Players and coaches from the Pirates men’s and women’s basketball teams proudly represented their school at Big East Media Day.
For the men’s side, sophomore Isaiah Coleman, graduate student Dylan Addae-Wusu, and Coach Shaheen Holloway attended. Coleman and Addae-Wusu are two of the three players that decided to return to Seton Hall for another season.
Coleman, a guard, averaged 5.4 PPG in just over 18 minutes-per-game. He flashed great potential with his quick first step and fearlessness when attacking the rim.
Coleman’s primary reason for returning is Holloway and how he motivates Coleman to get better. Holloway made it clear to Coleman from day one that he will get opportunities if he puts in the work, according to Coleman.
“Everyday, he’s 100. Everyday,” Coleman said. “And that makes us go 110.”
Coleman went the extra mile last season to show his coach that he’s willing to go all-in on the Pirates. Whether it was diving for loose balls or putting in extra defensive effort, Coleman acknowledged that it was the hardest he ever played.
Like Coleman, Addae-Wusu put out an exceptional effort on both sides of the ball. As a graduate student with more experience than most of his teammates, Addae-Wusu looks to show his new teammates how they do things at Seton Hall.
“Grit, fight, competitive nature,” Addae-Wusu said. “It’s the Seton Hall culture.”
Addae-Wusu averaged 8 PPG, 5 RPG, and 1.6 SPG last year, which was his first season with the Pirates. He previously played three seasons with the St. John’s Red Storm, steadily improving each season.
Despite being a great glue player for every team he’s been on, Addae-Wusu has not yet reached the March Madness tournament.
“Our main goal is to win,” Addae-Wusu said. “Try to pick up steam from where we left off last year.”
The Pirates ended the 2023-24 season on a five games win-streak, claiming the throne in the NIT tournament. Addae-Wusu had a crucial 18-point-performance in the first round against the Saint Joseph’s Hawks, winning 75-72 in overtime.
Coach Tony Bozzella and a number of Pirate veterans visited the event, along with transfer Faith Masonius. Bozzella admitted that he was nervous before giving his pitch to Masonius to join the team, knowing how important of a pickup it could be for his team.
“If this was the NBA, I’d give her a max contract, I swear,” Bozzella said. “She’s worth every penny that scholarship is.”
Masonius said she is grateful to be in a program where her coaches truly believe in her and want her to succeed.
She also said she is excited about being near home, as she is originally from Belmar, N.J. According to Masonius, she’s close with her family and often felt homesick while playing for Maryland, hours away from her loved ones.
With the addition of Masonius and having other experienced players, Bozzella said he is confident that his team can make a strong push.
Photo by Bob Joyce via Fox Sports 97-9
“We have depth,” Bozzella said. “We have leadership: with Faith, with Savannah, with Amari. And they are taking basketball extremely seriously.”
Bozzella believes that the extra effort the team is putting in will be what leads to them standing out among other recent Seton Hall teams. He said he sees key players on his team that can set them over the top and motivate the others to improve too.
Matthew Soetebeer is the head editor for The Setonian's Sports section. He can be reached at matthew.soetebeer@student.shu.edu.
