Gallagher Calls Old "Neighbors" to Help Build Manhattan's New Backcourt

 When former Hartford Hawks head coach John Gallagher was first hired by Manhattan in March, it was safe to assume that some of his former players with remaining eligibility would follow their former head coach, fleeing Hartford’s imminent transition from Division 1 to Division 3.

However, when DeJuan Clayton, who started his collegiate career at Coppin State in 2016, received a waiver earlier in September to play for Manhattan, Gallagher completed his first recruiting class that now features three former Hawks.

“DeJuan is a veteran guard who has tons of experience,” says Briggs McClain, Hartford’s scoring and steals leader who was the first Hawk to commit to Manhattan, “He’s an elite scorer from all the levels and someone you want to play with.” 

Playing just two games at Hartford during the 2021-22 season, Clayton and McClain developed a relationship that will continue to flourish this season. “When we were at Hartford together, we gelled on and off the court real quick,” McClain adds. 

“With him being much older than me, I looked to him kind of as a big brother. We’re both lefties, so being in the gym with him, taking different parts of his game and implementing them into mine was a big part of allowing me to feel more comfortable in games as an underclassman.”

Southpaws Clayton and McClain are expected to start for Manhattan’s backcourt, with McClain’s shooting ability meshing nicely with Clayton’s ability to break down the defense and create offense.

“Dejuan is elite at getting downhill in transition to score or create for others,” says John Auslander, Clayton’s assistant coach at Coppin State, “he has a very good feel and IQ on both ends of the court.”

Injuries have been a factor in Clayton’s last three seasons but “he was extremely productive and impactful during his time at Coppin State,” adds Auslander, “In his final year at Coppin State, the 2020-21 Season, he was First Team All-MEAC and helped lead Coppin State to their first MEAC regular season championship since 2003-04.”

The 2020-21 season was Clayton’s best, averaging 14.9 points, 5.2 assists and 1.6 steals per game, along with the fourteenth highest free-throw rate in the nation, per Kenpom.com. 

Clayton and McClain will be two of the five upperclassmen on Manhattan’s roster, but incoming sophomore and Hartford transfer Lorenzo Washington will allow Gallagher to apply one of his best traits: mentorship and an ability to develop talent.

“Playing for Coach Gal, he only gives you confidence,” says McClain,  “I believe that I’ve grown so much in my ability to score the ball from all three levels – just being able to go out and play my game. When a coach believes in his guys the way that Gal does, it makes the game a lot easier.”

Washington, who was originally recruited by Gallagher’s staff before Gallagher resigned from Hartford, is the third recruit with Hartford ties and one of the many young pieces who Gallagher will develop to hopefully be a part of Manhattan’s next wave of talent.

“He’s a quick, scrappy point guard,” McClain says of Washington, “Great vision and very unselfish. He’s got a solid mid-range game and can hit the three.”

If Clayton stays healthy, Washington will compete with fellow sophomores Shaquil Bender and Brett Rumpel for backup minutes at point. 

Hartford’s program was dubbed “The Neighborhood” under Coach Gallagher. When he needed reinforcements to lead Manhattan’s newest chapter, he called on former Hawks McClain, Clayton and Washington to help build the new look backcourt. 

One Question That Will Determine the Season for Your Favorite MAAC Team: 2023-24

 Like most mid-major conferences, the MAAC will look completely different this season after only two of the fifteen All-MAAC selections remain with their original schools. This league-wide parity makes for a wide range of volatility within the conference, so much so that one factor could make or break a team’s season.

In this piece, I’ll take a look at each team in the MAAC and highlight one factor that will most affect their season.

Canisius - Can the New Frontcourt Deliver?

Under head coach Reggie Witherspoon, Canisius has been known for its offense that moves the ball well, pushes the tempo, shoots smoothly and limits turnovers. Throughout the last four seasons, Jacco Fritz, who was arguably the best passing big in the MAAC, was the perfect center to compliment this style.

This year, Fritz has decided to take his final year of eligibility at Hofstra, while backup big George Maslennikov no longer has eligibility, leaving Witherspoon to weave in a brand new frontcourt amongst a well jelled group of guards and forwards.

My breakout pick for Canisius is Buffalo native and graduate of Buffalo’s Orangeville Prep, Joe Jones III. After injuries derailed his 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons, the 6’10 230 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.

If he can stay healthy, Jones III will provide Canisius with a steady low-post presence that is much needed after the team allowed a way too high 51% on two-point attempts during conference play.

The biggest threat to Jones III’s starting role is Jacco Fritz’s younger brother, Youri, a 6’9 190 sophomore who played in ten games before a knee injury ended his freshman campaign. Thankfully, Fritz’s knee healed in time to play for The Netherlands during the FIBA U20 Division B European Championship, where he averaged 5.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game. With his slight frame, Fritz will have a challenge guarding down low against some of the larger centers in the conference, but he is expected to continue to develop and contribute this season. 

