By Jarra Gojolo — Managing Editor
As the sun finishes setting on their season, the Spartans have a few months to decide on a new direction for the program.
San Jose State men’s basketball’s season ended mercifully Wednesday, losing to Wyoming 111-80 in the first round of the Mountain West Tournament.
The Spartans’ season was affected by COVID-19 from the jump as their season opener against Simpson University was canceled because — according to Simpson — UPS lost the team’s tests.
On Nov. 30 both basketball teams and the football team were forced to move outside of Santa Clara County by local health officials.
While SJSU Football transformed into a traveling band for the final month, basketball relocated to Phoenix for most of the remaining season.
The team played the vast majority of games at Ability 360 Sport and Fitness Center.
(Yes, the name indicates exactly the kind of Staples Center-esque venue the Spartans would call home for two months.)
Two games at reigning Mountain West champions Utah State — resulting in two 40-minute wedgies from MW DPOY Neemias Queta and Co. — kicked off SJSU’s conference schedule.
The Spartans’ first game at Ability 360 was a similarly lopsided 106-54 loss to Boise State on New Years’ Eve.
But Game 2 of the series was a shotmaking showcase from guards Richard Washington and Jalen Dalcourt. Held at Grand Canyon University’s GCU Arena, the former Tallahassee Community College teammates combined for 49 points as they pushed the Broncos to their limits in an 87-86 loss Jan. 2.
Despite their efforts, the loss was the result of a common occurrence this season: losing the rebounding battle — and by consequence the shot attempt battle.
The margin made it that much harder for the team to keep games close this season, no matter how hard players tried to overcome it via individual efforts.
When Washington went out with a concussion in the Spartans’ Game 1 loss against New Mexico all hopes of a conference victory this season seemed to go out the window. But they regrouped in surprising fashion to ring off three straight wins in the 6-foot-6 guard absence.
SJSU started the streak Jan. 23 as five different players scored in double figures to give the team an 83-71 win over the Lobos.
A late put-back from senior forward Ralph Agee sealed a 59-58 win against Air Force on Jan. 28, while the following game was a wire-to-wire 75-62 victory for the Spartans two days later.
The win streak was the longest since Prioleau took over, and the first time SJSU swept a conference opponent since future NBA player Brandon Clarke was on the roster in 2017.
Like all good things it had to come to an end.
The Spartans lost four straight games to San Diego State and UNLV before their last three regular season games were canceled because of COVID.
It turned out the streak was Prioleau’s last hurrah. He was fired on Friday with a year remaining on his contract, as reported by Jeff Goodman.
So, what direction does SJSU go in now?
The Spartans amassed a record of 20-93 in those four seasons and have finished near the bottom of the Mountain West every year. 2020-21 was SJSU’s best conference position under Prioleau, finishing ninth in the conference with a record of 5-16 (3-13 MW).
Despite being Mountain West bottom-feeders Prioleau had been able to bring some strong talent to the Event Center during his tenure.
Former guard Noah Baumann started his college career under Prioleau — although he was recruited by previous head coach Dave Wojcik — and after transferring has played 27 games for tournament-bound USC in his first season. Fellow former guard Seneca Knight transferred to LSU this year after an outstanding 2019-20 season as a Spartan.
The key word these last few sentences: “former.”
13 players have hit the transfer portal since Prioleau took over in 2017. SJSU basketball is known more for being “Division I’s JUCO” than for any kind of team success these days.
The very first thing the program needs to establish is a retention of talent.
This issue isn’t exclusive to Prioleau. A total of 28 players have left the Spartans since the team joined the Mountain West in 2013.
To compound the issue even further for Prioleau’s successor, more players are likely to hit the transfer portal as a result of the change in coaching. With the NCAA granting one penalty-free transfer in 2021 a move away from San Jose will be even more enticing for players.
But let’s get back to the beginning.
Of course, to retain talent you first need to *get* talent. The world of college hoops recruiting is a game of connections.
I’ll bet all my stimulus money the next head coach is a well-traveled longtime assistant coach. Somebody who has made connections all over the college basketball world and can use those formed connections to their recruiting advantage.
A similar mold as Prioleau.
Once I’ve turned my $1,400 into $2,800 the new head coach of SJSU basketball will need to put those connections to use.
Forget the Mountain West top dogs (San Diego State, Utah State, Colorado State, Boise State). How do you recruit players at the level of Wyoming, UNLV and Fresno State to one of the worst programs in all of Division I?
How do you pitch the No. 310 team in the RPI rankings to high schoolers and JUCO transfers?
How do you pitch the Event Center? A college basketball stadium that still manages to be 75 percent empty despite having the seating capacity of a Chevrolet Suburban.
It’s gonna take a hell of a salesman.
Follow Jarra on Twitter @JarraGojolo