On Nov. 25, the Monmouth University men’s basketball team put their season on halt after the result of a positive COVID-19 test from one of the program’s Tier One members.
The team entered a 14-day quarantine following the positive test. Tier One members include student-athletes, coaches, and support staff, all of which will quarantine.
After the cancellation of fall sports, the Monmouth community has been eager and excited to see Monmouth winter sports start up. Basketball is a big sport on campus, and while fans may not be allowed in the stands, all were restlessly anticipating the start of the season from their homes or dorm rooms.
Due to the positive test, Monmouth’s game against Hofstra on Nov. 25 was canceled. The Hawks’ games against Maryland on Dec. 1 and against Saint Francis Brooklyn on Dec. 4 were canceled as well.
When the season resumes, Hawks fans have a lot to look forward to. Last season, Monmouth Guard Deion Hammond, led the team in points with 506, field goals made with 174, and 3-pointers with 82.
Guard Sam Chaput led the team in assists with 107 and turnovers with 52. Meanwhile, forward Nikkei Rutty also led the team in blocked shots with 23. The 2019-20 team scored 2,209 points with 71.3 points per game, beating opponents in both categories.
Last season was the year of the infamous game against the Kansas Jayhawks in which guard George Papas stole the ball and executed a dunk in the last seconds, ending up on Sports Center. This play caused immense excitement amongst Monmouth fans everywhere, leading to extended anticipation for the 2020-21 season. The upperclassmen Papas figures to be one of the leaders of the team when the season eventually begins following this hiatus.
Last January, the Hawks scored a team high of points against Iona with 94 as well as a team high of rebounds with 44 against Niagara. There is a great amount of promising hope among the team, staff, and fans.
The positive COVID-19 test came from the program’s regularly scheduled testing. The team plans to resume practice and team activities on Dec. 9 and had no further comments on the matter.
However, on Tuesday, Dec. 1, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) announced that due to COVID disruptions, the Monmouth versus Iona games on Dec. 11 and Dec. 12 will be rescheduled on makeup weekend on Feb. 26 and Feb. 27.
PHOTOS COURTESY of Monmouth Athletics