Toronto native and redshirt sophomore Frank Mitchell sat out last year due to NCAA transfer rules, but was a star at Humber College in Toronto where the 6’8 240 big averaged 14.5 points and 18.0 rebounds per game in his freshman season. Naturally, the jump from Canadian collegiate basketball to the MAAC is a challenge, but Mitchell’s physicality, frame and rebounding prowess will, at the very least, help him compete for a backup role alongside Fritz and Jones III.

Fairfield - Can the New Frontcourt Deliver?

This offseason, the exodus of Supreme Cook (Georgetown), Chris Maidoh (Stony Brook) and Makai Willis (Louisiana-Monroe) forced Coach Young and his staff to completely rebuild the frontcourt in short order, a task that did not get solidified until later in the summer, but the results could be well worth the wait.

Committing in mid-July, New Mexico transfer Birima Seck, an athletic and toolsy power forward,  was the first frontcourt pickup.

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. A former soccer player, Seck has the speed to run the floor and the agility to create problems for defenders, especially with his ability to comfortably shoot from the elbow. An active defender, Seck’s length, focus and motor allows him to block shots and rebound with ease.

A month after Seck committed, Fairfield made its of the biggest splash of the offseason by adding former South Florida and Seton Hall power forward Alexis Yetna, a 6’8 230 Parisian who honed his craft prior to his collegiate career at the powerhouse Putnam Science Academy.

Still rehabbing from a knee injury that caused him to miss all of last season, the staff has yet to set a timetable for Yetna’s return, but there is hope he will be ready by November. 

Prior to his injury, Yetna was a consistently physical force on the offense, most notably under the offensive glass, averaging 10.2 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, including nearly three offensive boards per game, throughout his career. 

Proficient at putting back second chance opportunities, Yetna is also a capable shooter from the elbow and beyond, converting 63 three-pointers throughout his career at a 30% rate. If Yetna can stay on the floor, he has the toolbox to finish the season as the Stags’ most valuable weapon. 

Assuming full health, it would appear that Yetna and Seck could either make up a dynamic tandem at the 5, or considering their diverse offensive skill sets, can even share time on the floor together. 

Should injuries affect Yetna or Seck, freshman big Peyton Smith would have to be forced into a rotational role while stretch forward Michael Rogan will likely play more minutes at the 4.

Iona - How Will the New Pieces Jell?

Following his Cinderella rookie season at FDU, Iona’s hiring of Tobin Anderson was unanimously deemed a slam dunk after Rick Pitino moved on to take on the head coaching position at St. John’s.

In the wake of that transition, Anderson and his staff did the meracious: build a twelve-man recruiting class without bringing over any of the starters or rotation pieces from FDU, which in turn helped the transition of his previous school under the new leadership of Anderson’s former assistant head coach, and first time head coach, Jack Castleberry.

A makeover of this scale makes it impossible to predict starting lineups, but the bedrock of Iona first and foremost starts with fifth-year forward Osborn Shema. With his two-way ability and threat to shoot from deep (35.9 3P% in nearly two attempts per game), Shema is the clear leader in next season’s squad, easily projected to start every game with increased usage, especially with All-MAAC First Team forward Nelly Junior Joseph transferring to New Mexico, a team that is building a renaissance under the leadership of Richard Pitino. 

Detailed fully in the Iona season preview, the roster is made up of mostly fifth-year veterans and underclassmen.

Amongst the vets, Cal grad transfer Joel Brown and Harvard grad transfer will likely make up the starting backcourt while Stetson grad transfer Wheza Panzo and Southern grad transfer Terrell Williams are a high-efficiency forward duo. Competing for a starting role in the frontcourt is JUCO addition Greg Gordon, a physical wing who projects as the ultimate glue guy.

Amongst their freshmen, Sultan Adewale, Alex Bates and Rodrigo Farias were the most widely recruited. The athletic Adewale is poised to be one of the first bigs off the bench while Alex Bates, a Fordham decommit, is a high IQ shooter with decent size. One of Anderson’s newest additions, Rodrigo Farias, is a reclassified commit originally from the Dominican Republic and was offered by Georgetown, Toledo, Akron and others earlier in his recruitment. 

Overall, Anderson’s forty minutes of press will require him to lean on a deep rotation, especially early on, but expect roles to crystalize as the calendar flips closer to March.

Manhattan - Which Underclassmen Will Step Up?

On the season preview, the focus was on how new head coach John Gallagher will spearhead a shift in offensive philosophy for the Jaspers from Coach Masiello’s focus on attacking the rim to Gallagher’s penchant for the three-point shot.

