An empty Hagan Arena, home to the Saint Joseph's Hawks. (Photo: Aaron Bracy)
By AARON BRACY
October 30, 2024
SAINT JOSEPH’S 2024-25 Big5Hoops.com Preview Package
-Saint Joseph’s Season Preview Story
-Saint Joseph’s Player Spotlight Story: Erik Reynolds II
-Saint Joseph’s Season Preview Podcast
2024-25 Capsule Preview
–Head coach/season: Billy Lange/6th season
–2023–24 record: 21-14, 9-9 Atlantic 10 (Big5Hoops.com 2023-24 Saint Joseph’s Season Review Story)
–Key returnees: 6-2 SO G Xzayvier Brown (12.7 ppg, 4.0 rpg), 6-9 JR F Rasheer Fleming (10.7 ppg, 7.4 rpg), 6-2 SR G Erik Reynolds II (17.3 ppg)
–Key losses: Cameron Brown (11.0 ppg, 4.1 rpg; out of eligibility), Christ Essandoko (8.2 ppg, 5.7 rpg; transferred to Providence), Lynn Greer III (10.9 ppg, 4.7 rpg; transferred to Temple)
–Key additions: 6-10 GR C Justice Ajogbor (Harvard), 6-8 FR G Dasear Haskins, 6-3 JR G Derek Simpson (Rutgers)
–KenPom preseason ranking: 86 out of 364 Division I teams
–Atlantic 10 preseason ranking: 3rd out of 15 teams
–Tip–ins: Saint Joseph’s won the first-ever Big 5 Classic title with a 74-65 win over Temple on Dec. 2, 2023, at the Wells Fargo Center. … Brown was named Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year last season. … After deciding to leave Rutgers, Simpson chose St. Joe’s over Delaware, Fordham, George Mason, and George Washington. He started 25 of 32 games for the Scarlet Knights last season, averaging 8.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.4 steals. … Ajogbor is a native of Benin City, Nigeria. At Harvard last season, he recorded 58 blocks in just 20 games, missing seven due to a hand injury. His last name is pronounced, “Ah-jah-Bo.” … Reynolds was selected to the A-10’s Preseason All-Conference First Team, Brown was picked on the Second Team, and Fleming made the Third Team. … Saint Joseph’s last made the NCAA tournament in 2016. … Reynolds is on course to break both the school’s all-time scoring record and three-point mark. With 1,595 career points, he is 499 shy of Jameer Nelson’s all-time mark of 2,094 career points. Additionally, he has made 256 career three-pointers and needs 87 more to tie Langston Galloway’s record of 343 career three-pointers.
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Aaron Bracy has been covering Philadelphia sports since 1996. His byline regularly appears on Associated Press stories. Follow Bracy on X: @Aaron_Bracy and like his Facebook and Instagram pages. His book on the 2003-04 Saint Joseph’s men’s basketball team is expected to be published on March 1, 2025. Read a summary and preorder it by clicking HERE. Contact him at aaron@big5hoops.com.