By Dan Murphy
After a quiet start to their basketball season, the Iona mens Basketball team, under Coach Rick Pitino is playing its best basketball, just it time for the MAAC tournament, and March Madness.
After the Gaels recent blowout of Marist, 84-57, Pitino said, “We played our best game of season”
“It takes a lot to shock me, but I’m in shock tonight.” “This is one of the biggest surprises I’ve had as an
@IonaGaelsMBB coach.”
Iona is now 11-4, and 4-0 in the MAAC. Iona has also cracked the national top 40, with an NET ranking of #38.
Pitino also likes to point out that he has an international roster of players, including 7 foot tall, Shema Osborn. Osborn, from Rwanda, gets better with every game, and now is averaging 11 points and 4 rebounds in his last four games.
“Yesterday, we started players from Nigeria, Rwanda and Ghana. Looking for the next Gorgui Dieng from Senegal. C’mon Gorgui – where are you?” asked Pitino.
Three members of the Gaels scored 23, 19 and 16 against Marist, and make up a trio of shooters and hustling players who fit perfectly into Pitino’s high energy offense and defense.
Junior Daniss Jenkins scored 23, Junior Nelly Joseph, from Nigeria, had his third straight double-double game, with 19 points and 12 rebounds. At 6’9″ Joseph is the tough, banging power foward who can also score.
6’3 Freshman Cruz Davis had his best game, with 16 points against Marist.
Four other Gaels give Iona a good 7 man rotation. Senior Berrick JeanLouis grabbed eight rebounds with three assists against Marist, and senior Quinn Slazinski, sophomore Walter Clayton Jr. and freshman Michael Jefferson all make contributions but didn’t play against Marist, and they still won by 27.
Clayton Jr. is averaging 16 points per game, and has a football background, and a tough defensive mentality at 6’3″.
Pitino now has a 27-6 conference record since he’s been at Iona. This may be the year for Iona to make a move by winning the MAAC and heading into March Madness with a 7 or 8 seed.
Despite the fact that Pitino, 70, called this his last stop as a basketball coach, the rumor mill is active again, with Texas, St. John’s, Georgetown and Florida Street among the big college hoops programs interested.
Let’s Go Gaels!
