Siena on hold once again
Person with positive test results in another pause; two games at Fairfield off
Saints postpone first two games because of a positive COVID -19 test by someone in the program./
Siena men’s basketball coach Carmen Maciariello said he had to close his eyes, meditate and take a deep breath at the thought of another coronavirus-induced shutdown.
Just imagine how his players feel after their latest disappointment.
The Saints had to postpone their opening two games at Fairfield on
Friday and Saturday because of a positive COVID -19 test by someone in the program, the school announced Tuesday.
Siena already served a two-week quarantine, following Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, state and county guidelines, from Nov. 13 to 26 after two positive tests, including one belonging to star Jalen Pickett.
Now the Saints go into another pause without a definite end date as they wait to hear from the Albany County Department of Health. Siena said the latest positive test belonged to someone among the program's Tier 1 personnel, which includes players, coaches and support staff. Siena spokesman Mike Demos declined to confirm if it was a player.
The school said it notified the county and is adhering to the state and college’s COVID -19 protocols. The individual who tested positive has been isolated and appropriate Tier 1 contacts have been quarantined, according to Siena.
“The mental toll this takes on our players, being in a room with just a laptop and not a chance to even open their door and go for a
walk and they ’ve had a negative test, that’s really frustrating,” Maciariello, quarantining at home, said on a media conference call. “I tell the guys we just have to stay the course and this is just another obstacle, a hurdle to overcome and we’ve got to control what we can control. Our mindset and how we come out of this is going to determine how our season goes.”
Siena gets tested for COVID three times a week, per NCAA guidelines - usually Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Maciariello said those in the program were taking all the proper precautions to avoid another infection.
The Siena-fairfield games will likely be rescheduled for the MAAC’S COVID makeup week Feb. 22-27, MAAC commissioner Rich Ensor said.
It was unclear whether Siena will also have to postpone their home opening weekend against Canisius on Dec. 18 and 19 at the Alumni Recreation Center.
Siena is still waiting to play its first game after its nonconference schedule was wiped out by COVID pauses and cancellations.
Maciariello also wondered about the inconsistency of COVID protocols, even in his own state. The Syracuse men’s basketball team was still able to play Niagara last week even after a walk-on player tested positive and starter Buddy Boeheim (son of head coach Jim Boeheim) had to quarantine because of contact tracing.
Syracuse and other Atlantic Coast Conference teams wear wristwatch-type devices that measure close contact during practice and have been approved by the Onondaga County Health Department.
Maciariello said he raised the issue of the MAAC getting similar devices months ago, though it wasn’t clear if Albany County would approve them.
Ensor said those devices are limited in their effectiveness because they don’t contact trace when players are away from
basketball activities and in the general public.
“It is costly and, frankly, we didn’t know if it would give us enough coverage to make it worthwhile for us to use it,” Ensor said.
MAAC guidelines call for everyone in a team’s Tier 1 group to quarantine for two weeks if anyone tests positive. Albany County protocol also include 14 days for contacts of a positive case.
“We just want a uniform standard within the conference that everyone is abiding by,” Ensor said. “It’s really that simple. Everyone understands what the rules are generally.”
While they wait, Maciariello said the players are assigned motivational books to read and core workouts to perform in their rooms. It’s a routine to which they are accustomed. Some of these players are quarantining for a fourth time since last March.
Siena won the MAAC regular-season title a year ago, only to have the league and NCAA tournaments canceled by the pandemic. Then the Saints weren’t able to have summer workouts on campus.
“I’d be lying if I wasn’t frustrated, but I feel more bad for our players,” Maciariello said. “All the different things they ’ve had taken away from them, and now to have this put upon them and they ’re doing everything they need to be doing.”