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Siena coach Gerry McNamara has loads of reminiscences some new, some previous from the sector the place the Saints play their dwelling video games.
ALBANY, N.Y.: Siena coach Gerry McNamara has loads of reminiscences — some new, some previous — from the sector the place the Saints play their dwelling video games.
He earned a visit to the Final Four by taking part in for the Syracuse crew that received a regional there on the way in which to the nationwide championship in 2003. He performed there once more in 2004, a recreation the place he obtained the primary dunk of his school profession and dove into the Siena band to avoid wasting a free ball. And he was again there Monday evening, to observe Caitlin Clark and Iowa topple LSU in a ladies’s basketball showdown.
McNamara returned to MVP Arena on Tuesday for his introductory information convention as Siena’s coach, explaining the parallel he observed from all these video games.
“This place was rocking,” McNamara stated. “That’s what I want.”
That’s what Siena needs as properly, and why the Saints lured the Syracuse icon — first from his taking part in days, then from 15 years as a graduate assistant, assistant coach and affiliate head coach for the Orange — to take over their program final week. McNamara’s hiring was introduced Friday, after a number of days of negotiations with the varsity lastly led to a deal.
“I’ve got a lot of people to thank, but I do want to address the fans, the alumni, the supporters,” McNamara stated. “You know why I’m here. Anyone that knows me knows why I’m here. I’m here to win. Simple. That’s who I am. I’m here to win. It’s all I’ve ever tried to do as a coach, a player. Every day I walk in the gym, it’s with the intent to work to win.”
McNamara is changing Siena alum Carmen Maciariello, who was fired after going 68-72 in 5 seasons on the college. Siena, a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference college that’s about 150 miles east of Syracuse, went 4-28 this season.
It’s the primary collegiate head teaching stint for McNamara, a troublesome, sharpshooting guard at Syracuse who was introduced again by former coach Jim Boeheim to hitch the workers in 2009. McNamara was promoted to affiliate head coach for the Orange when Adrian Autry took over for Boeheim a 12 months in the past.
The 40-year-old McNamara stays the fourth-leading scorer in Syracuse historical past behind Lawrence Moten, Derrick Coleman and John Wallace. He began on Syracuse’s 2003 nationwide championship crew that was led by Carmelo Anthony; McNamara had 18 factors, all on 3-pointers, within the Orange’s 81-78 win over Kansas within the NCAA title recreation.
“I’m happy for my brother,” Anthony stated final week when McNamara’s hiring was introduced.
So was Boeheim, who brazenly endorsed McNamara for the job — similar to he did when Siena employed former Syracuse participant and assistant Louis Orr in 2000. “It’s a great starting point, and he’ll do a great job there,” Boeheim stated.
McNamara is named a recruiter, one thing he began throughout his introductory handle. He challenged followers to purchase season tickets, deliver their youngsters, deliver a good friend to video games. And it didn’t take lengthy earlier than somebody within the viewers held up a bank card.
“I promise that every team I put on the court will be prepared to play,” McNamara stated. “That’s my goal here. I’m here to win. I can’t wait to get to work.”
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AP school basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball
(This story has not been edited by News18 workers and is printed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)
