Terriers reload for 2021-22 season

SFC men's basketball squad welcomes six new recruits

May 18, 2021 John Torenli, Sports Editor

Boston University's Jack Hemphill is one of the six new men's basketball recruits the St. Francis Brooklyn Terriers revealed Monday. AP Photo by Kathleen Batten

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Though they finished out of the hunt for their first-ever Northeast Conference title last season, the St. Francis Brooklyn men’s basketball team is already gearing up for the 2021-22 campaign, as evidenced by the Terriers’ latest recruiting class, which was revealed Monday.

Long-time SFC head coach Glenn Braica announced that Michael Cubbage, Patrick Emilien, Bahaide Haidara, Jack Hemphill, Kasper Suurorg and Tedrick Wilcox Jr., will be in uniform and ready to continue the Terriers’ pursuit of an NCAA Tournament berth next season.

“I am very pleased to welcome Mike, Patrick, Bahaide, Jack, Kasper and Tedrick to our program,” said Braica, who guided the Terriers to a 9-9 record in NEC play this past year, leaving SFC just out of the league’s COVID-19-altered postseason picture.

“We have brought in some really talented players who have tremendous work ethics, are of high-character, and have a great deal of experience,” he added.

Cubbage, a 6-foot-4 guard from Sicklerville, N.J., arrives on Remsen Street after spending the past three seasons at Marist College, averaged 9.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.4 steals per game in 34 games.

“Mike is a physical, versatile, experienced player, who can play all three positions on the perimeter. He is an excellent playmaker and defender, who can rebound the basketball at a high-level for his size,” noted Braica.

Chauncey Hawkins and the Terriers finished just out of the 2021 NEC Tournament after going 9-9 in league play. Photo courtesy of SFC Brooklyn Athletics

Emilien stands 6-foot-7 as a forward and is also coming off a three-year stint elsewhere.

The Toronto, Ontario native was at Western Michigan the past three seasons, starting 16 of 77 games for the Broncos and averaging 3.8 points and 3.0 rebounds per game.

“Patrick is a very talented player. He is physically gifted, and is a versatile forward that has a diversified skillset, and a very good feel for the game,” Braica said.

“He is someone with size that can shoot the ball from the perimeter, and is a guy with three years of Division I experience. Patrick’s maturity, talent, and experience will serve as significant attributes as we enter the 2021-22 season,”

Haidara, a 6-foot-6 forward from Montreal, the 6-foot-9 Hemphill out of Raleigh, North Carolina, Estonia’s Suurorg and Wilcox Jr., a guard from Pawtucket, Rhode Island, round out Braica’s sextet of newcomers.

“We believe that all six guys are great fits for our program and we are excited for them to join our team ahead of the 2021-22 season,” Braica said.

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The 2021 St. Francis men’s soccer team is still collecting accolades after the program’s best season in over 40 years. Photo courtesy of SFC Brooklyn Athletics

Just because their season ended earlier this month at the NCAA Tournament in Wilmington, N.C., doesn’t mean the St. Francis Brooklyn men’s soccer team is done receiving accolades for its magical run.

After capturing their fifth NEC title in eight years, winning a College Cup game for the first time since 1978 and taking third-seeded Indiana to a sudden-death shootout before getting eliminated, the Terriers were honored by the United Soccer Coaches Northeast Region last week.

SFC head coach Tom Giovatto and assistants Andy Cormack and Jason Orban were named the organization’s coaching staff of the year.

Also, senior forward Nicolas Molina and junior defender Harald Sollund were tabbed to the United Soccer Coaches All-Northeast Region First Team, and sophomore goalkeeper Callum James was selected to the Second Team.

Giovatto was already named NEC Coach of the Year after the Terriers grabbed the No. 1 seed in the tournament, beat Long Island University in the championship match at Brooklyn Bridge Park, then made the deepest NCAA Tournament run SFC has had since the Jimmy Carter administration.

The Terriers knocked off Milwaukee in the opener of the regional, but were unable to outscore Indiana in the shootout round after playing the Hoosiers to a 1-1 tie after 120 minutes.

Molina, the reigning NEC Player of the Year, and James, who earned top NEC goatending honors, were instrumental in guiding the Terriers back to the College Cup for the first time since 2017.

“Congratulations to our guys Nico, Harald, and Callum on earning United Soccer Coaches All-Northeast Region honors. All three student-athletes played significant roles on our team this season and were all instrumental to our success as a whole,” said Giovatto.

“We are very proud of each of them for earning this prestigious recognition. We are also extremely grateful to be named the United Soccer Coaches Regional Staff of the Year. This is a great honor and I am proud to share this award with Coach Andy and Coach Jason, who both do a tremendous job day-in and day-out.”