Jimmy Patsos Joins Big Board Sports

Fresh off a little vacation, Siena head coach Jimmy Patsos gives Rodger Wyland and Chris Onorato an early look at the Saints for next season.

Siena entered this past season with lofty expectations thanks to 4 returning senior starters. The Saints were picked to finish 2nd in the MAAC preseason poll and in the standings that matter most, following the conference tournament, that's exactly how they finished....a 1 point overtime runner-up to Iona in the title game. With four 1,000 point scorers a month from graduation, the perception of the status at Siena is one of full rebuild.

So, for all those lofty expectations a season ago, Patsos can approach 2017-'18 with an underdog mentality, one that I have to imagine recently-named captain Nico Clareth will embrace. Despite the swirling rumors that Clareth would transfer to a Power 5 Conference school after his sophomore season, he is now the unquestioned focal point and leader for Siena. Clareth's ability to score is a given on a nightly basis, but if the Saints are going to "surprise" some people next winter, they'll need Ahsante Shivers, Khalil Richard and Sammy Friday to make substantial leaps from their freshman year to their sophomore seasons.