Seton Hall Pirates 2015-16 Season Preview

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By Jeremy Schneider Star Ledger

Seton Hall Pirates 2015-16 Season Preview

Last season was filled with ups and downs for the Seton Hall Pirates. After a pair of wins over nationally ranked teams put the Pirates in the rankings themselves, coach Kevin Willard's squad lost 13 of its last 17 games and missed the NCAA Tournament amid reports of locker room turmoil. The young core headlined by Isaiah Whitehead and Angel Delgado is back and feels more prepared with one year under its belt, with some new additions set to fill the void left by several transfers. Willard says this could be the best team hes had during his tenure, but the Pirates were nonetheless picked to finish seventh in the Big East.

MORE: Where to watch Seton Hall's season-opener against Dartmouth

LIKELY STARTERS

G Isaiah Whitehead, sophomore
The most ballyhooed recruit in years for Seton Hall had an uneven freshman season as he averaged 12 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game but appeared in just 22 contests after suffering a stress fracture in his foot. With last year's leading scorer Sterling Gibbs transferring to UConn, Whitehead will be called upon even more to carry the load offensively while starting at point guard — and he'll have to be more efficient than last season when he shot 36.7 percent from the field. This team will go as far as the kid from Brooklyn takes it.

G Derrick Gordon, seniorA long basketball journey has taken Gordon from St. Patrick's High School in Elizabeth to Western Kentucky and UMass before he transferred to Seton Hall in the spring. A Plainfield native who made headlines when he became the first openly gay Division 1 basketball player, he is known for his ability to lock down opposing guards and will also bring some much-needed experience to a very young group. He averaged 9.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists last season for the Minutemen.


G Khadeen Carrington, sophomore
After showing great promise during his freshman campaign, Carrington is looking to expand his game even more in his second go-around and build on his 8.8 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game from last year. Twice named the Big East Rookie of the Week last season, he's an excellent slasher who knows how to get to the rim and draw fouls and cash in at the free throw line. The Brooklyn native helped pick up the slack when Whitehead went out last year, and he will be an important secondary scorer this season.

G/F Veer Singh, freshman
The player garnering the most praise from coaches and teammates at Seton Hall so far has to be Singh, a 6-foot-7 swingman from Thurgood Marshall (N.Y.) who previously played at St. Peter's Prep in Jersey City. Standing 6-foot-7 and weighing 195 pounds, he has the frame of a forward but the shooting and passing ability of a guard. The range on his shot will help space the floor for the Pirates and take some pressure off the guards.

F/C Angel Delgado, sophomore
Delgado was a heralded recruit out of Patrick School in Elizabeth. There were high expectations for the big man from the Dominican Republic, but he exceeded them and earned Big East Rookie of the Year honors. The 6-foot-9, 245-pound bruiser averaged 9.3 points, 9.8 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game as he asserted himself as one of the best post players in the country. A dominant rebounder who will need to continue to develop his offensive game and put on muscle — if he does, he's an NBA prospect.

BENCH

F Rashed Anthony, sophomoreShot 58.8 percent from the field in limited action last season, the South Carolina native appeared in 30 games off the bench.


F Braeden Anderson, junior
A transfer from Fresno State who is studying at Seton Hall's law school, he will bring some badly needed size in the front court. Averaged 4.1 points and 3.5 rebounds per game last year for the Bulldogs.

F Myles Carter, freshman
A three-star recruit out of Chicago, the Pirates hope he can step in early and help their thin front court.

F Michael Nzei, redshirt freshman
His redshirt season was slowed by a wrist injury and makes him even more of an unknown, but his athleticism and defensive ability make him an intriguing player.

F Desi Rodriguez, sophomore
Isaiah Whitehead's teammate at Lincoln, he played in all 31 games last season and averaged 5.6 points and 4.5 rebounds per game and is transitioning from forward to the wing.

F Ismael Sanogo, sophomore
A heralded recruit out of Newark East Side, Sanogo played very limited minutes as a freshman. He's put some muscle on his lanky frame and could be an impact defender this year, especially now that he will be playing more as a forward.

G Dalton Soffer, freshmanOne of the Soffer originally committed to Loyola before flipping to Seton Hall last November, he's a 3-point shooter with the length to be a plus defender.


G Jevon Thomas, juniorA Queens native who spent the last two seasons at Kansas State, he averaged 4.5 points and 3.3 assists per game last year.


