https://setonhall.rivals.com/
Major thank you to SHU basketball SID Tom Chen who set up both this and the McKnight interviews. Without Tom's aid we would not have had access to either player.
by JP Pelzman
Seton Hall was nursing a two-point lead in the final minute at fifth-ranked Butler in January when All-American guard Myles Powell made eye contact with teammate Jared Rhoden as Seton Hall went back onto the court after a timeout.
No words were spoken. None needed to be.
Powell knew he likely would be double-teamed, and his glance in the sophomore forward’s direction was to let him know to be ready to take the shot if necessary.“
He didn’t even get a chance to physically say it,” Rhoden said in a phone interview with PirateCrew.com. “He just looked at me. I just ran to the spot and knocked it down.”
Rhoden's three-pointer from the left wing off the in-bounds pass from Quincy McKnight was a signature moment for the sophomore, giving the Pirates a five-point lead with 40 seconds left in an eventual 78-70 victory over the host Bulldogs. But it took Rhoden a while to process it himself.
“I didn’t even know what happened,” he recalled. “It was almost like my mind shut off for a second. It was like I saw it go in and I still hadn’t even processed what had really happened. We're at Butler and they’re ranked No. 5 and I just made the shot.
“That was one of the key spots I like to shoot from,” he added. “It was one of those shots I've been making since high school. As soon as it left my hand, I knew it was good.”
Even on the plane ride from Indianapolis to Newark, it still was sinking in.
“I'm thinking to myself, ‘I made the shot.’ It was just crazy to even process it. All the late nights in the gym and all the extra time had paid off.”
Of course, the difference now is that, if and when there is a next season, Rhoden might be the one attracting those double-teams since Powell and McKnight have graduated. And, unfortunately, they and shot-blocking center Romaro Gill leave behind a Seton Hall program that forever will wonder what March (and April?) might have held in store for the Pirates had the coronavirus pandemic not canceled the NCAA Tournament.
“I'm all right,” Rhoden said when asked how he is feeling. “Things are kind of difficult because of the current circumstances as they are for everybody. I've been trying to hang in there after the season. It took a toll on me mentally, not being able to go out there and play.”
His biggest regret? “All the expectations that we had and we didn’t even get a chance to go out and meet them. I think about it every day. I wake up and think about the amazing team we had and the opportunity that we had to play in the Big East and March Madness.”
He indicated he aches in particular for seniors Powell, McKnight and Gill.
“It’s always what-if, what-if, what-if, and we’ll never have that chance.”
Not only were the Pirates excited about the NCAAs, but they were with the conference tournament as well having lost to Villanova in the 2019 title game.
“Last year, losing in the finals,” Rhoden said, “we took it personally. Having that experience, (we thought), we can do this. I was really confident. I really thought we had a chance to win.”
Rhoden was asked what he will remember most about the 2019-20 season from a team standpoint.“
(The win at) Villanova was definitely amazing, but the part where we grew the most was during our 10-game win streak. We went through a lot of self-checks during that time. That was when our backs were against the wall the most and it kind of defined us. After the 10-game win streak, when we hit adversity, we knew how to bounce back, we know how we had to approach things to win.”
Rhoden also is proud of the Pirates’ share of the Big East regular-season title.
“That meant a lot to us,” he said. “It kind of hurt us a little that we didn’t win it outright, because that’s something that we also wanted really bad, but just to be a part of history and just to say we were Big East regular-season champions was just an amazing feeling.”
Rhoden averaged 9.1 points and 6.4 rebounds. The rising junior realizes he will be expected not only to score more points next season, but to provide leadership in the absence of the vocal Powell and McKnight.
“I think it’s going to be a big adjustment for us in the early stages, especially off the court,” he said. “Just having those guys watch over me was (important) and it translated into how we played on the court.“
I think I'll do pretty well,” he added. “Myles and Quincy and Ro always kind of instilled that confidence in me and they told me this is our last year and when we’re gone it’ll be on you and Sandro (Mamukelashvili) and Shavar (Reynolds) and Myles (Cale) and those type of guys. My coaches have been talking to me about the expanded role I'm going to have and I'm really excited because I know I'm not going to be alone.”
Rhoden also noted that assistant coach Tony Skinn has encouraged him to both lead by example and lead vocally going forward.
And Powell still is encouraging him, just as he did on that night in Indianapolis. Rhoden said Powell recently came to Long Island to visit him. “The relationship I've built with him has just been incredible.”
As for the 2020-21 team on the court, Rhoden thinks the addition of playmaking Harvard grad transfer Bryce Aiken and gritty Canisius transfer Takal Molson will help the Pirates a lot. "
“I really like Takal,” Rhoden said after seeing him in practice all season. “He plays extremely hard. There's not many people I can say play as hard as me. He's got a dog-eat-dog mentality and he’s going to find ways to be effective even if he’s not scoring or his jump shot may not be falling.“
He has one of those mentalities where he’s going to get after you regardless and I think that defines Seton Hall. A player like him, there’s always going to be a place for him on the court.”
Rhoden likes the mix of veteran and new players for 2020-21.
