Seton Hall Basketball: 3 takeaways from Pirates loss to Louisville
By Joe Casey
Sandro Mamukelashvili is the next Pirate star
After the 2019-20 season fizzled out due to covid, the Myles Powell era of Seton Hall basketball also came to a close. Filling the role of Powell this season fell on the shoulders on Sandro Mamukelashvili and in game one, he did not disappoint.
Transitioning from an NCAA first-team guard who dominates behind the three-point line to a smooth point forward with range will certainly change how an offense flows but the results seem to be the same. In his first game, Mamukelashvili provided the Pirates with 22/10/2 on 8/17 shooting and most importantly kept them in the game when it seemed like no one else could.
Staying out of foul trouble, Mamukelashvili was able to find his rhythm in the second half even when his teammates were struggling. At one point in the second half, Mamukelashvili was the team’s only double-digit scorer, clearly carrying the load and keeping the team within striking distance.
As his teammates began to find their footing, the Pirates closed the Louisville lead. In the future, expect more of the same from Mamukelashvili. He was named to the preseason Big East first team and should easily live up to or even exceed these expectations.