Marist looks to prove its run to MAAC title game was no fluke, but must replace Patrick Gardner

John Dunne is optimistic about potential of his Marist team this season after Red Foxes played for MAAC tournament championship last year. (Photo by Bob Dea/Daly Dose Of Hoops)

Last season’s Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament championship game featured one likely participant, with the other making an historic debut on the grand stage. And for 35 minutes, it was the first-timer who threatened to shock the world by matching the longtime league power and its then-Hall of Fame coach shot for shot.

Now five months removed from its first trip to a MAAC title soirée, Marist picks up the pieces from an improbable March that saw the Red Foxes nearly pull off what would have been the biggest upset in league history had they stunned Rick Pitino and Iona. But the challenge this year in Poughkeepsie is not just about where the program goes after being the first No. 11 seed to play for a conference crown. Rather, it is more about sustaining the unexpected momentum to finally pull Marist out of a decades-long morass and send the Red Foxes to the postseason for the first time since 2007.

“I think it’s twofold,” head coach John Dunne said of preserving the sudden upward mobility. “I think you can count on the experience of what it took to get to the championship and use that in your preparation. But we don’t only want to get back to the championship. We want to win it this year, and now that they’ve been through it, they’re not just hearing me speak about it and talk about it. They can feel the support and we certainly want to capitalize on the excitement that was generated.”

“At the end of the day, I think the returners are thirsty to make another tournament run because we were so close last year. They’ve been really focused in the summer, but at the same time, they weren’t happy with the overall performance in the regular season and in the MAAC. I think they’re ready to make a significant improvement there, and to lead the new guys.”

While the Red Foxes do return three starters from last year’s unit, there is a glaring absence in the lineup following the graduation of all-conference center Patrick Gardner, who signed a two-way contract with the Brooklyn Nets this summer. Dunne admitted that Gardner’s individual talent is irreplaceable, but will nonetheless attempt to fill the void that the do-everything big man’s departure created by relying on upperclassmen Isaiah Brickner, Noah Harris and Javon Cooley.

“We’re not going to replace him with anyone individually,” Dunne conceded. “We have to do it collectively. Pat was a major bucket-getter. Even when he had a poor game, he was still putting 16 points on the board. The thing about Patrick is he didn’t just take and make the shots, he wasn’t afraid of the moment and he usually performed in the bigger moments. You’re not going to replace a 7-footer who was unbelievable in the mid-range and could shoot threes. You just have to do it collectively, and we feel good about the work ethic of the returning guys, but we also feel extremely enthusiastic about all the new players that are joining the program.”

“Kam Farris showed glimpses of what he can be. I think the big word for Kam is consistency. If he can be a little bit more consistent, then he should help us in a big way. I think Noah Harris is a guy that, when he keeps the game simple, can be very effective. And Isaiah, alongside Patrick Gardner, was our most improved guy. I think Isaiah was the top guy with how he improved. His work ethic is second to none and we’re expecting good things out of him. I think you’re going to see a big improvement in his 3-point shooting and his defense this year, so I’m excited about him.”

Isaiah Brickner heads into sophomore year as a point guard poised for a breakout campaign. (Photo by Bob Dea/Daly Dose Of Hoops)

Marist knows what it will get from its incumbent starters, now led by Brickner as he enters his sophomore campaign at the point guard spot, as well as his backcourt partners, Harris and Cooley. Kam Farris is also positioned for a larger role after functioning primarily as a sixth man last season. But it is the half-dozen newcomers — three incoming freshmen and three transfers — to Dutchess County this season who have Dunne and his staff visibly enthusiastic and optimistic about the future.

“Jadin Collins is an A-plus competitor, good athlete, good in the open floor, (a) very good passer,” Dunne said of the 6-foot-1 guard from the same Rutgers Prep program Harris played for in high school. “Playmaking off the dribble was not our strength last year. We need to improve in that area and I think he helps us. Josh Pascarelli is a high IQ, very good shooter, good feel for the game on the offensive end and he’s a guy who, from day one, can stretch the defenses for us. Jason Schofield is a late get for us and we’re really excited about him. He has toughness and he’s got a good skill level for 6-foot-9. He’s another freshman that’s going to compete for significant minutes. We think all three freshmen are a great foundation.” 

“Max Allen has battled some injuries throughout his career in high school and at San Jose State, but he’s working pretty hard to get healthy. It may take some time, but we strongly believe that if he stays healthy, at some point within the next couple years, he’ll be one of the best bigs in our league. Jackson Price is a guy from The Citadel who has a very pretty stroke and will be able to stretch the defenses for us at the center spot, and Isaiah Sulack is transferring from Tennessee, where he was a walk-on. He’s 6-foot-5 and he can really, really shoot the ball. All six (newcomers) have an opportunity to play, so we’re excited about that. We feel like they all bring a different skill set. There’ll be more competition this year for playing time than we’ve had the past few years.”

Dunne harped on the continuity in the program, a welcome change for Marist fans who had seen the Red Foxes gutted in the transfer portal over the years like so many other mid-major teams as they adjust to the new reality of college basketball. But one thing the longtime MAAC veteran has seen, both up close and from a distance, is that some of the better teams in the conference have flown under the radar to some degree, which begs the question: Can Marist be one of those surprising outfits this coming year?

“I think so,” he said. “If you have good chemistry on the court, you have an opportunity to do something. I think we’ve put together a team that has a lot of different pieces of good talent, and now it’s about how well we’ll gel and how well we’ll sacrifice for the good of the team. If we commit to those things and commit to winning before ourselves, I think we have a very good opportunity to surprise some people.”