he did not start playing organized basketball until his freshman year at Executive Education Academy in Allentown, PA. Based on that profile alone, Sanoh sounds like a redshirt candidate, but considering that he is the only other Bronc, aside from Ingraham, who is taller than 6’9 and weighs more than 215, Sanoh could be used in spells to provide size down low. 

Considering the overall youth of this year’s squad, expect Baggett to lean on a shorter, veteran-laden rotation anchored by the offense of James, Powell and TJ Weeks, the upside of Ingraham, Tyriek Weeks, Langston and Dudley, along with the steady two-way play of McKeithan.