Congratulations to the Iona Gaels Mens Basketball team, who won the MAAC tournament with a dominant win over Marist in the finals, 76-55, on March 11. Iona, (27-7) has won 14 games in a row, the third longest current streak in the NCAA, and just in time for March Madness, the NCAA college basketball tournament about to begin.
Leading the Gaels was Junior Guard Daniss Jenkins with 27 points. Sophomore Walter Clayton Jr. had 17 points. 6’9″ Nelly Joseph, from Nigeria, and 7 foot tall Osborn Shema, from Rwanda, give Iona a strong power forward -center combination inside. Add guard Berrick JeanLouis, and forward Michael Jefferson, and head coach Rick Pitino has a solid six player rotation to take on the Big names in college basketball.
Iona will know soon who their first opponent will be in March madness. Look for the Gaels to play their first game on St. Patty’s day, and Westchester now has a home team to root for.
But just as loud as Iona’s win and ticket into March Madness, were the rumors that head coach Rick Pitino might be leaving at the end of the season, to a larger program; St. John’s or Georgetown were the two Big East teams we heard about.
Pitino tried to downplay all of the rumors about his future after the win over Marist. “My interests lie with my team, and I’m very thankful to Iona University… If I ever move, I’d have to have firm belief that the job I take — wherever it may be — can win like Iona. And I’m not sure that there are very few of those (sic) out there… I got the best players in the world. If somebody can match this culture, I want to see it, ’cause we’ve built a culture.”
To those not familiar with Coach Pitino, he is one of the legendary college basketball coaches in NCAA history. He is the only coach to lead three different schools (Providence, Kentucky, and Louisville) to a Final Four.
While coaching Louisville in 2017, Pitino and the basketball program were involved in a scandal over improper perks to recruits, and allegations of bribing recruits, which led to Pitino getting fired. He was coaching in Europe when Iona called in 2020.
In 2021, Pitino and Iona gained entry to March Madness and played a great game in their loss to Alabama. Iona under Pitino has not yet won a game in the tournament.
Pitino has a home in Mamaroneck and is a member of Winged Foot Golf Club. He seems happy in his position at Iona, but at 70 years old, his chance for one more run at the big time is now. And the double edge sword of if Iona wins a game or two in the tournament, it would vault Pitino to another job.
Senior Guard Berrick JeanLouis spoke about Pitino’s legend. “I was ready to commit to another school and then Rick Pitino called me and I was like oh shoot!” said Berrick, Iona’s senior guard. “I told my gym coach Rick Pitino is calling me and he was like, ‘You have to go there. No questions asked.’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, definitely.’”
Two other stories on the team. One is 7 foot center Osborn Shema. “One of the players I’m most proud of is Osborn Shema from Iona. Been through a LOT!!! Had some really bad people in his life when he was brought over to the US. Found a home in JUCO where learned a lot. Fought through injuries early at Iona. Now not just surviving, but THRIVING,” writes Ionagaels.com.
And a local Iona Gael hoopster to be proud of is Senior Guard James Carey, from Pelham. Carey is a walk on, no scholarship-think the movie Rudy. He doesn’t play a lot but got on the court in a recent game against Sienna. This story from Ionagaels.com, Brian Beyrer, “Intrigue in the frame was sparked in the final 90 seconds as senior walk-on James Carey electrified the capacity crowd with a seven-point outburst in a minute span. He sank all four free throw attempts and drained a long three-pointer from the left wing to record his first points of the season. Carey was subbed for in the final 30 seconds of the game to a standing ovation,” and a hug from Pitino on the way out.
“We will be prepared, whoever we play. We wanted to get a really good seed…I’ll leave that in the hands of the committee, but these guys are up for the test,” said Pitino.
