Category: Iona

Fairfield 98, Iona 91: A Little Redemption For Marcus Gilbert

(photo courtesy: Fairfield athletics)

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – It’s hard to call Marcus Gilbert unknown, especially in the MAAC, where he was a preseason first-team selection after all.

Maybe underappreciated might be a little closer to the target. Gilbert finished fifth in the MAAC with 16.1 points per game last season, and was praised by opposing coaches for his outstanding ability after almost every game, but made only the MAAC third team last March.

The primary reason isn’t hard to deduce, Gilbert’s Fairfield team finished a putrid 7-24, finishing with a lopsided MAAC Tournament loss that saw them score just 33 points. Yes, them, as in the whole team. It was Fairfield’s second straight seven-win season after the Stags went 19-16 in Gilbert’s freshman season, one that saw him on the MAAC All-Rookie Team.

Continue reading “Fairfield 98, Iona 91: A Little Redemption For Marcus Gilbert” →

Rhode Island 79, Iona 74 (OT): Gaels Nearly Pull Off Remarkable Win

KINGSTON, R.I. – As far as walk-ons go, Iona freshman Benjamin Nwokeabia has a pretty good resume, the Swiss native played AAU ball and at Impact Academy in Sarasota, Fla.

But he doesn’t appear among the 12 names on the front of the Iona media notes in “At a Glance”, and he had so little chance of getting meaningful minutes Saturday night at the Ryan Center against Rhode Island that his bio wasn’t included either. So the confluence of events that saw him on the floor late in overtime of a tight game Saturday night, well, that’s quite a long story.

Alas, if you’ve been following you know much of it. Kelvin Amayo is out indefinitely with a knee injury and Schadrac Casimir the same with a stubborn groin injury that is not healing as fast as anyone involved with Iona would like. MAAC Preseason Player of the Year A.J. English will hopefully be back for MAAC play from a broken bone in his hand.

Continue reading “Rhode Island 79, Iona 74 (OT): Gaels Nearly Pull Off Remarkable Win” →

Iona 83, Texas Southern 73: English Out, But Gaels Survive

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. – Ibn Muhammad hit his first and only field goal of the game Wednesday night, but it was massive, a three-pointer that extended Iona’s lead to five over pesky Texas Southern with two minutes to go. He followed with a steal and assist for a Jordan Washington dunk that basically sealed Iona’s 22th straight home victory. Continue reading “Iona 83, Texas Southern 73: English Out, But Gaels Survive” →