It took Justin Newton only one year to earn the trust of St. Francis men’s basketball coach Brian Nash.
Now, the Brooklyn native and former Poly Prep Country Day School standout will have to live up to the responsibility of being the Terriers’ floor leader as they once again try to defy the odds and earn the Franciscan college’s first-ever Northeast Conference championship and NCAA Tournament berth.
“Right now, it looks like Justin Newton is going to start at the point,” Nash said during Wednesday’s preseason NEC coaches teleconference.
“He’s lost 20 pounds and has really matured as a player. He’s one of the toughest defensive players that we have. It’s great to have a point guard that can run offense, make shots and defend like heck on the other end. Justin emerged in that position.”
The second-year six-footer, who played in all 30 games for the Terriers and started three during his freshman campaign in 2008-09, will be responsible for “quarterbacking” a team that has waited more than a century for its “One Shining Moment” in the Field of 64.
After guiding Poly Prep to a 25-1 record and a berth in the Private School Championship during his senior year in Bay Ridge, Newton certainly showed flashes of promise during his first campaign on Remsen Street.
He averaged 2.1 points, 1.8 rebounds and just under two assists while averaging approximately 15 minutes per contest. While the numbers might not seem eye-popping, Newton also displayed his tenacity on defense with 23 steals – good for third on the team and first among non-starters.
The former three-time All-Ivy League selection had a season-high four steals against Robert Morris last December and blocked three shots against Navy in November.
Nash, the son of Brooklyn coaching icon Ray Nash of Bishop Ford High School and brother of former rap star Pete Nash (a.k.a. Pete Nice) of Third Bass fame, realizes it’s time to begin living up to his promise of taking the Terriers to the promised land in March.
“We’ve been lingering since I’ve been here,” admitted Nash, who boldly predicted an NCAA tourney berth upon taking the helm at St. Francis back in March 2005.
“We’ve been in that 8-9 spot. You’ve got to get better players. Sometimes, it’s not the Xs and Os, it’s the Jimmys and Joes. I think we’re going to be able to score the ball better and we’re going to have a toughness factor we haven’t had the past few years.”
Newton, who figures to provide some of that toughness both on the floor and during practice as he begins to assume a leadership role, certainly won’t be alone in spearheading the Terriers’ drive toward the NEC crown.
The return of forward Kayode Ayeni from a torn ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) and junior shooting guard Ricky Cadell will provide Newton with two legitimate weapons to dish the ball to.
Last season, with Ayeni out, Cadell’s clutch play down the stretch helped the Terriers capture their 17th NEC Tournament berth in 19 years before a quarterfinal defeat to top-seed and eventual champion Robert Morris.
“I’m glad that [Ayeni] was able to do a heck of a job rehabbing and getting his leg back to 100 percent,” Nash said. “It was such a shame for the kid last year. He was a minute and 20 seconds over the NCAA’s qualification for a redshirt. He realizes that this is his last year.
“Unfortunately, he had another slight injury on the same knee in his last workout of the fall. Knock on wood, I think he’s starting to look very healthy. He’s a senior and has been through the wars.”
Cadell averaged 21 points over the final 12 games, when Nash slid him into the 2-guard spot after using him at the point for the early part of the season.
“Ricky can really shoot the ball,” the fifth-year coach added. “He had some great games for us and it propelled him into being an all-conference player. Those are two guys we’ll definitely need to play well for us.”
With impressive victories over local rivals Columbia and Manhattan last year, the Terriers proved they could play at a high level. But consistency has been an issue throughout Nash’s tenure – something he hopes will change in 2009-10, especially with the addition of some hard-to-handle big men up front.
Nash grabbed a potential impact player with the signing of 6-9 shot-blocker extraordinaire Alexander Harrington out of Brown Mackie Junior College. Also expected to earn minutes up front is 6-6 Brooklyn product Akeem Johnson, who averaged 25.3 points and 12.1 rebounds at Susan S. McKinney High School.
“I expect Akeem to make an instant impact next season,” Nash said after signing Bennett. “He’s extremely versatile and has excellent knowledge of the game. He brings tenacity on both ends of the floor, and we are looking forward to having him in the program.”
Nash also landed a potential impact transfer in 6-11, 255-pound center Mike Davis, who spent the last two seasons at Seton Hall. Davis, who will sit out this year, started five games and averaged 2.6 points and 2.3 boards for the Pirates last season.
“I am very excited that Mike has chosen to become a part of our family here at St. Francis College,” Nash said. “A player of his size and skill will have a chance to make a big impact on our program.”
The Terriers will open the season Nov. 13 against visiting Brown in Brooklyn Heights. The NEC slate begins with a visit from Central Connecticut State on Dec. 3, and the “Battle for Brooklyn” series will run from Feb. 4-6 with a home-and-home series, beginning at the Genovesi Center.
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