HOOP THERAPY
Had enough of watching pro teams lose? There’s hope with the local colleges
Tired of all the losing? Sick of waiting for the NBA draft every year? There is an alternative for the perennially rebuilding Knicks and Nets, and it’s affordable.
College basketball begins Tuesday, and nobody will be tanking. March dreams will fill the air. Hofstra features one of the nation’s premier scorers in CAA Preseason Player of the Year Justin Wright-Foreman. Iona is hoping to win its fourth straight MAAC crown. Fairleigh Dickinson has an experienced team capable of reaching the NCAA Tournament.
It’s all here and so much more in The Post’s look at the non-Big East local college basketball landscape:
FORDHAM RAMS
Last season: (9-22, 4-14 Atlantic 10) Coach: Jeff Neubauer (4th season, 39-52) Last NCAA Tournament bid: 1992 Conference preseason poll: 14th out of 14 teams
Key returnees: Sr. F Prokop Slanina (12.6 points, 5.1 rebounds), So. F Ivan Raut (8.4 points, 3.6 rebounds)
Key losses: G Joseph Chartouny, G Will Tavares, G Perris Hicks
Notable newcomers: Sr. G Antwon Portley, Sr. G Erten Gazi
Season outlook: Under Neubauer, Fordham is going in the wrong direction, from 17 wins in his first season to 14 the next and nine last winter. Chartouny, the team’s best player, transferred to Marquette, continuing another negative trend. Fordham does add scoring punch in Portley, a transfer from St. Peter’s, and 6-10 Slanina showed promise in his first season in The Bronx
First game: Tuesday, 7 p.m. vs. CCNY (Division III)
FAIRFIELD STAGS
Last season: (17-16, 9-9 MAAC) Coach: Sydney Johnson (8th season, 107-125) Last NCAA Tournament bid: 1997
Preseason poll: 7th out of 11 teams Key returnees: So. G Jesus Cruz (9.1 points, 4.4 rebounds), Sr. F Jonathan Kasibabu (9.0 points, 5.6 rebounds), So. F Wassef Methnani (6.4 points, 3.6 rebounds) Key losses: G Tyler Nelson, G Ferron Flavors Jr. Notable newcomers: Jr. G Landon Taliaferro, Fr. G Neftali Alvarez, Fr. G Calvin Whipple
Season outlook: Nelson, the program’s all-time leading scorer, graduated and Flavors transferred, creating a canyon-sized hole in the backcourt. Fairfield won’t be able replace Nelson, but there are additions — most notably Alvarez, a Florida Mr. Basketball finalist, and Whipple, a sharpshooter — who can at least help fill the scoring void.
First game: Tuesday, 7 p.m. at Purdue
IONA GAELS
Last season: (20-14, 11-7 MAAC) Coach: Tim Cluess (Ninth season, 182-92) Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2018 Preseason poll: 3rd out of 11 teams Key returnees: Sr. G Rickey McGill (13.4 points, 5.6 assists), Jr. G E.J. Crawford (12.5 points, 3.4 rebounds), Key losses: F Roland Griffin, G Deyshonee Much, G Schadrac Casimir Notable newcomers: Jr. F Isaiah Still, Jr. F Tajuan Agee, Jr. F Jahnathan Maxwell
Season outlook: The three-time defending MAAC champions are off to an inauspicious start, following the dismissal of Griffen, a preseason All-conference second-team who was involved in a physical altercation with an assistant coach in October. Still, Cluess has won at least 20 games in every season at the helm, and brings back all-around star McGill, who is capable of leading another fastpaced, transfer-heavy squad to the NCAA Tournament.
First game: Friday, 8 p.m. vs. Albany
MANHATTAN JASPERS
Last season: (14-17, 9-9 MAAC) Coach: Steve Masiello (Eighth season, 116-110)
Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2015 Preseason poll: 8th out of 11 teams Key returnees: Jr. F Pauly Paulicap (10 points, 2.5 blocks), Sr. G Thomas Capuano (5.1 points, 1.9 rebounds)
Key losses: G Rich Williams, F Zane Waterman, G Zavier Turner
Notable newcomers: Fr. G Elijah Buchanan, Fr. G Christian Hinckson, Fr. F Warren Williams
Season outlook: The Jaspers return without their top three scorers — and five of their top six — from last season, but change is needed in Riverdale, where the team has produced three straight losing campaigns since back-to-back runs to the NCAA Tournament. Paulicap will become one of the conference’s biggest stars in his second year, but it will likely be another long season for the young squad.
First game: Tuesday, 8:30 p.m. vs. Elon
MONMOUTH HAWKS
Last season: (11-20, 7-11 MAAC) Coach: King Rice (Eighth season, 117-112) Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2006 Preseason poll: 5th out of 11 teams Key returnees: So. G Deion Hammond (12.0 points, 2.4 rebounds), So. G Ray Salnave (9.8 points, 3.5 rebounds), Sr. C Diago Quinn (6.8 points, 4.3 rebounds)
Key losses: G Micah Seaborn, G Austin Tilghman, F Zac Tillman
Notable newcomers: Jr. G Nick Rutherford, Fr. F Nikkei Rutty
Season outlook: The departure of Seaborn — who would’ve been a MAAC Player of the Year candidate as a senior — into the professional ranks lowered this group’s ceiling. Optimism remains thanks to a strong sophomore class that got invaluable experience a year ago.