The Post’s Zach Braziller makes predictions for some of the prominent college hoops teams in the metro area with the season tipping off Monday.
Patience in Piscataway
Rutgers doesn’t return to the NCAA Tournament, but there is plenty of excitement within the program as the season results in a second straight NIT berth. Sophomore Derek Simpson is the Scarlet Knights’ second-best player after stud center Cliff Omoruyi, proving he is ready to lead a blockbuster, top-three-ranked recruiting class the following year, highlighted by five-star prospects Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper, who piꦫcks Rutg🎃ers in January.
At last, a return to the tournament for Hofstra
The Pride are being underrated after losing star guard Aaron Estrada to Alabama. But for all of his abilities, Hofstra at times became over-dependent on the two-time conference player of the year. It returns several key contributors from the defending regular-season champions, led by high-scoring guard Tyler Thomas, heady point guard Jaquan Carlos and well-rounded wing Darlinstone Dubar. Speedy Claxton’s team will enter the CAA Tournament under the radar after a third-place finish, and play its best at the right time to reach the NCAA To🤪urnament for the first time since 2001. (Hofstra did win the CAA Tournament in 2000, before COVID-19 cut the postseason short).
Disappointment across the river
The Garden State fails to produce an NCAA Tournament team for the first time since 2015. Rutgers and Seton Hall both🔥 settle for the NIT, Fairleigh Dickinson finishes second in the NEC but can’t ge🍰t it done in the conference tournament after its memorable March moment last year, and Princeton, coming off that dream Sweet 16 run, loses to loaded Yale in the Ivy League title game. Monmouth and NJIT aren’t threats, while Rider follows up a regular-season MAAC title with an early exit from the postseason tournament.
Incremental progress on Rose Hill
Fordham doesn’t win as many games as it did last year (25), but that doesn’t mean Keith Urgo’s program isn’t headed in the right direction. The Atlantic 10 is improved and Fordham’s non-conference schedule is tougher than the previous year’s lineup of cupcakes, with games against St. John’s, Ivy League contender Cornell and North Texas and Tulane of the AAC. A season after finishing in a three-way tie for second in their league, the Rams are sixth, but after being led by 🦩seniors last winter, their best players are sophomores — Angel Montas, Joshua Rivera and Will Richardson — creating hope for the future.
The Dance Card
Hofstra is jo👍ined by St. John’s and Io🌞na. The Johnnies finish fifth in the minefield otherwise known as the Big East, and are a seven-seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Iona, with its grad-transfer-heavy roster, starts slow with an a𝓰lmost brand new team but finishes fast, winning the MAAC Tournament for the seventh time since 2016.
Hofstra and Iona are both 14-seeds and are dispatched in the opening round, while St. John’s and Rick Pitino advance on💃e round, winning the school’s first tournament game in 24 years.
Haggerty Award (area’s best player)
Sr. C Cliff Omoruyi, Rutgers (13.2 PPG, 9.6 RPG)
St. John’s will have the best team locally, but not the best player. Omoruyi was already an elite rim-protector and low-post finisher. Now he has added versatility to his game on the offensive end with a midrange jumper, making him a top-10 center nationally. After a huge senior year, Omoruyi becomes Rutgers’ first NBA d𒁃raft pick since Hamady N’Diaye was a second-rounder in 2010.
All-Met local first team
Sr. G Daniss𒉰 Jenkins, St. John’s (15.6 PPG, 4.9 APG)
Sr. F Chris Ledlum, St. John’s (18.8꧅ PPG, 8.5 RPG)
Sr.🍸 G Kadary Richmond, Seton Hall (10.1 PPG, 5.2 RPG)
Sr. C Joel Soriano, St. John’s (15.2 PPG, 11.9 RPღG)&nbs🌼p;
Sr.ꩵ G Tyler Thomas, Hofstra (16.8 PPG, 3.8 RPG)
Second team
Sr. G/F Dre Davis, Seton Hall (9.6 PPG, 3.3 RP🏅G)
Sr. G Al-Amir Dawes, Seton Hal🐽l (12.6 PPG, 1.7🎃 APG)
Sr. ✅G Jordan Dingle, St. John’s 𝓡(23.4 PPG, 3.6 RPG)
Sr. F Osborn Shema, Iona (7.4 PPG, 4.7 RPG)
So. G Derek Simpson, Rutgers (7.1 PPG, 1.5 APG)
Local legends
A look at the top players who grew up in the ar🔯ea.