Former Hartford senior shooting guard Briggs McClain, who led the team in scoring and three-points made, is expected to lead the Jaspers offense, and a late September addition of DaJuan Clayton, who transferred after receiving a waiver for his eighth year of college basketball, should solidify two of the three backcourt starting spots.

Fifth-year returnee Logan Padgett is expected to start one of the forward positions, but Manhattan’s roster features ten underclassmen, making it a distinct possibility that two from this group will start alongside McClain, Clayton and Padgett. 

For more on this group, check the preview, but sophomore guards Raziel Hayun and Shaquil Bender, along with sophomore big Daniel Rouzan are all candidates to start.

 

With such a young roster, a few breakouts will help expedite the rebuilding process in Riverdale and instill hope to Manhattan’s fanbase for the team’s future under Gallagher. 

Marist - Can the Returning Backcourt Take the Next Step?

When grad transfer Patrick Gardner arrived at Poughkeepsie last season after a standout career at St. Michael’s College, few expected him to average 19 points-per-game and become arguably the best three-level offensive big in the MAAC. 

At times, Gardner was simply the only answer for the struggling Marist offense. With Gardner now in the pros, John Dunne and his staff did a nice job adding transfers Max Allen and Jackson Price to share the load at center next year (Allen is my breakout pick for Marist).

However, the MAAC is and has always been a guard-driven league. Marist returns a fair share of guards, led by All-Rookie Team selection Isaiah Brickner, a 6’4 190 point guard who seems to be chiseled from a marble slab that John Dunne sculpted. Brickner is a physical, two-way guard who can defend a variety of positions – but can he lead the offense?

Alongside Brickner, junior guard Noah Harris has vision, but struggles with his shot and defense. Senior Kam Farris was an elite three-point shooter at Robert Morris, but shot under 32% last season. Senior Javon Cooley is a strong perimeter shooter and rebounds well for his size while sophomore Trace Salton has glue guy potential at the 3-guard.

Amongst the incoming freshman, Rutgers prep grad Jadin Collins earned nearly a dozen D1 offers after averaging 20.5 points, nearly 7 boards, 4.7 assists and nearly 4 steals per game in his senior season while Queens native Josh Pascarelli is touted for his shooting. After playing four seasons as a walk-on at Tennessee, Isaiah Sulack is looking to follow in the footsteps of former Monmouth center Walker Miller to become the next high-major walk on to make an impact in the MAAC.

When assessing the landscape, Coach Dunne has a wide array of backcourt options, many of which are foundational pieces of the program’s future. If this group can take a major step forward, improved guard play on offense paired with Dunne’s defensive approach will make Marist a tough program to face in the MAAC.

Mount St. Mary’s - How Will the Offense Adjust Without Jalen Benjamin?

Transferring to Santa Clara over the offseason, Jalen Benjamin was Mount St. Mary’s do-everything point guard after finishing the season with the fourth highest usage rate in the MAAC and a top-40 rate nationally, as well as finishing with twenty or more points in seven of the team’s last twelve games.

The Mountaineers return seven rotation pieces, led by senior shooter Dakota Leffew, but senior point guard Xavier Lipscomb will face the daunting task of stepping in for Benjamin, who followed in the footsteps of another small, ball-dominant guard Damian Chong Qui.

However, Lipscomb is a very different guard. At 6’2 195, Lipscomb is much larger than the 5’10 160 Benjamin and 5’8 155 Chong Qui. With that size, Lipscomb brings more defensive versatility than his predecessors, but lacks elusiveness on offense. 

Rather than expecting Lipscomb to grow into a lead guard, expect head coach Dan Engelstad to adjust with his roster. With Lipscomb as the de facto point guard, Mount St. Mary’s will likely lean on a bigger backcourt that will share the ball more than Engelstad’s previous backcourts. 

Shooting will be a strength since Lipscomb, Leffew and senior returnee Josh Reaves all shoot north of 35% from three while Richmond big guard transfer Malcolm Dread is renowned for his perimeter game. 

Benjamin’s exit might lessen Mount St. Mary’s star power, but could also increase their unpredictability in defensive assignments with a more group-oriented offensive attack. 

Niagara - How Will the New Pieces Jell?

Save for new Iona head coach Tobin Anderson, no one in the MAAC hit the portal harder than Niagara’s head coach Greg Paulus. 

With their former alpha-guard Noah Thomasson transferring to Georgia, starting power forward Aaron Gray to Bradley and three fifth-year rotation pieces graduating, Paulus had to work quickly to find talent to pair alongside part-time starters David Mitchell and Lance Erving, both fifth-year returnees, and senior two-way guard Braxton Bayless.

