IONA
LOCATION New Rochelle, NY
CONFERENCE Metro Atlantic Athletic
LAST SEASON 12-17 (.414)
CONFERENCE RECORD 9-11 (t-6th)
STARTERS RETURNING/LOST 2/3
NICKNAME Gaels COLORS Maroon & Gold
HOMECOURT Hynes Athletic Center (2,611)
OFFICIAL WEBSITE ICGaels.com
COACH Rick Pitino (Massachusetts ’74)
RECORD AT SCHOOL First year
CAREER RECORD 770-271 (32 years)
ASSISTANTS Tom Abaternarco (Dowling ’73) Casey Stanley (Iona ’08) Ricky Johns (Utah ’07)
WINS (LAST 5 YRS.) 22-22-20-17-12
KENPOM RATING (LAST 5 YRS.) 104-117-137-198-221 2019-20
FINISH Lost in MAAC quarterfinals.
Rick Pitino has experienced seemingly everything in his long and storied career. He has led mid-major programs to relevance. He’s brought three different programs—including an upstart Providence College in the Big East—to the Final Four. He’s won a national title. He’s run and coached NBA franchises on the East Coast. The Hall of Famer even added a two-year stop as the head coach of Panathinaikos of the Greek Basket League and Euro League.
So, what does Pitino think of his latest stop?
“This has been the most difficult teaching assignment I’ve had in 40-plus years, because there’s no continuity at all,” Pitino says of inheriting a program with nine open scholarships when he arrived. “You have no returning players who have played in your system, so you’re teaching basically 13 new players.”
The scholarships opened because Tim Cluess— Pitino’s highly successful predecessor—was away all last season while dealing with an undisclosed health issue. When Cluess eventually decided to resign last March, Iona hadn’t signed any players for its 2020-21 class.
It’s not as if the Gaels are completely devoid of talent. Pitino has a solid senior guard duo—5-11 Asante Gist (10.1 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 2.6 apg) and 6-4 Isaiah Ross (11.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg, .401 3PT).
“That’s a strength. Anytime you have a senior backcourt, that’s a good place to start,” Pitino says.
After missing the second half of last season because of injury, Gist returns as Iona’s main ball handler. He may not be a pass-first facilitator, but Pitino prefers scoring point guards handling the ball. “Asante is probably the most physicallytalented young man at that position on the team,” Pitino says. “A real fierce competitor.”
Ross fits in as an accomplished shot maker, especially of the catch-and-shoot variety. The lefty posted the 46th-best effective field-goal percentage nationally (.607) as a junior. Pitino is trying to sculpt him into a more well-rounded player. “We’re trying to get him to go right more, work on his ball handling, work on his passing,” Pitino says.
The only other significant holdover from last season’s roster is 6-9 senior power forward Dylan van Eyck (3.5 ppg, 4.2 rpg, .508 FG). The high-motored big who commands the glass (18.5% defensive rebounding rate as a junior) will have a place in Iona’s rotation … eventually. He spent the offseason recovering from shoulder surgery.
One of Pitino’s first recruiting targets was 6-2 junior college transfer Tahlik Chavez (20.4 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 2.4 apg, .444 3PT, .829 FT at Kansas’s Garden City CC), who made 108 3s and 121 free throws as a freshman. While small for a pure shooter, the sophomore should help the Gaels spread the floor. “If he was 6-foot-4, he’d be recruited by everyone in the nation,” Pitino says.
One of Pitino’s next commits was 6-1 freshman point guard Ryan Myers (21.3 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 4.5 apg at Brooklyn’s Christ the King). He can score at all three levels, yet Pitino views him as a scoring point guard in the mold of former Louisville great Russ Smith.
Junior Berrick Jeanlouis (12.9 ppg, 4.1 rpg, .481 FG at Florida Southwestern CC), a 6-5 wing, has the hyper athleticism that could help Pitino implement his full-court defensive trapping schemes, though he’s raw. “He has to improve his jump shot, has to improve his ball handling, his passing, but he’s a terrific athlete. He’s a five-star athlete,” Pitino says.
Freshman guard Omar Rowe (Believe Prep Academy) is 6-6 and should compete for minutes immediately. “Omar may be the best basketball player of the group,” Pitino says of the Queens, New York native. “He can shoot, pass, run.”
Speaking of upside, 7-1, 200-pound sophomore Osborn Shema (10.6 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 2.9 bpg) put together a promising season at New Mexico Military Institute. Shema’s accomplishment as the latest JCAC Defensive Player of the Year is a start, but there’s also a burgeoning perimeter game. His development may take time, though. “The fact he can run, block shots, jump, shoot the ball … all those things are going to be a tremendous asset, but right now he’s 35 pounds away from being a legitimate big-time basketball player,” Pitino says.
