DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Dec. 10, 2024) – The Mercy University men's basketball team hosts Holy Family University on Wednesday, December 11th at 7 p.m.
Who, When and Where
Date/Time: Wednesday, December 11th 7 p.m.
Records: Mercy (1-6), Holy Family (5-3)
Location: Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.
Last Meeting vs. Holy Family
Mercy dropped a 94-74 decision to Holy Family on November 26, 2013.
Scouting the Mavericks
Mercy was selected ninth in the ECC Preseason Poll after going 2-24 overall and 1-15 in ECC play last season. The Mavericks are looking to make their first ECC Championship appearance since 2021. Mercy has not qualified for the ECC Championship without every team making it since 2016. The Mavericks are looking to win their season opener for the first time since 2017. Leading the returners for third-year Head Coach Chris Watts is senior Taj Chiles who averaged 12.2 points, 4.5 assists and 1.2 steals per game last season. He led the team in assists and steals per game and was third in points per game. Chiles ranked fourth in the ECC in assists per game last season. Also returning for the Mavericks is senior Max Mitchell who averaged 3.9 points per game in seven games last season before suffering a season-ending injury. Junior Jamal Jacobs returns after appearing in all 26 games last season and junior Thomas Mandell and sophomores Zein Wahdan, Derek Long and Aston Sannasi also return after playing in a combined 188 minutes last season. Leading the newcomers for Watts is junior TJ Holloway who transfers from Division I Central Connecticut State University. Holloway appeared in 22 games averaging 1.2 points per game in two seasons. Junior Camryn Reyes joins the Mavericks from Fort Scott Community College where he led the NJCAA in three-point percentage. Sophomore Shedrach Makanjuola joins Mercy from Quincy College where he averaged 15.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game. Watts also brings in a strong freshman class led by James Connolly, Nathan Robertson and Ethan Robertson.
The Mavericks are coming off an 85-83 loss to Franklin Pierce on Monday. Mercy was led by junior TJ Holloway who had a team-high 23 points. The Mavericks have been led by Makanjuola who is averaging 13.4 points per game on 61.3 percent shooting with 5.3 rebounds per game. Senior Taj Chiles is averaging 8.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and a team-high 5.3 assists per game and freshman Nathan Robertson is netting 12.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. Junior TJ Holloway is averaging a team-high 15.0 points per game with 5.9 rebounds per game and senior Max Mitchell is producing 6.8 points per game. Freshman Ethan Robertson is averaging 13.1 points and a team-high 7.0 rebounds per game. Makanjuola and Chiles were named to the ECC Honor Roll on November 11th and Holloway was tabbed to the Honor Roll on November 18th. Nathan Robertson was named ECC Rookie of the Week last week and Makanjuola was tabbed to the Honor Roll. Ethan Robertson was named ECC Rookie of the Week on Monday and Nathan Robertson was tabbed to the Honor Roll.
Scouting the Tigers
Holy Family is coming off a 60-49 loss against Jefferson on Saturday. The Tigers will face Division I Temple on Tuesday before playing at Mercy on Wednesday. Holy Family was picked fifth in the CACC South Division Preseason Poll after going 8-18 last season. The Tigers have been led by Tairi Ketner who is averaging a team-high 15.9 points per game on 65.8 percent shooting with a team-high 8.0 rebounds per game. Jason Shields is second with 11.9 points per game and Omarion Jett is third with 10.6 points per game. RJ Delahaye rounds out four Tigers averaging double figures in points with 10.4 points per game.
Next Game
Mercy plays at D'Youville on Friday, December 13th at 7:30 p.m.
