State of Gael Basketball: Update

Last time we saw the Iona Gaels, they were sitting at a 4-9 overall record with an conference record of 2-4. And while that wasn’t impressive on paper, the strive for five was not a far cry. Last season saw the team in a similar situation which cumulated in the team winning the MAAC Championship for the fourth straight year. But that was last year. This year is different. Since the last report the Maroon and Gold drop three of their last four games to sit at a 5-12 overall record while their conference record stands at 3-7 as two concerns comes into play.

One concern is identity. The team does not know what ways to utilize their key pieces to maximize their full potential. An example of this is on the January 31st home game against Siena College, the Saints defense held senior forward Tajuan Agee to just 4 points while the Chicago native went 2-7 from the field. If the Gaels truly want to strive for five they must try to spread the floor and try to keep Agee open in the post. With an balanced attack the Gaels should improve their efficiency as the team currently ranked 6th in field goal percentage in the conference.

Another concern is injury. Junior guard Asante Gist is expected to miss a significant time due to foot injury that was sustained during practice. With that, guard Colton Cashaw is expected to receive significant playing time in place of Gist. Though Cashaw is slight upgrade to Gist in terms of stature but experience is key. While Gist was demoted to the bench in favor of Isaiah Washington, Gist has more experience as the New Jersey guard possess career averages of 13 points, 2 rebounds and 3 assists per game.

With identity and injuries concerns serving as the achilles heel for an otherwise talented team, can the Maroon and Gold pull through and really strive for five? Can Colton Cashaw provide that instant spark that the Gaels need? As fans we would have to wait and see it another championship season is meant to be