St. Joseph’s (PA) Team Report

GETTING INSIDE

Now in his 15th season as head coach of the St. Joseph’s Hawks, Phil Martelli could be looking at a rebuilding project.

After starting the Atlantic 10 season 7-1, the Hawks swooned down the stretch, finishing 17-15 and out of the postseason, leaving plenty of questions about a team that lost its top two players, has no big names and has holes to fill.

“It’s going to have to be shared responsibility with a balanced attack,” coach Phil Martelli said. “We don’t have a guy who’s going to be in the conversation for A-10 Player of the Year. We may not have a guy who’s in the conversation for All-Conference first team.

“But, the parts have to fit together. Our execution has to be sharper and the daily improvement has to be across the board.”

Martelli has a mix of experience and youth and will be looking for a go-to player to emerge. Saint Joseph’s three returning starters—senior guards Darrin Govens and Garrett Williamson sophomore forward Idris Hilliard—will need to pick up the scoring to replace both Ahmad Nivins (19.2 ppg.) and guard Tasheed Carr (14.3 ppg.).

Govens averaged 12.5 points and knocked down a team-high 72 field goals from beyond the arc, while Williamson (6.1 points), a member of the league’s All-Defensive team, led St. Joseph’s in assists (4.5).

One of the more improved players in the conference, Hilliard averaged 9.2 points and 5.5 rebounds after playing sparingly as a freshman.

A mix of newcomers and returning players will compete to round out the lineup. Todd O’Brien (4.4), a 6-11 center, is eligible after his transfer from Bucknell and should find his way into the rotation. Sophomore guard Chris Prescott (2.8) has also made great strides in the offseason and gives the Hawks a potential outside shooting threat.

NOTES, QUOTES

• Since their 14-2 championship season in the A-10 in 2004-05, the Hawks have finished 9-7 in each of the past four seasons, finishing between fourth and sixth.

• An expansion and renovation of the historic Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse will produce the Michael J. Hagan ’85 Arena with a capacity of 4,500. The arena will be ready to rock for the start of the season after the Hawks were forced to play their home games last season at the famed Palestra.

• The Hawks must replace A-10 Player of the Year Ahmad Nivens, who was one of two A-10 players selected in last summer’s NBA Draft. Nivens was selected by the Dallas Mavericks with the 56th pick. Nivens, who shot 61.2 percent last season to lead the A-10 in field-goal, also led the A-10 in both rebounding (11.8) and minutes (39.34), while finishing third in the league in scoring (19.2).

Last Year:   17-15 overall, 9-7 in the A-10.

Head Coach:   Phil Martelli (career 278-167); 15th year at St. Joseph’s (278-167).

Quote To Note:   “I think the returning players need to be appreciative of the fabulous surroundings that we now have. They also have to understand that winning records are really not what we’re about. We’re about postseason appearances and we’re about daily improvement.”—Coach Phil Martelli on moving into the new Hagan Arena.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

Scouting The Newcomers:   St. Joseph’s landed 6-9, 240-pound Carl Baptiste to help ease the loss of Ahmad Nivens. The power forward is a terrific rebounder and could pose matchup problems because of his ability to shoot from long range. He averaged 17 points and 12 rebounds as a junior at North Hunterdon High School (N.J.). He is strong enough to compete immediately. Scoring was an issue for the Hawks and Martelli found hometown product Justin Crosgile, a strong, speedy combo guard. St. Joseph’s added another scoring floor general in Carl Jones.

Key Early-season Games:   The Hawks will open the year at Hagan Arena with back-to-back home games against Drexel (Nov. 13) and Holy Cross (Nov. 17). Other key non-conference home games will be against Princeton (Jan. 2), rival Villanova (Dec. 9) at The Palestra. The Hawks will go on the road to face Rider (Nov. 30), Minnesota (Dec. 12) and Penn (Jan. 25).

Program Direction:   The arrow isn’t up or down, but straight across. Coach Phil Martelli will always have his team prepared to play and if some of his newcomers come through they’ll again be in the top five of the A-10.

Probable Starting Lineup:   G Darrin Govens, G Garrett Williamson, G Chris Prescott, F Idris Hilliard, F Bryant Irwin

Roster Report:  

• G Justin Crosgile will be sideline for the start of the season after suffering a torn ligament in his left thumb.The freshman was injured in a pre-season pick-up game and had to undergo surgery.

• G Darrin Govens is the team’s leading returning scorer. The 6-1 guard averaged 12.5 points per game and took the most 3-pointers on the squad (208). He’s the only returnee who averaged more than 10 points per game.

• F Bryant Irwin (3.1 points last season) saw action in every game his rookie year and has impressed coach Phil Martelli in offseason workouts.

• G Chris Prescott averaged 12.6 minutes a game last year, but he might find himself in a starting role this season. He’ll need to be ready to play major minutes.