Niagara’s seven-man transfer haul might not feature one guy who could single-handedly replace Thomasson or last year’s starting center Sam Ioiro, but the group’s breadth could help Niagara become a deeper, more balanced squad.

In the backcourt, Green Bay transfer Randy Tucker is a perimeter weapon with decent size while Ball State Luke Bumbalough struggled last year, but averaged double-digits the previous season. William Penn transfer Malik Edwards was a volume scorer at the NAIA level, but will need to prove doubters to show he can play at this level. 

Grad transfer wing Kwane Marble, from LMU, has flashed three-and-D potential while Louisiana Tech senior transfer Quandre Bullock has some secondary scoring ability and rebounds well. 

Frontcourt addition Yaw Obeng-Mensah is an undersized small ball five with a ton of energy and a nice compliment to Harlan Obioha, a 7’0 280 sophomore who is my breakout pick from the roster and flashed potential as he earned an increase of playing time throughout the season. JUCO addition Aime Rutayisare is a 6’8 230 Aussie with three years of eligibility remaining, and was an efficient interior weapon for Barton Community College.

Despite the change in personnel, expect Paulus to continue his trademark slow tempo and strong interior defense as he strives to continue the steady build of the program under his leadership.

Quinnipiac - Can the New Backcourt Deliver?

Earlier in the spring, I wrote about how new head coach Tom Pecora’s admirable job retaining a large portion of Quinnipiac’s roster, headlined by fifth-year returning guards Matt Balanc (12.0 ppg), Savion Lewis (8.4p, 3.4a before previous injuries) and senior forward Paul Otieno (7.2p, 6.8r, 1.0b). 

The trio makes up the team’s veteran core, but Quinnipiac needed quick help to replace the trio of backcourt outbound transfers: fifth-year eligible guards Tymu Chenery (Binghamton), Dezi Jones (Austin Peay, a All-MAAC Third Team selection) and senior Luis Korthright (Rhode Island), who combined represented about 40% of the team’s total scoring.

Ranked by JUCOrecruiting.com as the 31st best junior college recruit of 2023, Midland College guard Doug Brown has plenty of scoring acumen. The 6’0 senior guard finished last season averaging 20.6 points, 3.1 assists, 4.7 free throw attempts and a 80.3 free throw percentage, which could allow him to immediately fit in as a rim-attacking scoring guard to potentially start alongside Lewis and Balanc. 

Arion Lewis, a 6’3 175 senior transfer from Delaware State will look to challenge Savion Lewis for the starting point guard role. Last season, Lewis did not play for Delaware State, but he averaged 14.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 7.0 assists at Laramie Community College, while also shooting 43% from three. 

The Lewises and Young certainly have potential, but considering that Balanc is the only sure factor in next season’s backcourt, there’s a lot to be proven for this group.

Rider - Can Tariq Ingraham Take the Next Step?

In my season preview for Rider, the theme is centered around their talent, experience and how Coach Baggett has the chops and the roster to become conference champs.

Power forward Mervin James might be the best player in the conference. Allen Powell Jr. is an experienced veteran guard who can lead the offense. Senior guard Corey McKeithan is one of the best backcourt defenders in the league. UMass transfer TJ Weeks could be a dangerous weapon and is a very strong bet to finish the season as a double-digit scorer. His brother, Tyriek, was a stat-stuffer at Miami Wade JC and can help in a variety of ways. 

Some combination of these five will make up four spots in the starting lineup. The missing piece? A starting center.

The table is set for former three-star recruit and Wake Forest transfer Tariq Ingraham to seize the starting center role for the first time in his career. A variety of medical issues forced Ingraham to play just three games across his first two seasons at Wake, but Ingraham finally stayed healthy last year.

Overall, Ingraham’s minutes were initially inconsistent, but he started the last fourteen games of the season. 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. 

If the 6’9 255 center can continue to stay healthy and sustain success with an increased role, Rider could challenge Iona as the most complete roster in the MAAC.

Saint Peter’s - Can the New Backcourt Deliver?

Back in May, Saint Peter’s head coach Bashir Mason was in the midst of a major retooling of the backcourt following the graduation of leading scorer Isaiah Dasher and the team’s most efficient three-point shooter Jaylen Saddler, but were gut-punched that same month when Jaylen Murray, a three-star recruit who was previously recruited by Texas Tech, Seton Hall and a variety of A-10 and MAAC schools, announced his entry into the transfer portal, eventually landing with Chris Beard at Ole Miss. 

Physical 6’3 two-way point guard Latrell Reid, who led the team in steals, assists and was second only to Mouhamed Sow in rebounds, returns for his extra year of eligibility while aggressive defender Brent Bland will continue to play a key role off the bench in his sophomore season. Both guards bring grit and defense, making it natural that Mason focused much of his offseason on replenishing the offense. 

