WSOU

Seton Hall has one final presser for its seniors

Date: March 1, 2021

By: Heaven Hill

this is an image for the article

Rich Schultz/Getty Images

The outgoing Pirates senior class have each had their fair share of moments at Seton Hall. Who could forget Myles Cale’s game-winning three to propel the Pirates over Kentucky in Madison Square Garden? Shavar Reynolds’ buzzer beater to defeat the then-undefeated Red Storm went viral in what was a career-defining moment for the former walk-on. And of course, Sandro Mamukelashvili’s clutch alley-oop layup to knock off a feisty ranked Butler squad last season will live on forever in the hearts of Pirates faithful.

 

Although he has not been in South Orange as long as the others, Bryce Aiken dropping 21 points in 18 minutes off the bench against Creighton earlier this year wasn’t too shabby either. Now, ahead of what will surely be an emotional and pivotal Senior Night on Wednesday, those Seton Hall seniors spoke to the media yesterday afternoon, detailing their excitement for the upcoming game and what a wild season it has been. Here are the highlights!

A theme of the press conference was just how excited the players were about the presence of fans for Senior Night. Mamukelashvili noted how there were fans at Creighton’s arena and other road stops, and how it affected them during play.

 

“It means the world to me… I was there when Angel left, I was there when MP left, so giving us the opportunity to have fans there like the guys before us did is amazing,” Mamu continued.

 

Now, like Shavar said, the Prudential Center will finally have Pirate Nation for the first time this season, looking to boost Seton Hall to a much-needed win.

Another theme of the press conference was Bryce Aiken, reflecting on the season and what a roller coaster ride it has been. Unfortunately, he has not been able to play as much as he would have liked this year, due to various nagging injuries suffered throughout the season.

 

However, he noted how the team and fanbase welcomed him in and made him feel at home, despite the injury troubles. Aiken mentioned how fellow Patrick School alum Kyrie Irving told him to “stay levelheaded”, staying in tune with yourself emotionally and mentally. Irving previously suffered a rough injury his freshman year of college that derailed his career at Duke, so Aiken mentioned how having a lifelong friend in Irving was amazing and special. This year has not gone how the Harvard grad transfer hoped, but he deserves and will surely receive a raucous ovation on Wednesday.

Lastly, the biggest theme throughout the press conference was unquestionably the camaraderie between the seniors. Mamukelashvili mentioned how during their freshman year, Reynolds would come in, practice, and leave without saying a single word.

 

Over time, though, Reynolds would open up more and be that relaxed, trustworthy point guard we all know and love. Shavar and Myles both gushed over Mamukelashvili, describing how he has worked extremely hard to get to where he is and how he is the life and soul of the team. This group has logged thousands of hours together over the years, and it was no more apparent than during the press conference.

 

Sadly, all good things must come to an end. These Pirates take to the Prudential Center court one last time, but each player stated how they are far from finished. Who knows how many games are left in their Seton Hall careers, but the fans will surely cherish each moment.

Heaven Hill is an Assistant Sports Director for WSOU Sports and can be reached at heaven.hill@student.shu.edu.

Posted in: Men's Basketball, Game Previews, Sports

Seton Hall

Seton Hall

Merchandise

wsou store