ALL HANDS ON DECK
Pirates lose treasured seniors, but are set up for steady seas in future
WICHITA, Kan. — The cement has been poured down and dried. The foundation is set. Now comes the hard part for Seton Hall: Building upon the past three years without the players that returned the program to relevance.
As a new era arrives in South Orange, as Ismael Sanogo, Desi Rodriguez, Khadeen Carrington and Angel Delgado leave a legacy of grit, determination and consistency behind, here are five things to watch as coach Kevin Willard looks to build on the momentum from Seton Hall’s first NCAA Tournament victory in 14 years and three consecutive trips to the Big Dance.
The Free Agent
It’s easy to forget that Mike Nzei was actually part of the stellar 2014 recruiting class. He came in with the heralded group, and redshirted as a freshman, giving him one year of eligibility remaining. Keeping him is vital. He will graduate with his classmates, making him eligible to be a graduate transfer.
The workmanlike and low-maintenance 6-foot-8 forward from Nigeria would be very popular on the open market, and extremely valuable to Seton Hall if he stays, not only with his two-way ability and rebounding skills, but in terms of leadership and experience. He’s Willard’s most important recruit. Teaming Nzei with freshman Sandro Mamukelashvili, Syracuse transfer Taurean Thompson and 7foot junior college transfer Romaro Gill would give Seton Hall a formidable frontcourt.
Passing the torch
There is a young core to build around. After Saturday’s loss, all the seniors said the team now belongs to Myles Powell, a sharpshooting sophomore guard who won the Big East’s Most Improved Player award. Powell has the Type-A personality to lead, and the guts to be the go-to guy. And he has two freshman teammates — athletically gifted wing Myles Cale and the versatile Mamukelashvili, who demonstrated promise by keying the late-season surge when Rodriguez and Sanogo were dealing with injuries. The college game eventually slowed down for the duo, who became key cogs by March. But much more will be expected of them next year as likely starters counted on to average double-figures.
Call in the cavalry
The four seniors are irreplaceable. But Willard and his staff have done a good job setting themselves up to be competitive without them, by adding six newcomers to next year’s team: Sit-out transfers Thompson (Syracuse) and guard Quincy McKnight (Sacred Heart), Gill, and recruits Anthony Nelson, Jarred Rhoden and Darnell Brodie. The first three all practiced with the team this year, gaining valuable experience. The biggest addition will be Thompson, a 6-foot-10 forward with a soft touch from the perimeter who averaged 9.2 points as a freshman at Syracuse.
The recruit to watch is Nelson, a 6-foot-4 southpaw combo guard from Harlem who could compete for the starting spot at point guard with freshman Jordan Walker and McKnight. He’s only a three-star recruit, but the feeling around the program is he’s underrated nationally and can contribute immediately. Sound familiar? You heard the same things about Carrington.
Oh captain, my captain
Barring an unexpected opening at a power-five program or Pittsburgh, his alma mater, reaching out, Willard is expected to remain at Seton Hall for a while, which should make Pirates fans happy. He has his shortcomings, as most coaches do, but the eighth-year head man has changed the program, making it matter nationally again. The last coach to lead Seton Hall to three straight tournament berths was P.J. Carlesimo (1992-94). Willard has grown on the job, learning to be stricter off the court and looser on it. His players love him, and they play hard for him, two key factors when evaluating a coach. He’s more comfortable in his own skin, and the results show it.
Clouds looming
Like most programs implicated in the FBI investigation into corruption in college basketball, and in Seton Hall’s case it has only been indirectly, this will be a nervous offseason. The school hired New York City law firm Jackson Lewis P.C. to head up an internal investigation after former star Isaiah Whitehead was alleged in a Yahoo Sports report to have received $26,136 from Christian Dawkins, a former employer for sports agency ASM Sports, during his freshman year, and being given $37,657 at an undetermined date, according to documents the FBI recovered in the probe. Dwayne “Tiny” Morton, Whitehead’s high school coach who came with him to Seton Hall as an assistant coach in a package deal, was also listed in the documents for receiving a $9,500 loan, which he has denied receiving. The case bears following as more details emerge.