“I'm excited for it,” he added. “I'm excited for a little bit of a different dynamic going on. I think it’s a good opportunity for the younger guys to showcase more of what we’re capable of doing. So I think it’s going to be a really exciting year and I don’t think people should overlook us.”
In this most unusual and difficult off-season, Rhoden just wants to stay healthy after battling shoulder and ankle problems before his freshman and sophomore seasons, respectively, which hampered him early in those campaigns.
“I feel like I've never really gotten a real off-season because of those injuries,” he said. “This off-season, hopefully I can stay healthy and progress my game and you guys are going to see a real big jump.”
Rhoden appreciated the large attendance at the Prudential Center in 2019-20.
“I thought it was amazing the attendance showing that we had,” he said. “It was kind of different. It was something that we had never seen before, just to have them out there every time we played, regardless of who the opponent was, I just felt the love, we felt like we had to put on a show. We felt like we had to put on a performance because of the support that we were getting.”
And what if there are no fans this season because of the pandemic? Rhoden said it would be “Crazy, but at the end of the day it’s about basketball and it’s about us playing. It would still be a great opportunity.”
Rhoden has been back in his hometown of Baldwin, N.Y. since the Seton Hall campus was closed, and he misses the university, calling the time away from it “hurtful.”
A part of the Seton Hall experience that has meant a lot to him is his relationship with coach Kevin Willard.
“The main thing with Coach Willard is trust,” Rhoden said, “and I feel like we all trust in Coach Willard. Whether he’s telling us something to do on the court or telling us how to handle something off the court, it’s something that we’ve developed with him over time and it’s something I feel is unique with him.“
And there’s not many programs where players can say they always feel like they can trust their coach, he added. “We all trust Coach Willard, no matter what it is. Sometimes we might not agree with what he would say but we would always trust him and it would always work out.”
Rhoden believes that trust was the main factor in the Pirates being able to withstand the loss of Powell and Mamukelashvili to injuries in December.
“I just feel that was the main thing that kept us together,” he said. “No matter who it was, down to the managers, we all believe in Coach Willard and we all trust his process.”
As for next season, Rhoden concludes, “I think it will be a really gritty team. You're going to see some guys who will display what Seton Hall is all about. I feel like each one of us is defined by that. At the end of the day we might not have as much talent as we had last year or previous years but you’re always going to get the best out of us.”
Rhoden wanted to add these finals words to the Seton Hall faithful, “I just hope everyone is staying safe. I know it’s a rough time for everyone, even you guys, the writers, so I hope everyone is staying blessed and hopefully we have our season."
Major thank you to SHU basketball SID Tom Chen who set up both this and the McKnight interviews. Without Tom's aid we would not have had access to either player.
by JP Pelzman
Seton Hall was nursing a two-point lead in the final minute at fifth-ranked Butler in January when All-American guard Myles Powell made eye contact with teammate Jared Rhoden as Seton Hall went back onto the court after a timeout.
No words were spoken. None needed to be.
Powell knew he likely would be double-teamed, and his glance in the sophomore forward’s direction was to let him know to be ready to take the shot if necessary.“
He didn’t even get a chance to physically say it,” Rhoden said in a phone interview with PirateCrew.com. “He just looked at me. I just ran to the spot and knocked it down.”
Rhoden's three-pointer from the left wing off the in-bounds pass from Quincy McKnight was a signature moment for the sophomore, giving the Pirates a five-point lead with 40 seconds left in an eventual 78-70 victory over the host Bulldogs. But it took Rhoden a while to process it himself.
“I didn’t even know what happened,” he recalled. “It was almost like my mind shut off for a second. It was like I saw it go in and I still hadn’t even processed what had really happened. We're at Butler and they’re ranked No. 5 and I just made the shot.
“That was one of the key spots I like to shoot from,” he added. “It was one of those shots I've been making since high school. As soon as it left my hand, I knew it was good.”
Even on the plane ride from Indianapolis to Newark, it still was sinking in.
“I'm thinking to myself, ‘I made the shot.’ It was just crazy to even process it. All the late nights in the gym and all the extra time had paid off.”
Of course, the difference now is that, if and when there is a next season, Rhoden might be the one attracting those double-teams since Powell and McKnight have graduated. And, unfortunately, they and shot-blocking center Romaro Gill leave behind a Seton Hall program that forever will wonder what March (and April?) might have held in store for the Pirates had the coronavirus pandemic not canceled the NCAA Tournament.
“I'm all right,” Rhoden said when asked how he is feeling. “Things are kind of difficult because of the current circumstances as they are for everybody. I've been trying to hang in there after the season. It took a toll on me mentally, not being able to go out there and play.”
His biggest regret? “All the expectations that we had and we didn’t even get a chance to go out and meet them. I think about it every day. I wake up and think about the amazing team we had and the opportunity that we had to play in the Big East and March Madness.”
He indicated he aches in particular for seniors Powell, McKnight and Gill.
“It’s always what-if, what-if, what-if, and we’ll never have that chance.”
Not only were the Pirates excited about the NCAAs, but they were with the conference tournament as well having lost to Villanova in the 2019 title game.
