With Shema at Full Strength, Iona's Rotations Begin to Get Clearer

 With eight NCAA tournament selections over the last dozen years, Iona fans have understandably become accustomed to excellence. 

That being said, the program’s fan base has had its patience tested early this season as Tobin Anderson is navigating his first year at Iona with an entirely new roster as the Gaels are learning to play together on the fly.

Coupled with the fact that fifth-year returnee Osborn Shema, last year’s defensive dynamo and offensive unicorn, missed the first twelve games of the season due to a leg injury, Iona’s early season rotations were greener than many expected, as freshmen Dylan Saunders and Sultan Adewale shared the center position while Shema was on the mend. 

Over the first five games after Shema’s return, Tobin Anderson’s starting lineups stayed consistent, but following a two-game schneid following their return to MAAC conference play, freshman guard Jean Aranguren replaced sharpshooter Wheza Panzo in the starting lineup. So far, the switch has proven to be shrewd, as the Gaels are amidst a two game winning streak after double-digit home victories against Mount St. Mary’s and Canisius. 

While Shema provides intimidating defense along with his unselfishness and versatility on offense, Iona’s new look starting lineup is quicker and and moves the ball more freely in a three-guard look with Joel Brown, Idan Tretout and Jean Aranguren all possessing the ability to create scoring and distributing opportunities off the dribble while Greg Gordon brings his yeoman’s spirit and crafty ability under the boards. 

One after-effect of this new starting lineup has been increased production and efficiency from Iona’s veteran guard duo of Brown and Tretout.

After a rough three-game stretch in mid-December, Tretout has averaged 14.2 points, 3.0 assists and just 0.8 turnovers per game over the last six. Over the same stretch, Joel Brown has supplemented his consistent defensive game by finally finding an offensive rhythm, shooting 54.5% from inside the arc while amassing seven times more assists than turnovers. 

Concurrently during the veteran duo’s December slump, Aranguren played his best basketball by scoring twenty or more points twice late in the non-conference schedule. Like Brown and Tretout, Aranguren brings good size and length to the backcourt. He is contributing at a promising two-way level that is well-ahead of his preseason forecast. So far over his young career, Aranguren is Iona’s most efficient shot maker, and like Brown, Tretout and Gordon, he can also swipe steals aplomb. 

Even with a move to the bench, Panzo’s shift should not be seen as a demotion, as the grad transfer has averaged 14 points and 27 minutes-per-game off the bench over the last two games. Few have a sweeter stroke than Panzo, and his ability to score in bunches makes him a premier lightning rod for a quick bucket off the bench and an energizer of the second unit, providing valuable spacing for Shema inside and also the overall synergy in Coach Anderson’s five out motion offense. 

Following Shema’s return, Dylan Saunders and Isaac Brice have faded deeper down the bench, but freshmen Jeremiah Quigley and Sultan Adewale have remained essential bench weapons as the team has gotten healthier. 

While he needs to increase his strength in order to convert at a healthier clip at the rim, Jeremiah Quigley has all of the makings of an elite end-game closer thanks to his clever ability to draw contact and convert regularly at the charity stripe. In fact, Quigley’s 95% free-throw percentage currently ranks top in the MAAC. Consistently playing close to starter’s minutes off-the-bench, Quigley is an easy call for steady minutes as he plays effectively with a variety of rotations. 

In his new bench role, Adewale has become an energizer bunny on defense and like Gordon, rebounds well for his size. In Friday’s win over Canisius, Adewale was essential in spelling Shema and helped limit low-post opportunities for the Golden Griffins’ Frank Mitchell, who managed just six field goal attempts, which tied for his lowest total in twelve games.

After a five-game absence, grad transfer Terrell Williams has slowly worked his way back in the rotation. He has struggled throughout the season, but Williams was a consistently solid offensive performer at Southern University, where he finished three straight seasons amongst the top-fifteen in the SWAC in Offensive Rating, according to KenPom. If Williams can shake off his early season slump, it would not surprise if he becomes an ace up Anderson’s sleeve as a slasher, rim-attacker and spacer with size off the bench. 

Sitting at 8-9 and with a .500 record in MAAC play, Iona is currently on the outside looking in while Fairfield, Quinnipiac and Saint Peter’s stand strongly atop the conference standings, combining for a 15-and-4 record on MAAC play. That being said, with eight weeks until the MAAC conference tournament, health, efficiency and better synergy has Iona trending in the right direction.