COACH

Kevin Willard, sixth year (82-81)
Last season looked like it would mark the first time Willard led the Pirates to the NCAA Tournament before the late-season collapse that dashed those hopes. Willard says he learned a great deal from the downturn, and expects to be better suited to handle a young squad while minimizing the distractions that he says contributed to the end-of-year slump. It's also no secret he's been harsher on his players this preseason — "the training wheels are definitely off," guard Khadeen Carrington said. Willard was brought to South Orange to make postseason runs — if the Pirates miss the tournament for the sixth straight season under him, it wouldn't be surprising to see him on the hot seat.

STORYLINES

• Locker room status
Volatility in the locker room last season to several transfers, including guards Sterling Gibbs and Jaren Sina. This year's squad has emphasized how much better the team chemistry is now, but it's still something to watch.

• Whitehead runs the showIsaiah Whitehead is no longer a promising freshman — he's the team's point guard and clear cut No. 1 option with Gibbs transferring to UConn. Even more will be asked of him this season, and we're yet to see what he can do in a full year on the court.


• Fortified front courtAngel Delgado was a revelation at forward as a freshman, but the team's lack of depth around him increased his minutes and led him to break down in the season's final games. How will last year's Big East Rookie of the Year follows up his breakout campaign, and will the team's new editions to the front court keep him fresh?


• LBGT pioneerDerrick Gordon isn't just a lockdown defender and a college hoops veteran — he's the first openly gay Division I basketball player. It will be interesting to see how the Seton Hall community accepts him — but Gordon has said he's feels right at home in South Orange.


• GROWING UP
Last season's roster included seven freshmen. Those neophytes are one year wiser now, and should be poised to handle the rigors of a college basketball season better now.

STAT THAT MUST CHANGE

4-13
That was Seton Hall's record in the final 17 games of the season, a tumble that took the Pirates from in the national rankings to out of the postseason. Plain and simple, Seton Hall will have to be much more consistent this season if it wants any chance at playing into March.

5 games to watch

Dec. 5 @ Rutgers: This will be the second annual Garden State Hardwood Classic, with Garden State bragging rights on the line for the former Big East rivals.

Dec. 19, Wichita State: Likely the first game against a ranked opponent for the Pirates, the Shockers beat Seton Hall out in Kansas in a close game last season.

Jan. 20, Villanova: The Wildcats return to Newark for the first time since Seton Hall shocked them with an overtime upset there last January. Another upset special against the team favored to win the league would be a major boost for the Pirates.

Feb. 6, Georgetown: Seton Hall is 3-4 against Georgetown under Kevin Willard, but lost twice to the Hoyas last year. D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera versus Isaiah Whitehead will be a great guard battle.

Feb. 21, @ St. John's: The Pirates make the trip across the Hudson River to face the Johnnies at Madison Square Garden less than a month before the Big East Tournament is played on the same court. St. John's is picked to finish last in the league, but new coach Chris Mullin makes the team intriguing even in his first year.

WHERE DO THEY FINISH?

Preseason predictions haven't been kind to Seton Hall, and it's fair to say there is a large number of question marks entering the season. The core of Whitehead and Delgado is a strong one, but we are yet to see if the supporting cast will be enough to make this team a contender. PREDICTION: Sixth in the Big East, Big East Tournament quarterfinals, miss the NCAA Tournament.

Jeremy Schneider may be reached at jschneider@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @J_Schneider. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

http://www.nj.com/setonhall/index.s...015-16_season_preview.html#incart_river_index

 

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Seton Hall Pirates forward Desi Rodriguez (20) and Seton Hall Pirates guard Isaiah Whitehead (15) celebrate after defeating Creighton 67-66 during their men's basketball game at the Prudential Center. Newark, NJ 2/28/15 (Saed Hindash | NJ Advance Media

 

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Whitehead aims to turn Pirates’ ship around at new position

© Joey Khan Photography

At Big East Media Day last year, there was a Royal Rumble around Isaiah Whitehead, the new face of Seton Hall basketball.

Cameras were flashing. Reporters were shoving each other. Everyone wanted to get at him.

The Brooklyn native was named Mr. New York Basketball his senior year at Lincoln, the same high school powerhouse that churned out pro players like Lance Stephenson, Stephon Marbury and Sebastian Telfair.

Whitehead was a McDonald’s All-American. He played in the Jordan Brand Classic. He was ranked as ESPN’s No. 2 shooting guard in the country. He was a star—the brightest South Orange had seen since 2000 when Eddie Griffin, the nation’s top recruit, committed to be a Pirate.

