SETON HALL GIVES BOBBY GONZALEZ BIGGEST WIN YET

by RAY FLORIANI

NEWARK, NJ - Seton Hall’s 64-61 over Pitt at the Prudential Center on Sunday victory was significant on several counts.

It was the first victory over a top ten (Pitt is ninth) team during Bobby Gonzalez’s tenure in South Orange.

It was the Pirates second straight win, just three days after a thriller over Louisville.

It was a game the Hall beat Pitt at what the Panthers normally do best, defend in a ‘grind it out game’, per Gonzalez.



Possessions / Offensive Efficiency
Pitt...........66...................92
Seton Hall.......65.................99




The offensive efficiency (points per possession multiplied by 100) signifies a defensive battle but one where the Hall defense was notable better. The Pirates forced 20 turnovers by Pitt (13 the first half) and held their opponents to a 35% shooting afternoon. The turnover situation was especially troublesome to Pitt coach Jamie Dixon considering the Hall did not utilize full court pressure. The miscues were forced through some tough half court defense. “We made some bad decisions especially in shot selection,” Dixon said.

Jeremy Hazell of Seton Hall went to the bench with his third foul with 13 minutes left in the half. He returned after halftime but picked up his fourth foul six seconds into the half. Hazell retuned late and made a few big plays in the stretch. Overall Gonzalez had his junior guard only 16 minutes but he did score 9 points.

In Hazell’s absence Herb Pope had a huge game. Setting up on the blocks Pope muscled his way for a team high 19 points , 9 rebounds. He shot 8 of 12 from the field, a significant mark as evidence the Hall was not solely perimeter oriented. In fact only 13 (23%) of their field goal attempts came from beyond the arc.

Pitt trailed 30-19 with two minutes left in the half and closed out on a 7-0 run to cut the deficit to 30-26 at the break. The Panthers fell behind by eight the second half but battled back to make it a one possession game in the stretch. Ashton Gibbs missed a contested three with seconds left then missed a desperation heave near half court after getting a loose ball.

Gibbs, a New Jersey native who starred at Seton Hall Prep, led all scorers with 23 points. He was 14 of 14 from the line and shot onl 4 of 15 from the floor.

“We need guys to make shots,” Gonzalez said. “With Jeremy (Hazell) on the bench that long and winning , it shows we are a good team and can play different ways.”

Dixon frequently referred to ‘execution’ as his team’s problem. “We have tp get a better understanding of how to play,” he said. “We still have some improvement to make.”

The 66 possession pace is a half court tempo as Gonzalez pointed out. The Seton Hall mentor noted it was different than the faster paced Louisville game. Actually that contest was only two possessions faster but it did have more transition opportunities and breaks. The Pitt game was mainly half court with few transition possessions.

Hall now faces a tough stretch, South Florida, Villanova and Pitt, all on the road.

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SHU IMPROVES TO 7-0 WITH ROUT OF UMASS

There is not much bite in the Seton Hall pre-conference schedule this year, so their Monday night match-up with UMass had some urgency to it as the Minutemen have a solid resume as a college basketball program. The Pirates played with the sense of urgency as well as Seton Hall Dominates UMass 86-68 in a Game Players Saw as a 'Must Win' (Star-Ledger). SHU, which improves to 7-0 on the season, raced out to a 44-19 halftime lead and cruised in the second half for the win.

Sophomore transfer Herb Pope led the charge with 22 points and 15 rebounds, with 16 and 10 coming before halftime as Pope Propels Seton Hall in a Laugher (NorthJersey.com) despite battling a stomach virus that left some doubt prior to the game of his availability.

Jeremy Hazell added 21 points and Robert Mitchell scored 13 and Jordan Theodore added 12 for the Pirates. The SHU defense held UMass to a sub 30% shooting percentage, 22-75, from the field and forced 16 turnovers, many in the first half that set the tone early.

Melvyn Oliver, who was recently 'removed' from the team to concentrate on academics, returned to the team this week and played 9 minutes Monday. Oliver scored three points and grabbed three rebounds.

Seton Hall is back in action at the Prudential Center this Saturday when they host VMI. After a week off the Pirates host Temple (12/19) in a game that will mark the debuts of transfer students Keon Lawrence (who has been suspended indefinitely from the team) and Jeff Robinson (sitting out NCAA mandated period as a transfer student) as Pirates in a regular season game.