“Last year, losing in the finals,” Rhoden said, “we took it personally. Having that experience, (we thought), we can do this. I was really confident. I really thought we had a chance to win.”
Rhoden was asked what he will remember most about the 2019-20 season from a team standpoint.“
(The win at) Villanova was definitely amazing, but the part where we grew the most was during our 10-game win streak. We went through a lot of self-checks during that time. That was when our backs were against the wall the most and it kind of defined us. After the 10-game win streak, when we hit adversity, we knew how to bounce back, we know how we had to approach things to win.”
Rhoden also is proud of the Pirates’ share of the Big East regular-season title.
“That meant a lot to us,” he said. “It kind of hurt us a little that we didn’t win it outright, because that’s something that we also wanted really bad, but just to be a part of history and just to say we were Big East regular-season champions was just an amazing feeling.”
Rhoden averaged 9.1 points and 6.4 rebounds. The rising junior realizes he will be expected not only to score more points next season, but to provide leadership in the absence of the vocal Powell and McKnight.
“I think it’s going to be a big adjustment for us in the early stages, especially off the court,” he said. “Just having those guys watch over me was (important) and it translated into how we played on the court.“
I think I'll do pretty well,” he added. “Myles and Quincy and Ro always kind of instilled that confidence in me and they told me this is our last year and when we’re gone it’ll be on you and Sandro (Mamukelashvili) and Shavar (Reynolds) and Myles (Cale) and those type of guys. My coaches have been talking to me about the expanded role I'm going to have and I'm really excited because I know I'm not going to be alone.”
Rhoden also noted that assistant coach Tony Skinn has encouraged him to both lead by example and lead vocally going forward.
And Powell still is encouraging him, just as he did on that night in Indianapolis. Rhoden said Powell recently came to Long Island to visit him. “The relationship I've built with him has just been incredible.”
As for the 2020-21 team on the court, Rhoden thinks the addition of playmaking Harvard grad transfer Bryce Aiken and gritty Canisius transfer Takal Molson will help the Pirates a lot. "
“I really like Takal,” Rhoden said after seeing him in practice all season. “He plays extremely hard. There's not many people I can say play as hard as me. He's got a dog-eat-dog mentality and he’s going to find ways to be effective even if he’s not scoring or his jump shot may not be falling.“
He has one of those mentalities where he’s going to get after you regardless and I think that defines Seton Hall. A player like him, there’s always going to be a place for him on the court.”
Rhoden likes the mix of veteran and new players for 2020-21.
“I'm excited for it,” he added. “I'm excited for a little bit of a different dynamic going on. I think it’s a good opportunity for the younger guys to showcase more of what we’re capable of doing. So I think it’s going to be a really exciting year and I don’t think people should overlook us.”
In this most unusual and difficult off-season, Rhoden just wants to stay healthy after battling shoulder and ankle problems before his freshman and sophomore seasons, respectively, which hampered him early in those campaigns.
“I feel like I've never really gotten a real off-season because of those injuries,” he said. “This off-season, hopefully I can stay healthy and progress my game and you guys are going to see a real big jump.”
Rhoden appreciated the large attendance at the Prudential Center in 2019-20.
“I thought it was amazing the attendance showing that we had,” he said. “It was kind of different. It was something that we had never seen before, just to have them out there every time we played, regardless of who the opponent was, I just felt the love, we felt like we had to put on a show. We felt like we had to put on a performance because of the support that we were getting.”
And what if there are no fans this season because of the pandemic? Rhoden said it would be “Crazy, but at the end of the day it’s about basketball and it’s about us playing. It would still be a great opportunity.”
Rhoden has been back in his hometown of Baldwin, N.Y. since the Seton Hall campus was closed, and he misses the university, calling the time away from it “hurtful.”
A part of the Seton Hall experience that has meant a lot to him is his relationship with coach Kevin Willard.
“The main thing with Coach Willard is trust,” Rhoden said, “and I feel like we all trust in Coach Willard. Whether he’s telling us something to do on the court or telling us how to handle something off the court, it’s something that we’ve developed with him over time and it’s something I feel is unique with him.“
And there’s not many programs where players can say they always feel like they can trust their coach, he added. “We all trust Coach Willard, no matter what it is. Sometimes we might not agree with what he would say but we would always trust him and it would always work out.”
Rhoden believes that trust was the main factor in the Pirates being able to withstand the loss of Powell and Mamukelashvili to injuries in December.
“I just feel that was the main thing that kept us together,” he said. “No matter who it was, down to the managers, we all believe in Coach Willard and we all trust his process.”
As for next season, Rhoden concludes, “I think it will be a really gritty team. You're going to see some guys who will display what Seton Hall is all about. I feel like each one of us is defined by that. At the end of the day we might not have as much talent as we had last year or previous years but you’re always going to get the best out of us.”
Rhoden wanted to add these finals words to the Seton Hall faithful, “I just hope everyone is staying safe. I know it’s a rough time for everyone, even you guys, the writers, so I hope everyone is staying blessed and hopefully we have our season."