Whitehead, a 6-foot-4-inch guard, said he came to Seton Hall in part because of its proximity to home. But that was not all.

“I picked Seton Hall to bring the program back to where it used to be,” he said.

And for a certain period, he did. The Pirates, for the first time in a long time, were on the national radar.

Through his first 11 games, Whitehead helped SHU get to 9-2. During that 11th game, a loss to Georgia (UGA), Whitehead suffered a stress fracture in his right foot. He missed the next nine contests.

During that nine-game stretch, the Pirates became Sterling Gibbs’ team. The point guard carried Seton Hall to No. 19 in the national rankings as the likes of No. 6 Villanova and No. 15 St. John’s fell victim to one of the country’s hottest teams.

When Whitehead returned, the team’s dynamic was different and he was no longer the go-to guy. Both he and the Pirates failed to adjust.

Seton Hall lost nine of its final 11 contests as controversy bubbled.

Gibbs and Whitehead nearly came to blows in a loss to Georgetown. Jaren Sina transferred as reports surfaced Whitehead was clashing with teammates.

The cameras stopped flashing. The reporters went from shoving one another to bashing the player. Everyone wanted to take a shot at him.

The Golden Boy had become the problem child.

With Gibbs now at UConn, Whitehead is the unquestioned point guard this year and looking to change that reputation.

“I think I got a lot to prove,” he said. “We definitely put last year behind us. It’s the past, man. There’s nothing we can do about it. We didn’t know how to be the team that’s ranked in the country. Before we were ranked, we were much more aggressive. We were hungry.”

Last year, he seemed to focus on scoring. This year?

“Leadership,” Whitehead said while at Madison Square Garden, the same place he was named Preseason Rookie of the Year the previous season. “Trying to be a point guard, trying to get everyone involved. I think we have a real athletic team this year, so we can get out and run the floor.”

Over the summer, Whitehead spent time as a camp counselor with, for his goal, arguably the best teacher in the world—reigning NBA MVP Stephen Curry.

“Knowing when to shoot and when not to shoot, when to pass and when not to pass. Things like that,” Whitehead said of what the Golden State Warriors star taught him. “Just becoming a floor general. As a point guard you have to lead the team; everything is on you. If you’re losing, it’s your fault. If you’re winning, it’s on the team.”

Stephenson, now a starting guard for the Los Angeles Clippers, cautioned Whitehead—who Willard called “the king of Twitter”—to stay off social media. Whitehead and his teammates are planning to go without it for the entirety of the season.

The pro also talked about his relationship with Whitehead, who was not always into basketball.

“We’ve known each other for a while,” Stephenson said. “We grew up in the same building. I’ve known him since he was 11. He didn’t even play basketball. He started late, so about when he got to high school, I knew he was next level.”

Stephenson, who got the nickname “Born Ready” at Rucker Park in New York, worked out with Whitehead this offseason.

“We were together the whole summer. He was working on his point guard skills and learning how to play off the dribble and stuff like that. He’s going to be alright.”

Sophomore Khadeen Carrington will share the backcourt with Whitehead in 2015-16. He noticed some changes in his teammate this offseason.

“I think he’s definitely more focused this year. That plays a big part in it. He’s been working hard all summer. He’s been trying to lead more.”

Willard called the difference in this year’s Whitehead “night and day.”

“Isaiah does it on the court,” the coach said. “He’s not a rah- rah type of guy. He’s very serious about his game. He’s such a nice kid off the court. It’s about getting him to understand that I want him to be a high-energy, bad MF’er at all times on the court. When he plays at a high level, he’s scary good. Scary good.”

Of Whitehead’s NBA aspirations, Stephenson was very clear: “I think he could do it. He’s just got to show everybody that he can play the point and that he can play the 2.”

So will the cameras start flashing again? Will reporters shower him with praise? Will he recapture everyone’s hearts?

Whitehead does not care. And that’s the biggest difference from last season.

“My mom raised me to be the best man that she could,” he said. “I won’t change myself for no one.”

Thomas Duffy can be reached at Thomas.duffy@student.shu.edu or on Twitter @TJDhoops.

http://www.thesetonian.com/2015/11/...ead-sophomore-ready-to-shine-at-new-position/

 

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For many of our readers who might not know Whitehead's nickname is Zeke. Willard calls him Z.