Carmen Maciarello’s Siena Saints will once again make headlines in the 2021-22 season
LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. (BVM)– The Siena Saints are in a great position for a third consecutive Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) regular season title under coach Carmen Maciarello. If the Saints click at the right time, a first NCAA tournament appearance since 2010 is within reach. In last year’s shortened campaign, Siena finished 12-4 in conference but lost a heartbreaker to Iona in the quarterfinals of the MAAC tournament. Siena succeeded in close contests last season, with six out of sixteen conference games being decided by five points or less, and 12 encounters were two-possession games with under three minutes remaining. Returning important pieces, coach Maciarello’s principles of hard work, community, defense and attacking the rim will be key for Siena’s 2021-22 hopes.
Although rotation players return, Coach Maciarello has to manage the departures of MAAC Player of the Year Manny Camper, second-leading scorer Jordan Pickett and promising freshman Colin Golson Jr. Camper led the team in points and rebounds and was second in assists with 3.6 per game. The athletic 6-foot-7 wing also was a great slasher, transition player and defender, leading the team in steals with 1.2 per game. Pickett, who is transferring to Penn State, averaged 12.9 PPG, gathered 6.4 boards per game, shot 36 percent from three and led the team in assists with 4.8. Pickett’s ball handling will be a major loss, as he had a 2:1 assist to turnover ratio, the highest on the team. Golson Jr. shot 37.5 percent from three in 1.8 attempts a game, and played significant minutes during Siena’s stretch run, chipping in with thirteen points against Canisius. The 6-foot-7 forward’s versatility and athleticism will be missed.
Returning guards Jordan King, Nick Hopkins, Aidan Carpenter and forward Jackson Stormo will play key roles next season. While King led the team in three-point attempts with ninety, he only made 34 percent of them. King did manage to get to the line 3.4 times a game and shot a prolific 83 percent. Mainly a shooter, with Pickett’s departure, King needs to improve his playmaking, as last season he had 34 turnovers but only 33 assists. Nick Hopkins also could see more scoring opportunities, as despite playing 34 minutes a game, he only averaged 7.8 points. Hopkins did shoot 37.5 percent from three, which led the team, and his shooting ability should carry over to next season.
Rising sophomore Aidan Carpenter is a promising piece for Siena’s program. The 6-foot-5 guard played rotation minutes at the end of the season but needs to improve his poor three-point percentage. Carpenter showed glimpses of his potential in his first collegiate start against Fairfield, where he scored 19 points on 11 shots. Moving onto Jackson Stormo, he averaged 10.8 PPG and gathered 5.5 RPG. The 6-foot-9 forward was Siena’s best big man, shooting 65 percent from the field and he had the fourth-most shots on the team. Stormo even shot 70 percent from the stripe on 2.5 attempts per game.
Talking about the incomings, Colby Rogers will help fill the scoring void vacated by Pickett. Although the Cal Poly transfer only shot 32 percent from three, he averaged 12.2 points a game as the primary ball handler and was second on the team in assists with 2.2 a game. Coach Maciarello described him as, “an attacking, scoring guard who can also play multiple positions.” Rogers fits in well with Maciarello’s desire for versatility, which incoming transfers Anthony Gaines and Jayce Johnson also provide. Gaines does not shoot it at a high level, but at 6-foot-4, he can defend multiple positions. As a two-time captain at Northwestern, he “provides valuable experience and leadership.” Johnson is more of a scorer, averaging the sixth-most points at Middle Tennessee despite having the second-to-last usage rate on the team. Indeed, according to college basketball-reference, he was one of only four Blue Raiders that had a true shooting percentage above 50 percent. Like Gaines, Johnson plays bigger than his stature, averaging 3.6 rebounds a game last year. Coach Maciarello lauded Johnson’s versatility, saying that, “he can start the break, and run a team.” Johnson’s efficiency will help Siena’s offense and his transition ability could soften the blow of Manny Camper’s departure.
The Saints’ defense set them apart from other MAAC teams last season. They finished second in points allowed, second in defensive rebounding, second in blocks, second in turnovers forced and first in free throw attempts allowed per game. In fact, they allowed the 24th fewest points per game in the nation. These metrics align with Maciarello’s emphasis on limiting turnovers and transition scoring, as excelling in both allows for Siena’s half-court defense to be often set, keeping the players locked in.
From the returning players and incoming transfers, the makeup of the 2021-22 roster should be similar defensively with many versatile players who can guard multiple positions. Yet, the loss of Camper, who led Siena in rebounding, will result in a decrease in the Saint’s rebounding rate. Additionally, Pickett’s transfer will stagnate the offense, as Siena lost its only playmaker. Let’s hope that returning guards Jordan King and Aidan Carpenter and the transfers Colby Rogers and Jayce Johnson can compensate for the offensive losses.