More in the present, a trio of incoming post players—6-9, 230-pound freshman Johan Crafoord (23.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg at Florida’s Glove Prep Christian Academy), 6-9, 235-pound junior Robert Brown (3.1 ppg, 0.7 rpg at New Mexico State in 2018-19) and 6-8 freshman Dwayne Koroma (Bishop Walsh in Maryland)—have a more realistic chance of making an immediate impact.
Crafoord, a Swede, gives Iona bulk in the paint, and he can stretch the defense, too. “Jonah is more of a physical presence inside, a rugged power forward,” Pitino says.
Brown, one of the few Cluess recruits in the program, impressed Pitino as a post presence who could challenge van Eick for minutes at the five. “Robert’s a better offensive player than people told me,” Pitino says of Brown, who averaging just 2.9 points in 13 career games. “He’s got a good motor.”
Koroma possesses that European big man’s game as a stretch power forward, which makes sense given his roots in Germany. “The young man can play away from the basket, put it on the floor, do a lot of things,” Pitino says.
The final newcomer is 6-9, 230-pound freshman power forward Nelly Junior Joseph (16.0 ppg, 9.0 rpg at NBA Academy Africa). He’s originally from Benin City, Nigeria. “He’s stronger, I think he’s physically more developed, [but] he doesn’t shoot it as well as Osborn,” Pitino says when comparing Joseph’s game to Shema, another native of Africa (Kanombe, Rwanda).
Senior Colton Cashaw (0.6 ppg) is a steady, 6-3 combo guard whose strength is defense.
BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS
BACKCOURT B
BENCH/DEPTH B
FRONTCOURT B-
INTANGIBLES B
Pitino has been steadfast about embracing the “Gonzaga model” in terms of raising Iona from where Cluess left it, which for many years, was competitive and played an exciting brand of basketball.
“I think their model is: take quality transfers, recruit terrific foreign big men and recruit quick guards who have a lot of abilities, so we’re trying to look at their model how they’ve done it and we’re following it a little bit,” Pitino says.
Pitino has certainly embraced procuring international big men. The Gaels recruited and signed four of them, two each from Europe and Africa.
Pitino’s recent experience in Greece may have been influential. “It’s developed a lot of contacts for me,” he says. “Like, if you name a player in the country and within three hours, I’ll have a great assessment on his abilities, and I’ll know the people who are close to him because of my contacts in the Euro League.”
It’s just another tool in the Hall of Famer’s arsenal. He’ll need all of his coaching prowess to weave together so many newcomers and make Iona a MAAC contender again.
Ryan Peter
LOCATION New Rochelle, NY
CONFERENCE Metro Atlantic Athletic
LAST SEASON 12-17 (.414)
CONFERENCE RECORD 9-11 (t-6th)
STARTERS RETURNING/LOST 2/3
NICKNAME Gaels COLORS Maroon & Gold
HOMECOURT Hynes Athletic Center (2,611)
OFFICIAL WEBSITE ICGaels.com
COACH Rick Pitino (Massachusetts ’74)
RECORD AT SCHOOL First year
CAREER RECORD 770-271 (32 years)
ASSISTANTS Tom Abaternarco (Dowling ’73) Casey Stanley (Iona ’08) Ricky Johns (Utah ’07)
WINS (LAST 5 YRS.) 22-22-20-17-12
KENPOM RATING (LAST 5 YRS.) 104-117-137-198-221 2019-20
FINISH Lost in MAAC quarterfinals.
Rick Pitino has experienced seemingly everything in his long and storied career. He has led mid-major programs to relevance. He’s brought three different programs—including an upstart Providence College in the Big East—to the Final Four. He’s won a national title. He’s run and coached NBA franchises on the East Coast. The Hall of Famer even added a two-year stop as the head coach of Panathinaikos of the Greek Basket League and Euro League.
So, what does Pitino think of his latest stop?
“This has been the most difficult teaching assignment I’ve had in 40-plus years, because there’s no continuity at all,” Pitino says of inheriting a program with nine open scholarships when he arrived. “You have no returning players who have played in your system, so you’re teaching basically 13 new players.”
The scholarships opened because Tim Cluess— Pitino’s highly successful predecessor—was away all last season while dealing with an undisclosed health issue. When Cluess eventually decided to resign last March, Iona hadn’t signed any players for its 2020-21 class.
It’s not as if the Gaels are completely devoid of talent. Pitino has a solid senior guard duo—5-11 Asante Gist (10.1 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 2.6 apg) and 6-4 Isaiah Ross (11.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg, .401 3PT).
“That’s a strength. Anytime you have a senior backcourt, that’s a good place to start,” Pitino says.
After missing the second half of last season because of injury, Gist returns as Iona’s main ball handler. He may not be a pass-first facilitator, but Pitino prefers scoring point guards handling the ball. “Asante is probably the most physicallytalented young man at that position on the team,” Pitino says. “A real fierce competitor.”