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SETON HALL IMPROVES TP 6-0 WITH ROUT OF HARTFORD

Seton Hall continued their unbeaten start, moving to 6-0 on the season, as the Pirates Overcome Slow Start to Take 89-56 Win Over Hartford (Star-Ledger). Senior guard Eugene Harvey scored 11 points and added 14 assists and four steals, leading the balanced SHU attack. Jordan Theodore provided 17 points off the bench, and Jeremy Hazell and Robert Mitchell each added 15.

Up next for Seton Hall is a contest with UMass at the Prudential Center in Newark on Monday. The Pirates close out the first semester 12/12 by hosting VMI and a week later, December 19th, SHU will host Temple. The Temple game is interesting because mid-year transfer Jeff Robinson, who was previously at Memphis, and Keon Lawrence are eligible to play. Lawrence found out yesterday that his team suspension will be lifted prior to the game with Temple and he can rejoin the team on the court.

As coach Bobby Gonzalez awaits his reinforcements, he has been trying different combinations on the court as the Seton Hall Men Audition in Victory (NorthJersey.com) by playing in different roles and combinations.

"In games like this you can do that," said Gonzalez in The Record. "You can shuffle guys in and out. You can send messages to guys. You have leeway."

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PIRATES ROUT NJIT; MORE SHU NOTES

Seton Hall improved to 5-0 by devouring the holiday pastry, otherwise known as NJIT, 93-53, before an announced Prudential Center crowd of 5,540. Herb Pope (22 points) and Jeremy Hazell (21 pts) Combine for 43 Points in the SHU Win over NJIT (Star Ledger). Jamel Jackson connected on five three pointers to account for his fifteen points.

In the game, Eugene Harvey got a quick hook and was replaced by Jordan Theodore, who also started the second half as Seton Hall Overpowers NJIT (The Record).

“He [Harvey] started the game with three turnovers and we had a little exchange,” SHU coach Bobby Gonzalez said of Harvey in The Record. “That’s part of Eugene’s makeup. Sometimes he just gets down on himself. Now I can push a button and put somebody else in. He’s got to handle that.”

Also, Ferrakohn Hall replaced John Garcia in the second half starting line-up and the Pirates put the game away with a 21-4 run after the break against the smaller NJIT line-up.

The Pirates are in action again on Thursday at home against Hartford (2-4). They are still unlikely to have Keon Lawrence in the line-up as he remains on indefinite suspension for violation of team rules which resulted from his involvement in a 2:30 AM parkway crash where he was charged with DUI. Also, Seton Hall Center Melvyn Oliver is 'Temporarily Removed' from the Team to Concentrate on Academics (Star-Ledger). The announcement came prior to the SHU win over Long Island Saturday night. The Pirates will have Jeff Robinson, a mid-year transfer from memphis, available in just over two weeks after the first semester ends, which I believe is their December 19th game with Temple, most likely their biggest test before playing Syracuse and West Virginia to open conference play later in the month. That is also the timeframe that we are hearing for Lawrence's return, although nothing officially has been announced.

The Pirates are still looking to get deeper and better...

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KEON LAWRENCE UPDATE AS INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING

The situation of Seton Hall guard Keon Lawrence continues to be a hot topic with internet reporters and other media outlets as Police are Processing Lawrence's Blood Test (ZagsBlog.com) as evidence in the two-car accident Lawrence caused while driving the wrong way on the Garden State Parkway early Monday morning. Lawrence sat out last season after transferring from Missouri and the news is also being talked about in Columbia (MO) where Steve Walentik writes that the 'Latest News on Keon Lawrence Makes Me Sad' (Columbia Tribune).

At CBS Sports, Gary Parish weighs in On His Clash With Bobby Gonzalez over his questioning the character of some of the Pirate players in his recent Big East preview, where he picked Seton Hall to finish 10th. Apparently, the SHU coach and Parish have discussed the topic and Gonzo has also discussed the topic with local media members while defending his players. After the Lawrence incident, which, according to Jerry Carino in his Lawrence Update at mycentraljersey.com, sources close to the program have said Lawrence has had multiple disciplinary issues that have been handled internally over the past year, including being suspended for the team's recent exhibition game against Fordham, don't expect a retraction or an apology from Parish.

The case and investigation continues on...and, for the Pirates, Friday night's opener with St. Peter's College probably can't get here soon enough so they can move on and get to playing basketball.

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SETON HALL'S LAWRENCE INVOLVED IN WRONG-WAY CRASH

While they are celebrating in central New York, the mood is much different around the Seton Hall program with police reporting that a Seton Hall Player was Drunk in a Wrong Way Crash (Bergen Record) just before 3 AM Monday morning.

