On Sept. 16, the NCAA Division I Council announced the first contest date for the 2020-21 college basketball season as Nov. 25, which is 15 days after the original start date of Nov. 10.
According to NCAA Senior Vice President of Basketball Dan Gavitt, the NCAA decided to push the date back in the best interest of the health and safety of student-athletes. However, practices can begin as early as Oct. 14.
Senior Captain Mary Sheehan said she is ecstatic to represent St. Joe’s for another season.
“I’m just super excited to have the op- portunity to be around my teammates, my coaches and be on that court with ‘St. Joe’s’ across my chest,” Sheehan said.
Sheehan said she could recall the moment when she found out about the NCAA’s decision and the joy that accompanied it.
“Everyone in our team group chat was super pumped,” Sheehan said.
The dates of the first contests for the St. Joe’s men’s and women’s basketball teams are still unknown at this time of this print. Sheehan said that the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore already pulled out of their scheduled games against the women’s team, as the Ivy League and Mid-Eastern Athletic Conferences postponed all sports until 2021.
Brendan Straughn, assistant coach for the men’s basketball team, said the players, who form a uniquely blended roster of veterans, transfers and first-years, will get a chance to connect when team practices commence and off-the-court social time increases.
“Chemistry is enhanced with practice and everyday life,” Straughn said. “The complications of COVID-19 have limited the interactions our players have had off the court from last year to this year. But, they’re a great group of young men and they look forward to competing together this season.”
Josh Verlin, owner and editor of the Philadelphia basketball blog City of Basketball Love, said that due to the coronavirus pandemic, the college basketball season could change.
“Obviously, at any point, anything is subject to change based on things happening,” Verlin said. “That’s the nature of the pandemic we’re in, it’s a constantly changing situation, and nobody has all of the answers, including the NCAA.”
Verlin said he believes that as the NCAA sees other sports returning to action somewhat successfully, it will face pressure to return to action from colleges and universities that want to earn money, as well as student-athletes that want to play.
However, as this pressure mounts, more and more protocols will have to be adapted to ensure the safety of the players and prevent outbreaks. According to Bleacher Report, the three active Power Five football leagues—the ACC, Big 12, and SEC—are currently conducting three tests a week: two antigen tests and one PCR test. As of now, Straughn said that testing procedures have not been implemented for the St. Joe’s basketball teams.
Despite many unknown variables, Sheehan said she trusts herself, her teammates and the slow progression towards normal practices mandated by the Atlantic 10 and NCAA to make sure the season is safe.
“We started out by ourselves at a basket, without a coach, then we were able to have a coach with us rebounding, and then playing one-on-one,” Sheehan said. “It’s been going well, so I can see the different phases working.”
As far as how the schedule will look, Straughn said St. Joe’s will play some semblance of nonconference contests in November and December.
“It won’t be as many games as years past,” Straughn said. “We still have some hurdles in the road, but we do have dates.”
