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SEATTLE – Entering his 20th season as a head coach, including his second at Seattle University, Jim Hayford takes a seasoned view on how to define success.
“They keep score so we want to win,” said Hayford. “The first goal is a winning season. But I also look at success as how much we develop each player’s potential and the enjoyment level of the players and coaches. I love the process of watching the guys improve, and I love to compete. I love taking a team into battle.”
Year one of Hayford’s era at the helm of the Seattle U men's basketball program saw the Redhawks achieve their first 20-win season in Division I play in more than 50 years. That included a 8-6 mark in Western Athletic Conference play, good for fourth place, a semifinals run at the WAC Tournament and an appearance in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI).
The development process continues in 2018-19 as Hayford welcomes nine new faces, including seven freshmen, to join four returning letter winners and three redshirts who were with the program last year and become fully eligible this winter.
“There is a lot of teaching going on this year with seven freshmen who are brand new to this level of basketball,” Hayford said. “But I’m excited and I believe in this team. They guys are hungry and focused on the process of development and improving. This team knows that its about how good we can become and not any type of satisfied with where we are at.”
Highlighting the returning core is redshirt junior Matej Kavas, a Ljubljana, Slovenia native, who has been named a preseason All-WAC First Team selection by both the league’s nine head coaches and the WAC media. The 6-8 guard was the Redhawks’ leading scorer in 2017-18, averaging 15.2 points per game. He also averaged 5.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists, led the team in scoring 11 times and scored 20 points or more nine times. Kavas led the WAC with 91 three-pointers and finished the year ranked eighth in the nation, hitting 46.4 percent from beyond the arc.
“Matej is one of the elite shooters in Division I basketball and we expect him to have a fantastic junior year,” said Hayford. “He has size, is very versatile on both ends of the court.
Combo guard Morgan Means also returns for his junior season after a solid sophomore campaign that featured an impact stretch during WAC play.
“Morgan had a string of games during conference where he averaged 16 points per game, which really showed how we can contribute at a high level,” said Hayford. “Both Morgan and Matej have a lot of court experience that will be beneficial for us on a team with no seniors.”
Set to make an impact are redshirt juniors Myles Carter and Delante Jones, and redshirt sophomore Dashawn McDowell, all of whom joined the Redhawk program last year and redshirted the 2017-18 season due to NCAA transfer rules.
“We expect all three of those guys to contribute immediately,” said Hayford. “In addition, Aaron Nettles is an extremely improved player and Terrell Brown out of Shoreline College and Garfield High School will also be an impact player.”
Nettles, a Seattle Prep graduate, was the Redhawks lone freshman one year ago. Brown led the Northwest Athletic Conference in scoring with 30 ppg and in steals in 2017-18. Anand Hundal, a 6-10 junior forward, comes to Seattle U from Las Positas College where he led the California Community College Athletic Association in blocks.
“Anand gives us depth inside and the freshman class will also help us,” Hayford said.
Highlighting the rookie group are Riley Grigsby, a 6-6, 220-pound guard/forward combo out of Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose, Calif., Trey Hopkins, a 6-4 guard out of Midwest City, Okla., and Rip Economou, a 6-8 guard haling from Santa Monica High School in Santa Monica, Calif.
“We have a great group of guys who are eager to compete,” said Hayford of the team’s season-opener set for Tuesday, Nov. 6 at Stanford. “We have a challenging schedule put together, including four Pac-12 opponents, but this team has the potential to have a season that will make Seattle U fans excited.”
Seattle U opens the 2018-19 season on Thursday, Nov. 6 at Stanford. Tip off from Maples Pavilion is set for 7p.m. The game will air on the Pac-12 Bay Area and can be heard live on KTTH 770 AM in Seattle. The Redhawks’ home opener is slated for Thursday, Nov. 8 versus Puget Sound.
Season tickets for the Redhawks’ complete 19-game home slate are also still available with prices starting as low as $150 per seat. Also available for purchase now are mini-plan options as well as single-game tickets for non-conference games.
Click here for more information and to reserve your seats today, or contact the SU Athletics Ticket office at 206-398-4678.