Tim Tai, Photo Editor
come from one of them strongest year In the program’s history, Bulldog has sought to replicate its success.
But first, head coach James Jones must find a way to fill the huge void left by star backcourt duo Hazard Swain ’22 and Jaren Gabbidon ’22.
“We’re still three-time defending champions,” said forward EJ Jarvis ’23. We are the team to beat, and we know that, and we are ready to defend our title against anyone who wants to take it away from us.”
Yale men’s basketball win 2021-2022 Ivy League Champion 6th win NCAA tournament bids in program history.
Yale forward EJ Jarvis, 15, attempts a layup around Brown forward Jaylan Gainey, 22, during a game at the John J. Lee Amphitheater in New Haven, Connecticut, on Saturday, March 5, 2022.
Swain scored 48 points in two Ivy League playoff games, averaging 19.2 points per game last season while leading the Bulldogs to March Madness. He is the most prolific three-point shooter in Yale basketball history. His 1,529 career points are the sixth-most for a Yale player.
Gabbidon, the second-highest scoring player at Yale last year (averaging 11.3 points) and a former Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year, It also makes for a very difficult player to replace.
With no returning players averaging more than eight points last season, it’s unclear who will step up as the first option on the team’s offense this year. Elis could rely on a lot of players to pick up the slack.
But what Yale lacks in star power, it can make up for in experience and depth. This year’s team will be joined by five of his seniors who played big roles last season. Guard Michael Feinberg ’23, who was named captain of the team earlier this season, spoke about the new team’s dynamics at his league’s media day at Ivy.
“It’s definitely a big loss. [Swain] When [Gabiddon], without a doubt, I think men are embracing the opportunity, embracing a more collective unit, absorbing their role more and filling that void,” Feinberg said. “I think there’s a wealth of leadership on this team,” he added, referring to his fellow seniors Matthue Cotton ’23, Isaiah Kelly ’23 and EJ Jarvis ’23.
Cotton, a New Jersey guard who was one of four players to appear in all 31 games last season and ranked fourth on the team in scoring, will join the Bulldogs this year as he recovers from New Jersey. Said it wasn’t suitable. I’m injured, but I plan to stay with the team.
Yale forward Isaiah Kelly, 35, scored an indiscriminate dunk Saturday, February 19, 2022 against Princeton at the John J. Lee Amphitheater in New Haven, Connecticut. Yale lost to him 81-75.
The 6.7-foot forward, who started 27 games last season, will bring his signature grit and toughness to the starting line-up this season. Winner of the team’s Bill Madden Toughness Award Kelly also finished second in the Ivy League last season with 26 blocked shots.
“Buying in pays off,” Kelly said. “I try to do everything my coaches tell me on and off the court. I try to be a leader and set an example for young people to follow in my footsteps. I think that’s the important thing that we focus on during the game.”
Returning to the frontcourt with Kelly is Jarvis, who was the team’s top rebounder last season despite mostly coming off the bench. It remains to be seen if 6-foot-8 Jarvis will start at center this season, but doing so will increase the size of the Bulldogs on the frontcourt with both Jarvis and Kelly.
“This year’s team doesn’t have the same go-to player as last year, so everyone on the court needs to step up, including me,” Jarvis said. “We have some young guys on our team who have worked hard all summer and we have great senior leadership that brings a lot of different experiences this year. Being someone who can bring that to the table will ultimately help the team win.”
Yale forward Matt Knowling ’24 when pen forward/guard Max Martz, 14, collapses during an Ivy League Tournament semifinal game at the Lavietes Pavilion in Boston, Massachusetts, Saturday, March 12, 2022. (22) lifted the ball onto the court. Yale won 67-61.
Rounding out the starting lineup will be forward Matt Knowling ’24 and point guard Bez Mbeng ’25. Knowling, who was his third leading scorer on the team last year and averaged 7.2 points per game, is expected to play a bigger role in his junior season and could emerge as the Bulldogs’ leading scorer this season. there is.
“I have been focused on becoming a more vocal leader, and focused on building on and learning from last year’s experience,” Knowling said. Trying to spread further is key to my personal preparation for this season.”
Freshman standout Mbeng, who started in 13 of 14 Blue and White Ivy League games last season, has acted as a primary ball handler and should have a big leap forward in his second year at Yale.
Jones, who is in his 23rd season with the team, emphasized the depth of the squad this year and the opportunities for players to step up to new roles.
“Looking at my team this year, I would say there are 13 to 14 players who feel good coming into the game,” Jones said. “But you can’t play 14 people in a game. I’m here.
Yale guard Bez Muben (2) takes a shot during a game against Penn at the John J. Lee Amphitheater in New Haven, Connecticut, on Friday, February 18, 2022. Yale he won 81-72.
The Bulldog team will also feature the first three years of this season as part of the 2022-23 recruiting class. Guard Devon Arlington ’26, forward Nick Townsend ’26 and forward Danny Wolf ’26 look to make an impact this season.
Wolff, who is listed at 7 feet tall, quickly became the tallest player on the roster, but he actually says he’s learned a lot from the team’s veterans.
“The college game is very different from high school, so there’s a lot to learn in every aspect of practice,” Wolfe explained to News. There is a very close group of guys in the locker room. [first years]I can say that all the older players have taken us under their wing and taught us everything there is to know about college basketball.
Despite being the reigning conference champions, Yale was voted third in the Ivy League’s preseason media polls.
The last time Ellis was selected as 3rd place was when he won the Ivy Championship in 2019-20. Yale has beaten expectations in 11 of its last 16 seasons.
“Yeah, I don’t know who picked it,” Jones said at Media Day. I’m going to go out and work hard.”
Head Coach James Jones (L) of Yale University receives the trophy after their victory over Princeton in the Ivy League Championship Game at the Lavietes Pavilion in Boston, Massachusetts, on Sunday, March 13, 2022. .
The University of Pennsylvania and Princeton University both lost to Yale University in Ivy Madness, ranking first and second respectively.
Penn is expected to be a strong team this season with the return of point guard Jordan Dingle. Led by forward Tosan Ebbumwan, last year’s Ivy League Player of the Year and an NBA-class talent looking to build a stellar junior season.
Last year’s fourth and fifth-placed Cornell and Dartmouth each graduated with at least three starters and may be struggling to maintain their level of play.
Harvard struggled playing Ivy last year, finishing 5–9 after an 8–4 non-conference record in conference play. His 6’6-inch forward Chris Ledlum, who averaged 16.7 ppg and he averaged 9.3 rpg last season, could lead the Crimson’s comeback, while leading scorer Noah Kirkwood graduates. there is. Brown, who finished 5-9 in his play last season in the conference, averaged 13.3 points as a freshman last season, and guard Kino returns to a young core that includes his junior Lily. Columbia looks more competitive as he has only won one match for Ivy in each of the last two seasons.
Jarvis declared that Yale will be “the team to beat” this season.
The Bulldogs will start the season on November 7th against Sarah Lawrence College.