According to New Jersey state police, Keon Lawrence, 22, of Irvington was driving with a suspended license and had two outstanding traffic warrants when he struck a car driven by a 56-year-old Newark man.

Lawrence was charged with driving while intoxicated and driving with a suspended license according to Sgt. Steven Jones.

Lawrence played for the Missouri as a freshman and sophomore, averaging 11.0 points per game in the 2007-08 season. He made his debut with Seton Hall on October 30th, scoring 13 points in an 89-62 exhibition victory against Carleton University. NBE Sports learned that this came after Lawrence sat out of a scrimmage with Fordham as part of a suspension for violating team rules.

Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com also followed up on the story with Sgt Jones in his entry this morning that SHU's Lawrence was Arrested and Suspended indefinitely from the team. Sgt. Jones told Zags in an interview that Lawrence is facing a DWI charge, although results from the blood test administered at the hospital are not in with an exact BAC.

We will follow the story as it continues to develop. Not the way Bobby Gonzalez and the Seton Hall administration was hoping their promising season would kick off.

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BIG EAST RECRUITING UPDATE: SETON HALL

April 24, 2009


Commitment Alert: Ferrakohn Hall, 6'8 F from White Station HS of Memphis (TN)

Seton Hall picks up their second commitment in a week as they add a solid prospect in the spring recruiting period with Memphis White Station F Ferrakohn Hall committing. Hall to The Hall (ZagsBlog.com) comes a week after a visit to the Seton Hall campus. Hall also considered UAB, Oklahoma, Baylor and others.

2009-2010 Projected Roster

Seniors: Eugene Harvey (PG), John Garcia (C),
Juniors: Jeremy Hazell (G/F), Brandon Walters (BF/C), Keon Lawrence**** (G), Robert Mitchell (G/F), Jeff Robinson*** (F), Jamel Jackson (G)
Sophomores: Jordan Theodore (PG), Herb Pope* (PF)
Freshmen: Melvyn Oliver** (C), Ferrakohn Hall (F)

* After sitting out 2008-2009 per NCAA transfer rules, Pope has three years of eligibility left

** Oliver was ineligible to compete in the 2008-2009 season, but will have four years of eligibility beginning in 2009-2010 per the NCAA

*** Per NCAA transfer rules, Robinson must sit out until end of Fall 2009 semester. Robinson, by definition of eligibility rules, will have two years of eiligibility left unless he is granted a medical redshirt for his sophomore season as he missed a few games because of an injury before leaving Memphis

**** After sitting out the 2008-2009 season per NCAA transfer rules, Lawrence will have two years of eligibility left



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Seton Hall and Bobby Gonzalez scored again on the recruiting trail, adding Ferrakohn Hall to their 2009 recruiting class. Hall stands nearly 6-foot-8 and weighs in about 200 pounds and is an athletic player that has the athletic ability to play away from the basket and the skills to go inside.

Hall is an interesting prize as far as late period signees go. The 6-foot-7+ forward teammed with elite 2010 recruit Joe Jackson on Jesus Patino's state championship club this past season. While he is a 'tweener' at forward, trying to improve his ability away from the basket, he has excellent athletic ability and is a player of potential upside. While his size might be a disadvantage in the Big East as a power forward, as shown in the Bojangles shootout when he had a tough time against Pitt-commit Talib Zanna, his improving skills away from the basket could have him develop into an athletic and strong wing able to take opposing forwards inside and out.

Hall had planned to take official visits to Baylor and Oklahoma before making a decision, but decided Seton Hall offered him the best opportunity and jumped on the offer, canceling his other planned visits according to ZagsBlog.com.

Earlier this week, the Pirates add a familiar name as 2008 commit Jamel Jackson came back to the fold. Jackson has a specialty, and that is long-range shooting. As a sophomore at Technical Career Institute in Manhattan (NY), Jackson averaged 21.5 points a game.

The Brooklyn native played at famed Lincoln HS for coach Tony Morton in what seemed like a career ago. After playing on a championship team with the Railsplitters, Jackson began an oddysey that led hom to the now defunct Boys to Men Academy in Chicago for two years of prep school and the last two seasons at TCI in a quest to make it into a Division 1-A program. That quest is now complete as Jackson will provide guard depth for the Pirates next season and an additional source of perimeter shooting to take some pressure off of Jeremy Hazell.

Jackson had hoped to finish his JUCO requirements after just one season at TCI, but one of his courses last summer was not accepted by SHU and Jackson returned to the JUCO ranks for a second season, leaving him two years to compete as a Pirate. Jackson will in effect replace Paul Gause on the roster, who graduated after the 2008-2009 season. Ironically, both were members of the high school senior class of 2005 and one is just starting his 1-A career while the other just finished his...

