Pratt didn’t have many opportunities at Seton Hall, and Huffman didn’t have many under Coach Pitino at Louisville, but Iona will offer many minutes to both. Any 7-foot center will get playing time in the MAAC, a league that rarely sees players above 6’10,” and Huffman must be good if Pitino signed him. Despite being a presence in the paint, Huffman also has a good touch from behind the three point line.

The transfers are not the only plusses from this offseason. Willard went after some of the best recruits in the New York area, signing Trinity Fields, Jermel Jenkins, Kyle Smyth, Scott Machado, Derek Wolfley, and Keon Williams. Williams will redshirt this season due to a torn Achilles tendon.

Fields was the No. 44 point-guard recruit in America, so Iona is ecstatic to introduce a player of such high caliber to the MAAC. Four of the five recruits are guards, Williams being the only forward. Iona is overloaded at the guard position, so other than Fields, it is unclear as to how many minutes some of the other guard recruits will see.

Senior forwards Gary Springer and Devon Clarke are the veterans on the team. Both Springer and Clarke saw a good share of minutes in Iona’s 2005-06 tournament season. Springer started at power-forward that season.

Springer averaged 10.9 points and 7.7 rebounds per game last season, along with Clarke’s 10 points and 4.2 boards. The two will be joined in the front-court by Huffman, posing a menacing threat to those driving through the lane. Huffman should not expect to have a field day down low because MAAC guards are wont to challenge a 7-foot presence.

Rashon Dwight, Springer, and Huffman are the only definite starters for Willard’s inexperienced team. The two guard positions are left wide open, Fields, Machado, and Jenkins being the top candidates for point-guard and Milan Prodanovic for shooting-guard.

Iona SID Brian Beyrer believes that Fields will be transformed into a shooting guard. "Coach Willard feels he's a true scorer and when he gets used to not having to have the ball all the time as a point guard, he will have a great career at Iona," claims Beyrer. Assuming this transformation occurs, Fields will play most of his minutes at the two.

Clarke and Alejo Rodriguez will be the first big men to come off the Gaels bench. Rodriguez sat out last season, and Beyrer says, "He is back to 100%." Rodriguez, a 6'8" forward, averaged 7.1 points and 5.9 boards per game in his freshman season.

Iona has a relatively tough eleven-game non-conference schedule, opposing Wisconsin, Valpo or San Diego, Ohio State, Hofstra, and South Florida, before MAAC play. Unlike the Saints who have proven themselves against powerhouse schools, Iona will try to make a name for themselves early on in the 2008-09 season.

In MAAC play, the Gaels can be expected to be a tough competitor against the other top teams in the conference.

Manhattan College Jaspers (12-19, 5-13)

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