Basketball faces tough test in quest to repeat as conference champions

Samuel Barber
MSMU Class of 2022

(12/2021) This past March was a joyous occasion for both basketball programs at Mount St. Mary’s University. It was the first season in which both teams had won the conference championship in the same season since 1995. Like any other defending champion before them, both squads are eager to keep the hardware and title of champion in Emmitsburg. However, unlike last year, competition is elevated across the Northeast Conference (NEC). So, what are the realistic chances of the Mount sweeping the 2022 conference tournament? Not so likely.

The Mount’s men’s basketball program is nearly a month into the 2021-22 season and sitting at 2-4 in the process. Led by Dan Engelstad, who is now in his fourth season at the helm of the Mountaineers, they are missing two key components that drove them to the NCAA Tournament a season ago. First, the prolific scoring of Damian Chong Qui is no longer in the program, as he transferred out to Purdue-Fort Wayne. If that was not bad enough, second is the loss of reliable big man Jalen Gibbs, who put his name in the new-era transfer portal and found a new home at Jacksonville State in Alabama. Both players averaged 16.5 and 15.1 points per game (PPG), respectively.

Losing players to the transfer portal is never an easy pill to swallow, especially for the Mount since Chong Qui and Gibbs played such a crucial role in building success within the program. However, the beauty of the transfer portal is that schools can bring talent onto their team as well. Coach Engelstad picked up two key transfers during the offseason, Jalen Benjamin (via UAB) and Elijah Elliott (via Oklahoma Christian). The former hails from a school out of Conference USA, which is a considerably more competitive conference, and has quickly become one of the most reliable players on the team. In a Nov. 22 matchup against Ohio, Benjamin poured in a season-high 23 points.

A season ago the heavyweight moniker belonged to the likes of Bryant and Wagner, while Mount St. Mary’s and Sacred Heart played a more secondary role in the conference. Fans of the NEC can expect the same throughout this season. In the early portions of the season, the conference is struggling immensely across the board, with a combined record of 12-30. Despite the flawed record, Bryant and Wagner have put themselves in the driver’s seat offensively. The latter team is currently on a COVID-19 pause and has not played since Nov. 13. This pause is the first of its kind this season.

As for Bryant, this team holds a larger connection to Mount St. Mary’s than any other team in the conference. The Bulldogs were defeated by the Mount in the championship game of last season’s conference tournament. A rivalry between the two schools could certainly brew as the first meeting of the two teams is tabbed for Jan. 15, 2022. Bryant should be a formidable challenge to the Mount’s chances to repeat, especially being equipped with Charles Pride and Peter Kiss. Both players are a dominant force in the NEC.

Sizing up the rest of the conference, usual powerhouse programs Fairleigh Dickinson and Long Island University (LIU), are both off to winless starts at 0-3, respectively. The slow start from LIU comes as a surprise because of the stronghold they have had on the conference over the past decade, making four NCAA Tournament appearances during that span. Outside of Fairleigh Dickinson and LIU, no team appears to be a formidable threat to the Mount.

Merrimack, who currently sits at 3-3 on the season, would pose a threat to the Mount; however, the Warriors are ineligible for the conference tournament until 2023 due to their transition from Division-II.

On the women’s side of the hardwood, there was plenty of turnover within the program during the offseason. This turnover was seen on the coaching staff as well as from a player’s perspective. Most notably, former coach Maria Marchesano left the program to coach at the same program Damian Chong Qui left for, Purdue-Fort Wayne. From a player standpoint, the losses of Bridget Birkehead (transfer to Radford) and Rebecca Lee (graduation) have been felt in the early portions of the season, especially Lee. The loss of Lee, who stood at 6’4, has left a size difference in the paint area and underneath the basket.

Much like the men’s program taking advantage of the transfer portal, so has the women’s side of the program. Newly crowned head coach Antoine White, the former assistant, picked up Tess Borgosz, a grad transfer from Towson. The height of Borgosz should match up evenly and offset the loss of Lee.

There is a feature that Coach White’s ball club has that most other teams in the NEC do not have: that would be depth on the bench. Spearheading the offense are the likes of Aryna Taylor, Kendall Breese, and Michaela Harrison. Harrison and Taylor have been absolute money for the Mount in the early portions of the season. Taylor leads the scoring trio at 15.3 PPG while Breese and Harrison are putting up 14.8 and 12.3 PPG, respectively.

Isabella Hunt, the sophomore post-player, and Jessica Tomasetti, the sophomore guard, have elevated their games from a season ago. Tomasetti has seen herself become a formidable threat from beyond the 3-point line. As for Hunt, she is bringing in close to 9.0 PPG, which for a post-player is a tremendous accomplishment. The sophomore class has been a crucial steppingstone in the building of a successful program with longevity.

Scheduling big-time matchups has been at the forefront for Coach White. The Mount has played a slew of top-tier teams, most notably Seton Hall and nationally ranked University of Maryland. The slate does not get any easier, as the Mount will travel to the likes of Clemson and Ohio State, two Power Five programs. The loaded non-conference portion of the schedule is certainly going to pay off when it comes to conference play.

Formatting a tougher schedule is a new component to this team. This has been the toughest schedule for the Mount in recent memory. That is a refreshing feature that Coach White is certain he will continue moving forward in the rest of his tenure.

In the preseason, Mount St. Mary’s was tabbed as a unanimous favorite for the NEC. Outside of Fairleigh Dickinson, which is a longshot challenge at best, the Mount has a clear-cut path to the conference crown. Completing the conference sweep, a regular-season and conference tournament championship, will not be a walk in the park, however, since all the pressure has been placed on the Mount from their conference peers.

The men’s team has just seven non-conference tilts remaining on the schedule before NEC play comes full swing. Mount St. Mary’s will see two conference foes before the new year, Fairleigh Dickinson (Dec. 29) and Wagner (Dec. 31). As for the women’s team, six non-conference games are left on the slate. Then, the Mount will travel to Fairleigh Dickinson (Dec. 29) and Wagner (Dec. 31). The Mount’s first home conference game is set for Jan. 6 against the Long Island University Sharks from Knott Arena.