Pirates gathered for the last time in the Prudential Center to cheer on the Seton Hall men’s basketball team in their game against Villanova on Feb. 28.
Students reflected on the 2022-2023 basketball season and the team’s skills under Shaheen Holloway, the new head coach.
Cameron Harrington, a junior finance major, said both Kadary Richmond and Al-Amir Dawes are his favorite players on the team.
“We played alright, not our best season but since it was Holloway’s first year the team just needs to grow a little,” Harrington said. “I think we’ll improve a lot by next season.”
John Coster, a senior marketing major, said the team did not live up to his expectations this season.
“Everyone wanted to be a star, but did not have the talent and lacked the humility which a real star possesses,” Coster said.
Coster said he was disappointed in the team’s shooting and offense skills.
“Not only did the team fail to live up to their expectations, but the new coach, Shaheen Holloway, could not pull it together when it mattered most,” Coster said. “We miraculously put on a good performance for UConn, a team that was once at the top of the division.”
Coster said he attended many of the home games to watch the team play.
“Only one was enjoyable the slightest bit,” Coster said. “I often found myself rooting against my own school.”
Graceanna Gargano, a junior political science major, said she thinks Holloway coached well during his first season at Seton Hall.
“I obviously knew we weren’t going to have a star team because we rebranded, but I see him being the coach for a long time at Seton Hall,” Gargano said.
Gargano said the team was “very inconsistent” with their wins and losses.
“The team is very good defensively but the offense needs more help,” Gargano said. “They shouldn’t be afraid to shoot the ball, and we also need to improve in free throw shooting and 3-pointers.”
Along with a new coach and new players, a new introduction video is played on the jumbotron before each home game. Gagano said the video is her favorite part of the game.
“The most memorable part of the games was seeing the new hype video at the beginning of each game,” Gargano said. “It made me more excited and inclined to cheer.”
Gargano said she loves the atmosphere of Seton Hall spirit at the games.
“I enjoyed the games because it always reminds me that Seton Hall is a close-knit community,” Gargano said. “By being in the student section with all my peers, I was able to see that win or lose, we still come together.”
Alyssa Bernhammer can be reached at alyssa.bernhammer@student.shu.edu
