Stories like Speedy Claxton are why we love college sports.
Growing up in Hempstead, Long Island, Claxton finished his high school career alongside Lamar Odom and Erik Barkley at Christ The King, where he spurned late interest from high-majors to stay with his hometown Hofstra.
Since then, Claxton has spent parts of the last four decades with the Pride as he enters his third year leading the helm after seven seasons as an assistant under Joe Mihalich.
By nearly all accounts, Claxton’s start to his tenure has been a glowing success: a 46-21 overall record, a 29-7 finish in CAA play and an NIT victory last season over Rutgers. Under Claxton, the Pride play an electric, aesthetic and efficient offense with improved performance on defense.
However, despite their success under Claxton, the next step is to secure a CAA title and a berth to March Madness and they have the pieces for that to happen this upcoming season.
Hofstra returns a strong foundation, but will have to regroup the loss of Aaron Estrada, who was unanimously voted the CAA Player of the Year and will take his extra year of eligibility at Alabama.
Fifth-year returnee Tyler Thomas, who averaged 16.5 points per game and shot over 40% from three, now becomes the Pride’s focal point on offense. In his first season after transferring from Sacred Heart, Thomas was one of Hofstra's true three-level shot makers, a team that mostly eschews the mid-range game.
Darlington Dubar is a fellow double-digit scoring returnee, a 6’8 211 senior power forward who, alongside Thomas, finished the season as one of the most efficient offensive weapons in the CAA.
Both Thomas and Dubar embody the signature of Hofstra’s offense under Claxton: pace, shooting and preventing turnovers, but in order to maximize the potency of Claxton’s rotations, both are best to be paired with defensive-minded pieces.
Namely, German Plotnikov, a 6’6 wing from Belarus who, according to EvanMiya.com, ranks as Hofstra’s best returning defender and is poised to earn a spot on the starting lineup after averaging 17 minutes-per-game off the bench.
Per the same source, junior point guard Jaquan Carlos ranks as Hofstra’s second best returning defender and most proficient generator of turnovers. Mostly a pass-first option on offense, Carlos shoots well enough from deep to keep defenses honest (32.1 3P%) and his shot charts show latent development of his three-level game that hints towards an offensive breakout as Carlos looks to see the sharpest increase in shot volume post-Estrada.
Last season’s grad transfer quick-fix low-post rotation of Warren Williams and Nelson Boachie-Yiadom helped anchor Hofstra’s top-50 finish in opponent 2P% (46.9%) and 77th best block rate (10.8%), but necessitated Claxton and his staff to completely rebuild their frontcourt on the fly for the upcoming season, but the staff added an impressive trio in short time.
The headliner of their frontcourt haul is former Canisius grad transfer Jacco Fritz, a 6’10 215 forward originally from the Netherlands who started 67 games for the Golden Griffins throughout his four seasons in Buffalo.
Adding arguably the best passing big in the MAAC adds an element to the offense unforeseen during Claxton’s tenure, especially in the potential of five-out situations with Fritz’s ability to convert from deep (a career 32.1 3P%).
With three consecutive top-eight finishes in Offensive Rating during MAAC conference play, per KenPom.com, Fritz, along with Dubar and Thomas, make up the core of an uber-efficient offensive unit. Fritz’s game isn’t just offensive savvy: the lengthy big finished last season as Canisius’ third most efficient defender, per EvanMiya.com.
With Fritz expected to average minutes in the high twenties, Iona transfer Silas Sunday will look to soak up most of the backup minutes at the 5. The 6’10 280 sophomore originally from Ireland was offered by Illinois, St. John’s, Kansas State, Rutgers and other high-majors earlier in his recruitment.
In the previous offseason, Sunday worked hard to drop his body weight down from 320 pounds and he is entering Hofstra even more toned and listed at 280 pounds. Playing for short spells throughout his freshman season at Iona, Sunday showcased his nimble footwork, precocious low-post moves and ability to use his soft touch to convert field goals from fifteen feet out.
Rockland County native and Butler transfer Myles Wilmoth also joins Hofstra’s frontcourt after playing three seasons at Butler. The 6’9 215 stretch forward has attempted slightly more than half of his shot attempts from three, converting at a less than stellar 24.4%.
In limited time last season, Wilmoth demonstrated growth as a rim protector, blocking multiple shots against UConn and St. John’s. There’s some potential for Wilmoth as a backup frontcourt piece who can rim-run and stretch the floor, something the Pride have not rostered at the five spot in either of Claxton’s first two seasons at the helm.
Fifth-year returnee Bryce Washington and JUCO addition Eric Parnell are likely to be Claxton’s top backcourt bench pieces.
Averaging about eleven minutes-per-game last season, Washington thrived in Hofstra’s offense by providing space (34.7 3P%) for Estrada and Thomas to attack in the open court. Expect Washington to reprise that role next season.
In his first season at Eastern Florida Community College, the 6’3 Parnell was a knockdown perimeter weapon, averaging 2.5 three-pointers per game at nearly 40%. Approximately four-fifths of his shot attempts were from deep, so considering Claxton’s perimeter-driven offense, Parnell should fit in smoothly.
The nine players above are expected to play the majority of minutes this season, but sophomores 6’9 forward Christian Tomasco and 6’5 wing Griffin Barrouk, along with 6’4 redshirt freshman Khalil Farmer and 6’3 true freshman KiJan Robinson look to be part of Hofstra’s future down the road.
Of these four, Hofstra faced the toughest competition recruiting both Farmer and Robinson. Out of Roman Catholic High School in Philadelphia, Farmer picked Hofstra over a dozen local mid-majors while Robinson was recruited by St. Bonaventure, La Salle, Murray State and others.
With a strong returning core and a successful replenishment of the frontcourt, Hofstra, along with Charleston and UNCW, are amongst the top title contenders in the CAA and are poised for another 20+ win season.
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