Ross fits in as an accomplished shot maker, especially of the catch-and-shoot variety. The lefty posted the 46th-best effective field-goal percentage nationally (.607) as a junior. Pitino is trying to sculpt him into a more well-rounded player. “We’re trying to get him to go right more, work on his ball handling, work on his passing,” Pitino says.
The only other significant holdover from last season’s roster is 6-9 senior power forward Dylan van Eyck (3.5 ppg, 4.2 rpg, .508 FG). The high-motored big who commands the glass (18.5% defensive rebounding rate as a junior) will have a place in Iona’s rotation … eventually. He spent the offseason recovering from shoulder surgery.
One of Pitino’s first recruiting targets was 6-2 junior college transfer Tahlik Chavez (20.4 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 2.4 apg, .444 3PT, .829 FT at Kansas’s Garden City CC), who made 108 3s and 121 free throws as a freshman. While small for a pure shooter, the sophomore should help the Gaels spread the floor. “If he was 6-foot-4, he’d be recruited by everyone in the nation,” Pitino says.
One of Pitino’s next commits was 6-1 freshman point guard Ryan Myers (21.3 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 4.5 apg at Brooklyn’s Christ the King). He can score at all three levels, yet Pitino views him as a scoring point guard in the mold of former Louisville great Russ Smith.
Junior Berrick Jeanlouis (12.9 ppg, 4.1 rpg, .481 FG at Florida Southwestern CC), a 6-5 wing, has the hyper athleticism that could help Pitino implement his full-court defensive trapping schemes, though he’s raw. “He has to improve his jump shot, has to improve his ball handling, his passing, but he’s a terrific athlete. He’s a five-star athlete,” Pitino says.
Freshman guard Omar Rowe (Believe Prep Academy) is 6-6 and should compete for minutes immediately. “Omar may be the best basketball player of the group,” Pitino says of the Queens, New York native. “He can shoot, pass, run.”
Speaking of upside, 7-1, 200-pound sophomore Osborn Shema (10.6 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 2.9 bpg) put together a promising season at New Mexico Military Institute. Shema’s accomplishment as the latest JCAC Defensive Player of the Year is a start, but there’s also a burgeoning perimeter game. His development may take time, though. “The fact he can run, block shots, jump, shoot the ball … all those things are going to be a tremendous asset, but right now he’s 35 pounds away from being a legitimate big-time basketball player,” Pitino says.
More in the present, a trio of incoming post players—6-9, 230-pound freshman Johan Crafoord (23.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg at Florida’s Glove Prep Christian Academy), 6-9, 235-pound junior Robert Brown (3.1 ppg, 0.7 rpg at New Mexico State in 2018-19) and 6-8 freshman Dwayne Koroma (Bishop Walsh in Maryland)—have a more realistic chance of making an immediate impact.
Crafoord, a Swede, gives Iona bulk in the paint, and he can stretch the defense, too. “Jonah is more of a physical presence inside, a rugged power forward,” Pitino says.
Brown, one of the few Cluess recruits in the program, impressed Pitino as a post presence who could challenge van Eick for minutes at the five. “Robert’s a better offensive player than people told me,” Pitino says of Brown, who averaging just 2.9 points in 13 career games. “He’s got a good motor.”
Koroma possesses that European big man’s game as a stretch power forward, which makes sense given his roots in Germany. “The young man can play away from the basket, put it on the floor, do a lot of things,” Pitino says.
The final newcomer is 6-9, 230-pound freshman power forward Nelly Junior Joseph (16.0 ppg, 9.0 rpg at NBA Academy Africa). He’s originally from Benin City, Nigeria. “He’s stronger, I think he’s physically more developed, [but] he doesn’t shoot it as well as Osborn,” Pitino says when comparing Joseph’s game to Shema, another native of Africa (Kanombe, Rwanda).
Senior Colton Cashaw (0.6 ppg) is a steady, 6-3 combo guard whose strength is defense.
BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS
BACKCOURT B
BENCH/DEPTH B
FRONTCOURT B-
INTANGIBLES B
Pitino has been steadfast about embracing the “Gonzaga model” in terms of raising Iona from where Cluess left it, which for many years, was competitive and played an exciting brand of basketball.
“I think their model is: take quality transfers, recruit terrific foreign big men and recruit quick guards who have a lot of abilities, so we’re trying to look at their model how they’ve done it and we’re following it a little bit,” Pitino says.
Pitino has certainly embraced procuring international big men. The Gaels recruited and signed four of them, two each from Europe and Africa.
Pitino’s recent experience in Greece may have been influential. “It’s developed a lot of contacts for me,” he says. “Like, if you name a player in the country and within three hours, I’ll have a great assessment on his abilities, and I’ll know the people who are close to him because of my contacts in the Euro League.”
It’s just another tool in the Hall of Famer’s arsenal. He’ll need all of his coaching prowess to weave together so many newcomers and make Iona a MAAC contender again.
Ryan Peter