While Jackson is currently the only newcomer signed for 2009-2010, the Pirates will have plenty of new faces attempting to mesh together on the court to get the Pirates to the post-season for the first time under coach Bobby Gonzalez. Much-anticipated transfers such as Herb Pope, Keon Lawrence and Jeff Robinson will take the floor as will big man Melvyn Oliver, who sat out the 2008-2009 season due to academics.

Lawrence probably never should have left New Jersey out of high school. The 6'2, 175 lb guard from Newark (NJ) Weequahic High School chose Missouri, although second thoughts entered his mind often. After a sophomore season where he led the Tigers in minutes played (29.2) a game, starting 20 of 32 games and leading Mizzou in field goal attempts (307), Lawrence took his 11 points a game average and transferred back home to SHU and will play a significant role in the backcourt next season.

Pope is the mega-talented forward from Aliquippa (PA) but has run into trouble on more than one occasion in recent years. Pope was sent home from his final AAU Tournament as a member of the Pittsburgh Jots for an altercation with a coach, an incident that did not seem to surprise many familiar with his past. Things actually got worse from there as Pope was shot several times outside a party in the Pittsburgh-area in April of his senior year of high school after being in an altercation outside the party. Pope survived the gunfire and headed off to school at New Mexico State. While at New Mexico State, Pope was having trouble clearing the NCAA eligibility department as an online course he took in high school as a core course was challenged by the NCAA. While NM State worked to get him cleared, Pope was arrested for DUI when police found him asleep behind the wheel of a car with the engine running in a traffic lane.

Pope finally did make it onto the court at NM State after a court order was issued. Pope played well after all of the trials and tribulations that followed him in the recent past and he averaged 11 points and nearly 7 rebounds a game in the 16 games he was deemed eligible for at New Mexico State.

Pope then decided to leave New Mexico late this past summer to be closer to home. He ended up enrolling at Seton Hall and hoped to be granted a hardship waiver to play this season. However, that was denied by the NCAA and Pope will sit out the 2008-2009 season and be ready to suit up next year, giving the Pirates a much needed talent boost at power forward next year.

Another forward likely to make an impact next season is former St. Patrick's star Jeff Robinson, who left Memphis in the middle of his sophomore season. By rule, Robinson has to sit out one year as a transfer student and will be eligible in the second half of the season next year. Since he played with the Tigers early on in the 2008-2009 season, Robinson will have just two years of eligibility. He did miss a few games because of injury prior to leaving the Memphis program, so there is some thought that Robinson could apply for a medical redshirt and get that lost year back. Robinson is an athletic specimen that should fit well in the style of play the Pirates prefer, but added skill level will definitely help his game a lot.

Melvyn Oliver's long wait on his qualifying status from the NCAA is finally over. Oliver was declared ineligible for the 2008-2009 season, however, the NCAA did rule he was eligible for a scholarship and after sitting out this season, he will have four years of eligibility left. The situation is similar to Louisville redshirt freshman George Goode, who had a similar ruling from the NCAA last season. it is unclear how these two situations get around the Big East rule on partial qualifiers, but apparently it does.

The Pirates have also hosted another forward in recent days and remain in the hunt for Hutchinson CC forward Cliff Dixon, who verbally committed to the Pirates last November before withdrawing that commitment.

At the time of his commitment, Dixon had been recently suspended by HCC head coach Ryan Swanson for a violation of team rules. With his future uncertain, Dixon tells Jeff Goodman of FoxSports.com he made a hasty decision.

``I got worried and Seton Hall tried to rush me into saying I was committed,” Dixon told Goodman. “They pressured me into it and I panicked.”

Even though Dixon Decommits from Seton Hall (ZagsBlog.com), he still considered the Pirates, and with the Pirates still needing a forward, hightened by the decision of sophomore Mike Davis to transfer, the Pirates hosted Dixon on a visit recently.

Dixon is also considering, per ZagsBlog.com, Missouri, Western Kentucky, Memphis and Kentucky and has yet to make a decision.




Hall left SHU after his visit without making a commitment and is likely to take a visit to Baylor and, possibly, Oklahoma, before deciding.

The Pirates have also been quite active in the class of 2010 already, being among the leaders for local standouts Fuquan Edwin of Paterson Catholic and Kyrie Irving of St. Patrick's. More players will emerge as top targets in the 2010 class including New Heights forwards Devon Collier, Ashton Pankey, Derrick Williams and Jayvaughn Pinkston.

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