First team
Sr. G RJ Davis (16.1 PPG, 5.1 RPG), North Carolina, White Plains
The former Archbishop Stepinac star won’t have to worry about playing on the ball as much thanks to the arrival of five-star New Jersey point guard Elliot Cadeau, which should free up Davis for a potenꦇtial monster season on the offensive end. Davis has never really played with a true point guard in his North Carolina career — Caleb Love always looked for his shot first — so it is easy to see the addition of Cadeau really benefiting him.
Sr. G Aaron Estrada (20.2 PPG, 4.3 APG), Alabama, Woodbury, N.J.
The two-time CAA Player of the Year is giving it another shot at the high-major level, opting to spend his last year of college at Alabama after starring for Hofstra the last two seasons. Coach Nate Oats has raved about Estrada’s work ethic, leadership qualities and talent level, believing his game will translate to the fast-paced and ultra-athletic💖 SEC.
Sr. F Chris Ledlum (18.8 PPG, 8.5 RPG), St. John’s, Brooklyn
Ledlum was the last of the 12 new players Rick Pitino broug📖ht in upon taking over at St. John’s, but he may wind up being the most important. The coaching staff has raved about the former Harvard star’s ability to impact the game as an inside-out scoring threat who inhales💃 rebounds and plays bigger than his 6-foot-6 frame.
Sr. C Clifford Omoruyi (13.2 PPG, 9.6 RPG), Rutgers, Roselle, N.J.
It will be the Omoruyi show in Piscataway this winter. The rim-running, shot-blocking demon is the key to Ru🌼tgers returning to the NCAA Tournament after falling short last March. He’s one of the premier big men in the sport at both ends of the floor, and has improved each season in college. He will need to make another leap for Rutgers to surpass underwhelming projections.
Fr. G Dajuan Wagner Jr. (Freshman), Kentucky, Camden, N.J.
A projected one-and-done top-10 pick, the 6-3 guard can do it all as a three-level scorer and adept distributor. He was the McDonald’s All-American Game MVP and Gatorade New Jersey Player of the Year for three straight seasons, and now Wagner follows in the footsteps of his famo🗹us father, Dajuan Sr., by playing for John Calipari.
Second team
Fr. G Elliot Cadeau (Freshman), North Car🃏olina, West Orange, N.J.
Sr.🦩 G Jordan Dingle (23.4 PPG, 3.6 RPG), S🐼t. John’s, Valley Stream, N.Y.
Sr. G Kadary Richmond (10.1 PPG, 4.1 A༒PG), Seton Hall, Brooklyn
Sr. C Joel 🌳Soriano (15.2 PPG, 11.9 RPG), St. John’s, Yonkers ;
Jr. G Zakai Zeigler (10.7 PPG, 5.4 AP🌺G), Te📖nnessee, Bronx
Third team
Sr. G Posh Alexander (10.2 PPG, 4.2 APG), Butler, Brook🎃lyn
Sr. F Zed Key (10.8 PPG, 7.5 RPG), Ohio St♋ate, Bay Shore, N.Y.
Fr. F Mackenzie Mgbakꦰo (Freshman), Indiana, Gladsto𓆉ne, N.J.
Sr. G Paul Mulcahy 𝕴(8.3 PPG, 🍸4.9 APG), Washington, Bayonne, N.J.
Sr. G 🌳Jahvon Quinerly (8.7 PPG, 3.6 APG),💧 Memphis, Hackensack, N.J.
