Niagara ready to jump from pause into MAAC tournament fire

Greg Paulus and Niagara have yet to learn MAAC tournament fate, but Purple Eagles have skillfully handled adversity this season. (Photo by The Buffalo News)

It hasn’t been easy for any program to pick up once again amid the stop-and-go nature of pausing activity after a positive COVID-19 test, much less twice in the final month of the regular season before resuming in the heat of a conference tournament.

Nevertheless, that task is what Niagara will attempt to undertake next week in Atlantic City as the Purple Eagles, shut down on February 25 after a pause shelved the final two games of the regular season — the latest stoppage coming only 13 days after returning from a hiatus — prepare for an unorthodox postseason that could still bring with it a first-round bye and top-half finish, the second in as many years on Monteagle Ridge.

“We’re working through it,” head coach Greg Paulus assessed as he leads a team that has yet to practice since its latest pause into the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament. “We did have the Canisius series canceled as a result of the COVID protocols, so right now, we’re working with the health and medical staff in terms of how things will look moving forward. But we’re hoping to have the opportunity.”

“I think there’s a lot of unknowns at this point. Obviously, we’ve had different cancellations and postponements throughout the season, but also in the timeline of where we are right now, we don’t know where we’ll finish in the league, and so for us, without being able to compete, we’re trying to keep everybody healthy and safe. That’s the first priority, and as things unfold throughout the week, we’ll have a better understanding of what the week will look like.”

What is not unknown, though, is that Niagara has at least three players in its arsenal capable of impacting games at a moment’s notice. While junior guard Marcus Hammond commands the bulk of attention on scouting reports, it has been the contributions of Kobi Nwandu and Jordan Cintron — the former almost certain to be an all-MAAC selection when those honors are announced Monday — that has buoyed a unit that plays connected on both ends of the floor and displays a quiet confidence about it.

“Kobi has had a good year, and I think his development over the course of the season has been impressive,” said Paulus of Nwandu, a transfer from Division II Le Moyne College. “His versatility on both ends of the floor gives our team a different dynamic, and I think his efficiency and ability to continue to develop throughout the season has helped our team evolve. That’s something we want to continue to work at.”

“Jordan’s a guy that we didn’t know we would have this year,” Paulus added with regard to Cintron, a Longwood transfer declared eligible when the NCAA approved all waivers shortly after the start of the season. “He’s made our team better with his energy. He’s a giver with his physical toughness on both ends of the floor, and I certainly feel that he’s a guy that has been a tremendous spark for us. Off the bench, I think he’s been one of the best players in the league as a sixth man type. He’s somebody who we value and appreciate all the things he does for our team that won’t come up in a stat sheet or box score, but he’s certainly made us better with his competitive spirit and we’re glad he’s part of our program.”

While Niagara can still finish in either of four different positions while watching its fate dictated by the other schools in the MAAC, one thing is certain, that of an ability to embrace head-on whatever adversity it faces while also adapting to the circumstances surrounding whomever the Purple Eagles do draw.

“Our guys have adapted a lot to the COVID times, but there’s a lot that goes into a season,” Paulus cautioned. “And last year, this year, to see the improvement of individuals and the development of our team and our program on and off the court, I think a lot of the credit goes to our players for their resiliency and raising the standards — for themselves and for our team — and as we work together, we want to continue to be a little bit better each day. And I’m proud of my players for how they’ve handled it, and the manner in which they’ve done that.”

“I think it speaks volumes about the guys’ competitive spirit and their character with only having a couple of days to practice. I’m not sure what that will look like now, not only from the seeding, but also from when we’ll be able to have that team opportunity, so for us, it’s another unique situation that we’re going to try to make the best of the moment.”