NEW YORK — Louisville is ranked No. 2 in the preseason Coaches’ Poll and No. 1 in the Sheridan Hoops Preseason Top 25.
Yet the way Cardinals coach Rick Pitino figures it, Manhattan will have a “major advantage” when the two teams square off in the season opener Nov. 11 in Louisville.
“I think it’s going to be a very tough game,” Pitino, whose team was picked unanimously to win the Big East, told SNY.tv Wednesday at Big East Media Day.
“Some people may say, ‘Look at our rankings.’ I know Steve’s team. They have a terrific team, they have players sitting out. I don’t have any information on his team because he’s playing us first game and that’s why he’s doing it. We’re going to be well scouted and they’re not going to be well scouted so he’s got a major advantage. We got the advantage of playing at home.”
Masiello, a White Plains, N.Y., native, was an assistant under Pitino for six years at Louisville before becoming the head coach at Manhattan before last season and leading the Jaspers to a 21-13 record.
He joked that his team might lose “by 40 points” at Louisville, but he’s excited about the opportunity to face his old mentor.
Masiello likes his team — which is led by senior guard George Beamon.
“He reminds me of a poor man’s Derek Anderson,” Masiello said of Beamon, who averaged 19 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. “He’s athletic, he can score with the best of you, he can defend multiple positions. He rebounds well from the guard spot. He shoots it from deep.”
Masiello is also high on junior center Rhamel Brown, who averaged 2.5 blocks, along with 7.9 points and 4.9 rebounds.
“You look at a guy at the back of our defense that can really do a lot,” Masiello said. “One thing about this team is we have so many pieces, Mike Alvarado, Emmy Andujar, Roberto Colonette is playing the best basketball of anybody on the team right now. We have so many pieces with this team, that’s what I love about it. We legitimately have 12-13 guys that can play on a given night.”
Beamon also said to watch out for senior guard Mohamed Koita.
“I think he’s going to step up, too,” Beamon said. “He’s been hurt hte last couple years. He’s a great, athletic guard. I love him to death.”
Manhattan is awaiting word on a hardship waiver for former St. Anthony’s and Maryland forward Ashton Pankey, which could only add to their depth.
“Our goal is to first, to win the conference, second, win the conference tournament, third, we want to get to the NCAA, ” Masiello said.
Masiello was up at Knicks practice –Pitino’s old stomping ground — earlier this week trying to pick up some pick-and-roll defensive suggestions from head coach Mike Woodson.
“Most of the time it’s pick-and-roll basketball,” Woodson said. “Everybody runs so many pick-and-rolls. Everybody’s curious about how coaches prepare or what’s their plan in terms of defending pick-and-rolls.
“So that’s some of the things that [Masiello] asked me. We’ll probably sit and talk a little offense as well. I’m a part of a college clique myself. Every summer we get together three, four days, about 40 college and pro coaches and talk basketball.”
Having learned from Pitino and Woodson, Masiello is now ready to take on his mentor on opening night.
Could an upset be in the making?
“That’s what we’re about; we’re about winning,” Beamon said. “If the recognition comes, that’s great. We’re about winning. If winning brings that, we’ll all for it.”
