PirateCrew: Seton Hall Pirates Football & Basketball Recruiting
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By JP Pelzman
This was the Jared Rhoden the 6-6 senior from Long Island had promised everyone they would see back in October. The one capable of pushing his team to the finish line on a given night, and making big play after big play.
In short, Rhoden was the player Wednesday night that he and everyone else around the program knows he can be. And the Pirates needed every bit of it to secure an important, dramatic 73-71 victory over No. 25 Xavier at the Prudential Center.
Rhoden had 25 points and eight rebounds and made two key baskets down the stretch.
“I’m just so proud that we got that win. It was big-time for us,” Rhoden said. “My guys always support me to do what I do and I'm thankful for that.”
Rhoden cut through the defense for a layup with 3:59 left to give the Pirates a 62-57 lead and was fouled. However, he was unable to convert the free throw. After a basket by Xavier’s Paul Scruggs (21 points, seven assists), Rhoden hit a three to extend The Hall’s lead to 65-59 with 3:15 left.
Teammate Jamir Harris praised the amount of work Rhoden has put in recently.
“As much as he puts into the game and the amount of passion he has for it,” Harris said, “it’s special. I'm just happy to see it. He deserves it, for sure.”
Rhoden, who is averaging 15.8 points and 7.0 rebounds, had gone through a slump in which he shot 11-for-45 in a three-game span, including losses to St. John’s and Marquette at home. He still isn’t shooting lights out--8-for-18 against the Musketeers (16-7, 6-6)--but he seems to be on the right track.
“I've been putting in a lot of extra work,” he said, “getting a lot of shots up, watching a lot of film, so I'm so happy that this game turned out that way because I worked hard for it.
“When things go bad, you’ve got to keep putting in that work,” he added.
“I think Jared’s starting to get back to the way he was playing before the COVID shutdown,” coach Kevin Willard said. “He’s playing really simple basketball, letting the game come to him, he’s not forcing it and I think he’s just playing nice and simple. … When he does that, I think he’s as good as anybody. We just put more time in him understanding what, more or less trying to make the game simpler.
“We came out of COVID--he had it, he spent 13 days in his house--and I think everyone was excited to get back playing,” Willard added, “but you lose a rhythm. And I think he’s just finally getting back into a rhythm. I think it takes that time.”
Alexis Yetna also was key down the stretch, with a basket that gave the Hall a 58-51 lead after the Musketeers had cut a 10-point lead to five.
“I just focus on playing hard, and I'm confident that the ball will fall in,” said Yetna, who had 12 points on 6-for-11 shooting.
“Lex is playing really aggressive,” Willard said.
Myles Cale’s steal and layup that put The Hall ahead 67-59 with 3:01 left was the Pirates’ last basket. A failure to execute by the Pirates in their four-minute offense enabled Xavier to cut the deficit to 67-65 in the final minute.
Later, Rhoden then made one of two foul shots with 18 seconds left to give the Pirates a 70-67 lead.
Colby Jones missed an open three-point attempt from the right corner with 12 seconds to go. Cale grabbed the rebound, was fouled and made one of two free throws. Scruggs' uncontested layup cut the deficit to 71-69, and Rhoden then made one of two foul shots with 5.7 seconds left.
Willard wisely chose to foul, and Scruggs made both, the second one clearly by mistake. After some tense moments and a called timeout, Seton Hall got the ball inbounds to Jamir Harris and he made one of two free throws with 1.9 seconds to go for the final margin. A desperation heave by Xavier was off the mark as time expired.
“I think we’re close” to pre-COVID form, Willard said. “I don’t think we’re quite back.”
Perhaps his team can peak at just the right time.