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% last season.

Jaheim Tanksley, a 5’10 160 incoming junior from Moberly Area Community College, can score in a variety of ways. Last season, Tanksley averaged 16.6 points and 5.5 free throw attempts per game while averaging a 32.0 3P% and dishing 2.8 assists per game. An undersized combo guard, Tanksley’s scoring ability could force him into the starting lineup alongside Reid and even spell Reid of point-guard duties when Reid is on the bench. 

Roy Clarke, a 6’4 210 grad transfer who averaged 6.2 points, 2.3 assists and a 32.5 three-point percentage in 26.5 minutes per game for St. Francis College in Brooklyn was a former standout at West LA College, where he showcased his two-way ability averaging 1.7 steals and nearly a block per game. Clarke has the versatility and physicality to contribute at a variety of positions next season.

Later in the offseason, Mason’s backcourt additions added youth and breakout potential. Camden High grad and Austin Peay transfer Elijah Perkins was a three-star recruit out of high school and earned regular rotation minutes his freshman season while freshman Armoni Zeigler had multiple offers out of Our Savior Lutheran, including Nebraska and Bryant. Considering the lack of proven scoring options in the backcourt, it is not out of the question that either or both underclassmen could force their way into prominent roles in short order. 

With its mix of veterans and younger options, Saint Peter’s has one of the more intriguing backcourts to follow their development.

Siena - Which Underclassmen Will Step Up?

Same question as Manhattan, but with a much different context – in four years, Carm Maciariello has guided Siena to return as one of the most consistent programs in the MAAC. However, graduations from last year’s veteran-laden team, plus the transfers of sophomores Javian McCollum (Oklahoma) and Jared Billups (George Mason) has left Maciariello with his greenest roster in his tenure. 

Case in point, Austin Peay transfer Sean Durugordon, whose eligibility waiver is pending, is the only upperclassman on the roster, with MAAC Rookie of the Year Michael Eley, along with sophomores Zek Tekin and Killian Gribben, as the only returning rotation members from last year. 

Eley has the skill and mindset to quickly become Siena’s alpha scoring guard, especially after averaging about thirteen points and two three-pointers per game, along with an efficient 50 2P% and nearly 40 3P%, throughout the final eight games of the season. 

A 6’10 stretch forward from Ireland, Killian Gribben averaged just ten minutes-per-game last season, but was a double-double machine this summer during the FIBA U20 Division B European Championship, averaging 13.0 points, 10.7 rebounds and 4.1 blocks per game. In his freshman season at Siena, Gribben averaged about a three-point attempt per game, but needs to work on his accuracy to become a legitimate perimeter threat. 

Zek Tekin, a 6’2 point guard from Turkey, has the makeup to step in this season as an aggressive, two-way guard whose length should be an asset on Coach Carm’s notoriously potent perimeter defense. 

Outside of this trio, 6’10 270 Sam Houston State transfer Giovanni Emejuru provides an enticing frame and a low post presence while freshmen guards Brayln Smith, who was once offered by LSU, and Michael Evbagharu, a physical 6’4 212 specimen from Toronto who averaged a double-double in high school, are two new additions to look to make an immediate impact. 

All in all, with their collective youth and Coach Carm’s ability to develop talent will make Siena one of the more exciting MAAC programs to follow this season.

King Rice Keeps it in the Family to Boost Monmouth's Offense

 Last season, the CAA’s newly minted members – Stony Brook, Monmouth and Hampton – all finished within the bottom-four of their new conference’s standings, proving the challenge many teams face while transferring up in the current maelstrom of conference realignment. 

In the previous decade, Monmouth head coach King Rice steadily built up the program into one of the most respected in the MAAC. Typical Monmouth teams feature a pesky, turnover-oriented defense that ignites their quick-paced offense that highlights athletes’ breakdown ability.

In the 2021-22 season, fifth-year guards George Papas and Shavar Reynolds fit that offensive mold perfectly, but their graduation along with Marcus McClary, Walker Miller and Samuel Chaput quickly transformed a team with the ninth most Division 1 experience into the eighth least experienced team last season, per KenPom.com. 

The 2022-23 Monmouth Hawks still generated turnovers and were still effective on defense, but that lack of experience made it difficult to build synergy on offense. Boiling it down, the Hawks missed too many shots (4th lowest field goal percentage in the nation) and generated too many turnovers (32nd highest turnover rate in the nation). 

Monmouth’s lack of shooters made their offense attack predictable: with just a quarter of their shot attempts from three (fourth lowest 3PA/FGA rate in the nation), defenses packed it in and were able to focus more on help coverage when the ball kicked out to the perimeter. 

