“We have a goal that we all have in mind,” junior forward Akintola Akinniyi said. “I don’t even got to say it, you already know what I’m talking about.”
That’s how Quinnipiac men’s basketball players addressed the elephant in the room.
The pain, the hunger, the motivation… the goal to finally get over the mountaintop.
In the two seasons that Quinnipiac has been under the leadership of head coach Tom Pecora, the Bobcats have secured back-to-back MAAC regular-season titles. But both times, the Bobcats suffered heartbreaking losses in the MAAC tournament.
Now, it’s time to finish the job.
On paper, Quinnipiac’s window to contend is slipping away. The Bobcats saw multiple starters and key bench players either transfer or graduate, a sign that it’s time to think about the future rather than the present.
But the reality is actually the opposite. Pecora and the coaching staff were able to swiftly retool around returning star duo senior forward Amarri Monroe and sophomore guard Jaden Zimmerman — and predictions reflect a promising season.
Quinnipiac is predicted to three-peat as MAAC regular season champions, according to the annual Preseason Coaches Poll. Bringing back reigning MAAC Player of the Year, Monroe and All-Rookie honoree, Zimmerman, clearly inspired confidence.
“It’s gonna be like LeBron (James) and Dwayne Wade,” Zimmerman said.
The retool has seen Quinnipiac pull from all corners of the basketball realm, whether it’s recruits, transfers or some familiar faces. Pecora has no time for a rebuild, and his aggressive strategies reflect that.
The Starters
Quinnipiac has already scrimmaged against the University of New Haven and the University of Albany, with both matches serving as an inside look at who the starting five will be for the Bobcats.
Quinnipiac’s projected starting five includes senior guard Asim Jones, Zimmerman, Monroe and sophomore forward Spence Wewe — with the last spot seemingly up for grabs.
One thing to keep in mind is that Quinnipiac’s other big man, freshman forward Sam Nosakhare, is dealing with an undisclosed injury and likely won’t be available for the start of the season. So when Nosakhare gets healthy, there could be some competition at the starting five.
As for the point guard spot, after showcasing his potential for two seasons at the College of Southern Idaho, Jones showed signs of growth during his first stint at Division I basketball at Florida International University last season.
Jones averaged 9.3 PPG, 2.4 RPG and 2.2 assists for the Panthers en route to an appearance in the second round of the Conference USA Tournament against Jacksonville State University.
“Asim is an athletic guard who can score, facilitate, and defend at a high level,” Pecora said in a press release. “He will immediately improve our team on the floor.”
Zimmerman returns for his second season in Hamden after an impressive rookie season, where the guard averaged 11 points and provided a spark on offense next to Monroe.
With multiple departures of last year’s squad, Zimmerman will have an increased role, and Pecora believes that the second-year guard has seen the most improvement out of anyone on the squad.
“He had a great offseason,” Pecora said. “He just got bigger and stronger.”
After shocking the world of college sports with his decision to return to Hamden, Monroe will once again have the keys to the Bobcat offense.
While many expected Monroe to leave for greener pastures, Pecora believes he made the mature decision.
“We were an open book like we always are,” Pecora said. “We were very honest with him. I want what’s best for him… and he was probably leaning towards (transferring) to Rutgers a little bit, but he made a really mature decision.”
Both Pecora and Monroe see it the same way. Monroe wants to be here, and he’ll have opportunities to cash in on his talent down the road.
“(Monroe) said to me, ‘Coach, I’ll make a lot of money in my career,’” Pecora said. “And he will, because he’s a hell of a basketball player.”
He’s the clear-cut best player in the conference, and there are no signs of him slowing down anytime soon. Monroe averaged 19.8 PPG and 10.5 RPG last season in a campaign that awarded him MAAC Player of the Year, an honor that he’ll be in contention for again this upcoming season.
Barring any injuries or setbacks, Monroe will likely once again elevate Quinnipiac and bring the Bobcats back to the MAAC Tournament.
Starting at the traditional big position is Wewe. The seven-foot big man has even bigger shoes to fill with the departure of senior forward Paul Otieno during the offseason.
But if anyone’s up to the task, it’s Wewe, who averaged a double-double (11.9 PPG and 13.9 RPG) during his time at Toronto Terror Prep prior to landing at Quinnipiac.
“He brings great size for us,” Akinniyi said. “Great tenacity, great passer and a great rim protector. It’s just something that I think our team has been lacking for a long time so he’s gonna fill a lot of gaps for us this season.”
Rounding out the potential last spot will likely be sophomore forward Grant Randall or redshirt freshman Samson Reilly.
Randall, in a limited role last season, put up an even 62 points and 62 rebounds in 32 appearances.
Despite the limited action, Randall showed promise during his first campaign, especially as a rebounder. And with the starters in front of him last season out the door, Randall will have the opportunity to show the growth of his game.
Reilly, on the other hand, saw no action last year. But with opportunities seemingly up for grabs this season, Reilly could be in a prime position to take advantage.
During a pre-season press conference, Pecora announced that Reilly would serve as a team captain, a great honor for a player who has yet to see in-game action on the court.
“Samson Reilly is a leader by nature,” Pecora said. “He was a leader in high school and he’s gonna be a leader and a captain for us.”
The Bench
Just like any basketball program, the bench will be vital for Quinnipiac. It’s impossible to rely on your starters for 40 minutes a game every single game, so having key pieces off the bench is extremely important.
It’s still extremely early in the season and some of the players that might be making up this group have already been mentioned. But here are some of the players who will likely round out the bench unit.
Freshman guard Keith McKnight will likely play the most out of the newcomers to M&T Bank Arena. A standout defender, McKnight has made a positive impression on the team early and seems to be in a prime position to play the most off the bench.
Pecora has high praise for the athletic guard, comparing him to the great Michael Jordan.
“He’s gonna get out of a break on Sports Center,” Pecora said. “He is gonna put it on the highlight, ’cause he’s gonna do a 360, and he looks like Michael Jordan.”
McKnight averaged 13 PPG during his final season at Hudson Catholic and was ranked as the sixth-best player out of New Jersey for his recruiting class.
As a towering six-foot-nine forward, freshman forward Jayden Reid is an excellent defender who can not only drain shots but also create them for others.
Reid spent his senior year at Westminster School, where he averaged 14.5 PPG, 10 RPG and 4 APG.
Freshman guard Tai Turnage is another interesting piece in the guard rotation for Quinnipiac. Despite his 6-foot frame, the Bronx, N.Y. native is an efficient jump shooter who excels as a playmaker.
“I like to set up my teammates to make plays,” Turnage said. “But when I need to, I can be that guy to score as well.”
With percentages of 44% from the field and 39% from the three, Quinnipiac has earned an excellent three-point shooter in Turnage.
The Gameplan From Here
While this team looks very different from the squad that made the MAAC Semifinals last season, that might not be a bad thing in the long run.
“Last year, we were such an old group,” Reilly said. “It was, some guys were kind of over it, it felt like. And we have a new energy about ourselves with some young guys… It’s almost seamless.”
Despite the young age of this roster, they have the talent. Although that talent has yet to prove itself, it’s the reason why Quinnipiac plays its tough non-conference opponents right out the gate.
