Deep and Wide

SIU’s Scott Nagy’s Deeper and More Cohesive Team

(St. Louis, MO) – Southern Illinois coach Scott Nagy has a roster that is deep and wide. With six returning Salukis and eight new players, the Egyptian Dawgs will be more versatile, better ball-handlers and have proven point producers. Nagy has the pieces for an improved Missouri Valley Conference season.

After a 14-win season during his first SIU campaign, Nagy is glad to be launching his second season with his staff in tact and some players that know the way he wants to play. Damien Mayo, Davion Sykes and Drew Steffe are Nagy’s most productive returners and he says they’ve been his best players this summer.

After two seasons at Missouri State, Mayo is beginning his second at SIU and fourth in the Valley. Mayo has played in 91 and started 62 and is a veteran leader who fills many Saluki roles and gaps. Sykes spent two seasons at Texas State. Many believe Steffe is the kind of fiesty player every team needs to succeed.

None of the three are big stat-book stuffers, but they each do the little things that help a team win.

Deep and Wide – Newcomers

Four veteran newcomers should play prominent roles in this year’s team. While the headliner is Valparaiso transfer Isaiah Stafford, Quel’Ron House, Caden Hawkins and Prince Aligbe bring something special to the Saluki mix. An offseason injury caused Stafford to miss all of last season, but the 6’2 guard was electric in 2023-24. Stafford averaged nearly 17 points and four rebounds per game.

Nagy says Stafford is healthy and ready to contribute, but cautions against expecting those same numbers in Carbondale. The deep and wide Salukis will have plenty of weapons.

House, Hawkins and Prince Aligbe bring important ingredients to SIU. An early season injury to Elijah Elliott left last year’s team without a point guard, but Nagy says this year’s team has several players that ‘can dribble the basketball’. House and Hawkins are a big part of that evaluation.

Jacksonville State transfer House was a big part of the, NIT team’s backcourt. He averaged 8.4 points and three assists for the Gamecocks. Caden Hawkins is the son of former Saluki great Shane Hawkins and played a pivotal role in John A. Logan’s run to the national junior college playoffs.

Aligbe brings a ‘major league body’ and great experience. The older brother of SIU returner Rolyns Aligbe played two seasons at Boston College and spent last season at Seton Hall. He started 29 times last season, averaging 7.8 points. Nagy believes he can be an outstanding defender.

Nagy’s three incoming freshmen are each three-star recruits. Daniel Pauliukonis, Jalen Haynes and Luke Walsh had spectacular high school careers.

Max Pikaar is a 7-foot transfer from Saint Louis. He and returners Jorge Moreno, Jaheem Webber and the younger Aligbe will combine to cover the frontcourt. All are athletic and versatile.

Year Two in the Valley

Nagy says this is the deepest team he has ever coached. He’s bullish about how many players will be able to contribute. Mixing and matching lineups, sustaining an injury or a heavy schedule won’t be a problem for this year’s Salukis. While he has been coaching for thirty years, this is just his second in the MVC.

Nagy says he has nine, starting quality players. Managing those minutes won’t be easy but he insists his job isn’t to make players happy with their playing time. He is responsible to make sure they stay connected and engaged.

These issues become increasingly important in the ever-changing ‘portal pandemic era’ of college athletics. Nagy says college basketball’s volatile landscape isn’t one he thinks is beneficial to the students.

Nagy’s entire staff returns for year two. He and Associate Head Coach Steve Hawkins have a combined 60-years of head coaching experience. He and Hawkins insist the younger coaches are the energy of the team. Will Veasley played on a Final Four team. Jevon Mamon was part of the Loyola Chicago staff that played in the Final Four. This staff has deep and wide successful coaching experience.

Head to YouTube to watch our entire interview and to Valley Hoops Insider Podcasts for the audio-only version.

SIU is deep and wide. They have more size than last year’s team and more backcourt skill. Offensive firepower is present and Nagy believes he has some elite defenders.

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