Saints not yet ready to play, postpone men’s basketball opening series vs. Canisius./

Siena decides team not ready after quarantine

The start of the Siena men’s basketball season is being delayed again by the coronavirus pandemic. Against whom and when the Saints will finally begin is under discussion.

Siena’s home games against Canisius on Friday and Saturday at Alumni Recreation Center have been postponed, the school announced Sunday.

The Saints are due to get out of their second 14-day quarantine at midnight Monday but decided against trying to play the Golden Griffins in what would have been Siena’s seasonopening weekend.

“That was the discussion with the medical staff, the doctor, the trainer,” Siena athletic director John D’argenio said. “The authority of those decisions rests with them. These guys have been in 28 days’ worth of quarantine in 35, 36 days, so everybody agreed they wouldn’t be ready to get out on a court and compete.”

Siena’s next scheduled game is a nonleague contest Dec. 22 at Drexel, but D’argenio said Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference games take priority.

“We’re going to work with the league and Canisius on when we reschedule this game,” he said. “Conference games take precedent, but we haven’t sat down and discussed (it). We’re hoping sometime that week of Christmas will be our first game. Who it’s against? No idea.”

Siena coach Carmen Maciariello didn’t return a message seeking comment.

Siena already had to postpone its MAAC games at Fairfield that were scheduled for this weekend to Feb. 26 and 27. They had also had three games at

Mohegan Sun over Thanksgiving weekend that were canceled.

Siena, the favorite in the preseason coaches’ poll, and Monmouth are the only two MAAC programs that haven’t played a game.

Siena had its first quarantine from Nov. 13 to Thanksgiving after two positive tests, including one to reigning MAAC Player of the Year Jalen Pickett.

The Saints announced another positive test last Tuesday among their Tier 1 personnel, which include players, coaches and support staff. The team resumed quarantine except for the two program members (including Pickett) who’d already tested positive, following MAAC, state and county protocol.

D’argenio said this pause will also have lasted 14 days, even though the positive test was announced less than a week ago.

“We’ve been in it for 14 days,” he said. “Somebody had symptoms, so we took precautions and put the guys in quarantine, and when we found out somebody in that Tier 1 group was positive, then that’s when it was officially announced.”