After a long offseason of transfer portal activity and noteworthy signings, the St. Joe’s men’s basketball team is finally set to ramp up for the 2025-26 season. The 16-man roster will showcase six exciting new talents to Hawk Hill, each of whom represent the first-year or sophomore class. Closing out on the most successful season under head coach Billy Lange (22-13), expectations are high for this new era of Hawks basketball.
A number of exciting additions were made to the team over the summer, the most notable being the acquisition of sophomore guard Deuce Jones II. As the recipient of the 2024-25 A-10 Rookie of the Year award, the former La Salle Explorer’s first year was nothing short of impressive. Jones II led all conference first-years with averages of 12.5 points and 2.8 assists per game while maintaining an efficient field-goal percentage of 39.7%.
The Hawks will experience a boost in interior presence with the addition of sophomore center Jaden Smith. A season-ending surgery limited Smith to 11 total games played in his first-year season at Fordham University. Before Fordham, Smith averaged 8.3 rebounds and 5.0 blocks as a senior at Kenwood Academy High School. Smith will serve as an exceptional addition to the frontcourt, whether he plays alongside or as a backup to projected starting center and graduate student Justice Ajogbor.
Another key addition to the team is sophomore center Al Amadou. Amadou redshirted the 2024-25 season to develop his skills off the court. As Chestnut Hill Academy’s all-time leader in blocked shots (235), Amadou will provide some much-needed size to this guard-heavy roster. Sophomore Big East champion Jaiden Glover-Toscano is also making the move to Hawk Hill. The transfer guard from St. John’s University has three years of eligibility remaining following his former team’s appearance in the NCAA tournament this past March.
Accompanying these experienced collegiate players are two promising first-year guards: Owen Verna and Austin Williford. Verna, a top-40 recruit from the state of California, is sure to be a spark off the bench. The Dana Point native averaged 10.8 points and 2.2 assists across his high school career. The versatility of Williford’s game will be an interesting addition to the team. As a senior at St. Anne’s-Belfield School, the First Team All-Conference player averaged 16.8 points per game, 7.8 rebounds per game and 2.6 steals per game, indicating his ability to make an impact on both ends of the floor.