Despite their struggles, the returning core has value. Senior big Klemen Vuga is stout under the basket; senior point guard Jakari Spence brings energy and can guard the opponent’s best ball-handler; two-way sophomore guard Jack Collins is the team’s most prolific scorer; senior Jack Holmstrom and sophomore Andrew Ball possess stretch potential; Sophomore power forward Jaret Valencia is an electric athlete.

What was missing? A guard that can carry the team. 

Fortunately for Monmouth, Coach Rice had the inside track to a talented, veteran guard who was very familiar with the coaching staff: his son Xander. 

A full-time starting guard for Bucknell over the last three seasons, Xander gained prominence as one of the best guards in the Patriot League, earning an All-Patriot League Third Team selection last season after averaging 14.1 points, 3.8 assists and 2.2 three-pointers made per game. Not only does Rice let it fly from three: his 39.1 3P% across the last three seasons should give him green light whenever open on the perimeter.

Rice can contribute in a variety of ways: he is a much-needed alpha guard who can create his own offense, find the open man and attack the rim. His three-level scoring, especially from deep, will not only provide Monmouth with a reliable perimeter option, but Xander’s presence focuses the defense on him, thus opening up perimeter options for Collins, Ball and Holmstrom, Monmouth’s best returning perimeter scorers. 

Xander Rice is not the only transfer addition looking to add a jolt in Monmouth’s offense: Evansville transfer Gabe Spinelli, a 6’2 sophomore originally from Watertown, Mass., fits the guard profile Coach Rice fancies: an assertive combo guard who can contribute in a variety of ways. 

Spinelli needs to limit his turnovers (4.8 turnovers per 40), but he was an efficient scorer inside the arc (47.8 2P% and about 90% of his field goal attempts were two-point attempts). Spinelli is expected to compete with returning reserve guards Jayden Doyle and Sam Fagan for bench backcourt minutes. 

Over time, Rice has proven that he is not afraid to play freshmen, so incoming wing Cornelius Robinson is one freshman who has the versatility, toughness and competitiveness to assert himself to an immediate role. Originally committing to Albany, Robinson possesses a college-ready 6’5 220 frame and a winning pedigree playing alongside five-star recruits DJ Wagner and Aaron Bradshaw at Camden High. 

Tulsa grad transfer Nikita Kontstantynovskyi will compete with returning sophomore Amaan Sandhu for backup center minutes behind Vuga. Redshirting last year due to injury, the 6’10 240 Ukraine native is a classic, low-post big who rebounds and defends under the rim, keeping his game simple and limiting mistakes.

Considering that last season’s 1-20 start was quelled by a respectable 6-6 finish, the maturation of Monmouth’s ten returnees and the fortification of talent led by Xander Rice should make it fair to expect the Hawks to at least double their win total last season. 

A Team From Each Local Mid-Major Conference Primed for Rebound 2023-24

 America East: Maine

Last year’s record: 13-17

Rookie head coach Chris Markwood quietly led Maine to one of the best first-year efforts in the nation after the Black Bears finished their first double-digit win season in a decade.

The biggest shift under Markwood has been the defense: anchored by Montana State transfer Kellen Tynes, the nation’s steals leader and reigning America East Defensive Player of the Year, Maine finished with the fifth highest steal rate in the nation. Tynes, sophomore guard Jaden Clayton, fifth-year returnee Ja’shonte Wright-McLeish and junior forward Kristians Feierbergs all return to the starting lineup and combined to average nearly seven-and-a-half steals per game.

To help bolster the offense, Maine added transfers Okay Djamgouz (6’5 from Drake), Quion Burns (6’6 from LIU) and AJ Lopez (6’5 from New Hampshire), all of which are shooters with size – all averaged 35%+ from three – while 6’10 Manhattan grad transfer Adam Cisse will help remedy Maine’s offensive rebounding woes. 

With their returning core solidifying the defense and the transfer additions adding depth, Maine is a dark horse top-three program in the America East, should one of Bryant or UMass Lowell falter.

Atlantic 10: St. Bonaventure

Last year’s record: 14-18

Heralded as one of the most under-appreciated coaches in college basketball, Mark Schmidt was faced last year with an unprecedented challenge of replacing 99.8% of the scoring from the past year. This massive overhaul resulted in the Bonnies finishing with its worst season in fifteen years, caused mostly by the least efficient offense during Schimidt’s tenure. 

Considering this, it is a testament to the standards of St. Bonaventure under Schmidt: a 14-18 overall record and a 8-10 slate in conference play feels like a failure, when in actuality isn’t all that bad.

Last season had its share of high points: Daryl Banks III (15.4 ppg) earned an All-Conference Third Team selection, Chad Venning (12.7 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.4 bpg) had a career year and is now one of the most steady big men in the conference, Yann Farrell earned an All-Rookie team selection providing rebounding and shooting to the power forward position and Moses Flowers (9.3 ppg, 36.7 3P%) was an efficient scorer off the bench.

