PirateCrew: Seton Hall Pirates Football & Basketball Recruiting
The definitive source for all PirateCrew news.
By JP Pelzman
Thoughts and observations on Seton Hall's 84-70 victory over Bethune-Cookman:
Long time coming.
Sophomore guard Jahari Long, who battled COVID issues in the preseason before his freshman campaign, logged only 129 minutes last season. He already has 56 in four games, including two starts this season. He started and played 20 minutes Sunday against Bethune-Cookman and had three points and three assists.
“It feels good,” he said. “I just want to come out and do what I have to do. Be aggressive. Be aggressive on offense, be aggressive on defense, just trying to do what I can to help the team win.”
Granted, he likely isn’t going to be a regular starter, but Long has the potential to contribute, especially on the defensive end. His 6-5 height can be a problem for smaller guards.
Good day for the transfers.
Coach Kevin Willard admitted afterward he still is figuring out the individual games of transfer Jamir Harris (American), Kadary Richmond (Syracuse) and Alexis Yetna (South Florida). But this was probably the best game all three of them have had at the same time.
Harris had 11 points and was 3-for-7 from beyond the arc. Richmond recorded six assists, seven rebounds, one turnover and was plus-15; and Yetna posted his first double-double as a Pirate with 14 points and 13 rebounds. He was plus-12.
“I definitely feel like I'm starting to get comfortable and come into my role that I'm going to have on this team,” Harris said.
As for the team as a whole, he said, “We know how deep our team is. We have confidence in every guy on the team.”
Player updates.
Willard said that freshman guard Ryan Conway “is on the path to being a redshirt.”
Willard expects freshman wing Brandon Weston (knee) to be cleared to play at some point.
As for Myles Cale, who sat out a second straight game with a groin injury, Willard seemed optimistic that he would able to return for the Dec. 9 clash with visiting Texas at the Prudential Center.
French pastry.
Joe French, who nearly singlehandedly kept Bethune-Cookman afloat with 30 points, is the only returning played from the 2019-20 squad after the school didn’t field a team during last year’s COVID-plagued season. However, there was another familiar name in the lineup. Morehead State transfer Marcus Garrett had 11 points. He is the son of assistant coach Billy Garrett, a former Seton Hall assistant. Billy Garrett Jr. was a star at DePaul several years ago.
Making freebies.
The Hall was 20-for-21 (95.2%) from the foul line, and is shooting 77% from the stripe this season. Long had the lone miss. It's unclear if he had to run laps afterward (kidding).
“For the most part,” Willard said, “everyone that goes to the line is a good free-throw shooter, even Ike. Ike has worked hard at it.”
Scouting Wagner.
Wagner (2-0) is the only men’s Division 1 college basketball program currently shut down because of COVID protocols, having not played since a stunning 58-44 upset of Virginia Commonwealth on Nov. 13. It's unclear if the Seahawks will be able to play at The Rock on Wednesday. Super senior Alex Morales had 20 points and 11 boards in the win against VCU.