A weak point of the offense can be pointed at junior point guard Kyrell Luc. An excellent defender and creative passer, Luc’s inefficient shooting (38.2 2P%, 30.4 3P%) combined with his team leading usage rate resulted with too many possessions one-and-done. 

To bolster their backcourt, the Bonnies hit the portal and added grad transfers Mika Adams-Woods from Cincinnati and Charles Pride from Bryant. 

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

Adams-Woods’ ability to play both guard positions puts Kyrell Luc’s role as the cemented full-time point guard in jeopardy.

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. 

All in all, the Bonnies are now rich with a quintet of veteran guards that Schmidt now has the luxury to mix and match depending on the game situation, which will allow Schmidt to lengthen his traditionally short rotations.

CAA: Stony Brook

Last year’s record: 11-22

After coaching Stony Brook to a solid 47-38 overall record across their final three seasons in the America East, Geno Ford expected former Sacred Heart point guard Aaron Clarke to help lead the Seawolves as they entered their first season in the CAA. 

However, a back injury sidelined Clarke for all but three games, forcing freshman Tony Onyekonwu and sophomore Kaine Roberts to share the starting load. As a result, the pair combined to average nearly four turnovers per game, which was a major catalyst to the team finishing with the second least efficient offense in the conference.

This season, expect the Seawolves to start an all fifth-year eligible backcourt that will feature last year’s leading scorer Tyler Stephenson-Moore (14.3 ppg), Clarke (16.0 ppg, 4.1 apg in his final season at Sacred Heart) and Cornell transfer Dean Noll, who redshirted last year after averaging 10.3 points, 2.7 assists and just 1.5 assists in his final season at Cornell. Onyekonwu will be back as likely the first guard off the bench while Roberts chose to forego his remaining eligibility to go pro. 

Seven-footer Keenan Fitzmorris, last year’s starting center (9.8 ppg, 3.9 rpg), is likely to be the fourth fifth-year eligible in the starting lineup while Central Connecticut transfer Andre Snoddy is a nightly double-double threat who will help offset the loss of Frankie Policelli after he decided to take his extra year of eligibility at Charleston, the program that ended Stony Brook’s season in the conference quarterfinals. 

Last season, the CAA’s newly minted members – Stony Brook, Monmouth and Hampton – all finished within the bottom-four of the conference standings, proving the challenge of transferring up from their respective previous homes, but few teams in the CAA have the veteran breadth of Stony Brook. It would not surprise if the Seawolves finish the season around the middle of the pack. 

Ivy: Columbia

Last year’s record: 7-22

Prior to taking over Columbia’s head coaching position in the 2016-17 season, Jim Engles led NJIT to a Great West Conference regular season championship and finished his tenure with two consecutive twenty win seasons. However, across Engles’ seven seasons at Columbia, the Lions have yet to win more than eleven wins in a season and have won less than thirty percent of their games. 

Despite their struggles on the court, Engles and his staff have quietly built up some of the strongest recruiting classes in the Ivy league. Across the last three offseasons, Columbia has reeled in five three-star recruits, according to the 247 database, three of which started for the Lions last season, along with freshman center Zine Eddine Bedri. 

The headliner from the 2022 recruiting class is Northfield Mount Hermon graduate Avery Brown, a 6’4 point guard who is Columbia’s highest ranked and most heavily recruited prospect in recent memory. Offered by nine high-major programs earlier in his recruitment, Brown started every game as a true freshman. Averaging close to ten points per game, Brown needs to limit his turnovers, but he possesses the length, strength and talent to develop as one of the top guards in the Ivy. 

Brown’s high school teammate Blair Thompson is a 6’7 wing whose 30.5 3P% seems like an aberration after Thompson developed throughout high school as one of the better three-and-D prospects in the 2022 recruiting class. 

The highlight of the 2021 class is Dominican Republic native Geronimo Rubio de la Rosa, a 6’2 combo guard who led the Lions in points, rebounds and steals while making impressive strides in his offensive efficiency (50.5 2P%, 37.0 3P%, 88.8 FT%, 1.9 turnovers per game). He joined the Lions alongside three-star wing Noah Robledo, who has battled injuries but has shot 38% from three throughout his career.

Also from Northfield Mount Hermon, Richard Nweke, is the most touted recruit from the 2023 class. A 6’8 three-star prospect, Nweke is renowned for his aggressiveness, rebounding and defense, all attributes that will provide balance to the program.

Combining the overall talent and Engles’ winning history at NJIT, the 2023-24 season is primed for Columbia to finally take the next step and surprise this season.

MAAC: Canisius 

Last year’s record: 10-20

Vaunted basketball analyst Ken Pomeroy has attempted to create an objective metric for a team’s “luck” based on a team’s overall record compared to the expected record generated from his famed website Kenpom.com. 

According to that source, only 22 teams in the NCAA had worse “luck” than Canisius, namely due to the fact that eight of their twenty losses were by five or less points. 

Bad luck, and more importantly, the fact that the Golden Griffins were one of the few teams in the conference least affected by the transfer portal, makes Canisius a prime team to surprise in the MAAC. 

Overall, five players who started ten or more games return and leading the Golden Griffins is sophomore point guard Tahj Staveskie, a surprisingly complete guard considering his relative lack of experience. If his three-point shot improves (30.1 3P%), an All-MAAC selection will soon be on the horizon. 

Last year’s leading scorer Jordan Henderson and steady bench weapon Jamir Moultrie both graduate, but the Golden Griffins are rich with returning guards and wings to sustain the synergy of head coach Reggie Witherspoon’s offensive style that is centered around swift and secure ball movement and strong shooting. 

With Jacco Fritz, who was arguably the best passing big in the MAAC, transferring to Hofstra and George Maslennikov graduating, Canisius’ upside could lie in their new look frontcourt that will feature Jacco’s younger brother, Youri, and Georgia State transfer Joe Jones III, a Buffalo native who battled injuries throughout his career, but brings defensive intensity and a steady low-post presence. Jones III is one of my breakout picks in the conference.

NEC: Central Connecticut

Last year’s record: 10-22

Central Connecticut State Blue Devils proudly hang banners celebrating their past – most recently during the Howie Dickenman era that is highlighted by three tournament appearances, with their most recent NEC championship back in 2007 – but Detrick Gymnasium pines for updated additions to their historic accolades. 

Playing in a conference with different tournament champions in each of the last six years, with four departing and three incoming schools in that same interim, parity in the Northeast Conference is expected. 

That being said, combining the retention of talent and the addition of exciting new pieces, CCSU has a very strong shot to bring the NEC crown back to the Nutmeg State. 

Entering his third year at the helm, current head coach Patrick Sellers has brought hope back to the Blue Devils’ faithful, guiding the Blue Devils to their best conference record in nearly a decade.

In his first season at CCSU after transferring from Binghamton, Kellen Amos was an instant success in New Britain, scoring 24 points in his season debut against UMass. At 6’7 190, Amos played most of his minutes at the 3, and will look to reprise the same role this upcoming season.

Renowned for his offensive abilities, Amos’ greatest attribute is his shooting, finishing last year with a 53.9 2P% and 35.2 3P%, however Amos has the length and instincts to attack the rim, evident by his 63.2% conversion rate at the rim, which included 31 dunks this season and set alley-oop plays in the half-court set. 

Simply put, Amos’ offensive impact is clear as day: in conference play, when Amos was on the floor, CCSU scored 104.2 points/100 possessions compared to just 94.8 points when Amos was off the court. 

With increased strength, toughness and commitment to playing on defense, Amos can continue to grow into a pure five-tool contributor. 

While Andre Snoddy 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 part-time starter throughout his first three seasons, Jeanne-Rose broke out in his senior season starting every game, 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 and a strong 55.5 2P% and 74 FT%.

Simply put, the forward combo of Jeanne-Rose and Amos will be the Blue Devils’ strength. Don’t be surprised if the duo average for a combined thirty points per game and finish as All-NEC selections en route to the Blue Devils’ best season under Sellers. 

Patriot: Holy Cross

Last year’s record: 10-22

Recency bias makes it hard to imagine any other team besides Colgate winning consistently in the Patriot League, but throughout the early aughts, Ralph Willard led the Holy Cross Crusaders to four Patriot League Championships. 

Since Willard’s retirement after the 2008-09 season, Holy Cross has finished with just one winning season and is currently looking to climb above their current nadir after Brett Nelson meekly led the program to only 27 wins over the last four seasons.

In his place, Holy Cross hired former Bucknell coach Dave Paulsen, who led the Bison as they began their ascension as the kings of the Patriot following Willard’s retirement, earning two tournament bids and a 78-25 overall record between the 2010-11 and 2012-13 seasons. 

After seven years at Bucknell and a six-year stint at George Mason, Paulsen was most recently an assistant at Fordham before returning back to the helm with Holy Cross. 

Under Nelson, the Crusaders offense sputtered, namely due to the team eschewing a consistent perimeter game despite double-digit scorers Will Batchelder, Joe Octave and Bo Montgomery all shooting north of 34% from three. All three return, as well as starting wing Caleb Kenney.

Colgate still remains the cream of the conference and Lehigh has patiently built up their current core, but expect Paulsen to coach up the returning and new pieces in Worcester.