WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Fairfield is one of the more interesting teams in a conference that itself is always interesting. The MAAC is known as a very competitive conference, one that often has a team that can sneak up on others, and Fairfield might be that kind of team this season. The Stags’ season-opening 64-63 overtime win on Saturday night in the Connecticut 6 Classic was illustrative of this and possibly just the start this team needs.
Taking a glance at the roster, one can see that the stags have five upperclassmen and a lot of freshmen in the mix. The upperclassmen are all very experienced, having played significant minutes since their freshman year save for Desmond Wade, who transferred in from Houston but has played significant minutes since he arrived. One can easily guess that this team will largely go as their freshmen go, as having some depth is always important.
“It’s partly coaching, it’s partly their work ethic, and then game experience that will turn that potential into production,” said head coach Sydney Johnson. “We’re going to need games for them to grow up a bit, but we’re excited about them.”
Johnson was happy with how the game went, as it wasn’t the fast-paced game many Central Connecticut teams like. Instead, they were able to grind it out, which is how the Stags want to play. Johnson expressed hope that they will have more games like this during the season.
The freshmen have talent, and some of it was apparent on Saturday night. The potential jewel of the group is big man Josip Mikulic, a seven-footer from Croatia. Very skilled but also physically immature right now, he had a nice debut with 12 points and eight rebounds on Saturday night, including a key three-pointer in overtime. Forwards Marcus Gilbert and Amadou Sidibe also got into the game, with the latter playing 16 minutes, and Justin Jenkins got in for a minute.
A big intangible is the team’s best player, senior Derek Needham. A star since he arrived, Needham is hoping to close his storied career out on a good note, and he clearly has the mindset for it. Teams naturally look to their seniors for leadership, and that won’t be a problem for the Stags with Needham. He not only embraces it, but he understands what comes with it. It’s not something Johnson or any of the assistants has to explain to him.
“We go as Derek goes, and he’s been tremendous and is helping to bring along those freshmen,” said Johnson.
In particular, Needham spoke highly of Mikulic and wants to play a role in turning him into the player he can be.
“That’s my project,” Needham said, adding, “I want to get him mentally strong because he has the skills to be a great player in our league.”
Needham knows that others on the team have to get going and this team’s success doesn’t hinge solely on his play. He’s confident in how good he will be and knows he will be better if his teammates are since that would take defensive attention away from him. But he also understands a big picture. His season ended early last year when he broke his foot at Iona in the next-to-last game of the regular season. While it was surely difficult for a competitor like Needham to be on the sidelines as his team went through the MAAC Tournament and then the CollegeInsider.com Tournament, where they won three games to reach the semifinals, he saw a bright light.
“I think the best thing to happen to us last year was me breaking my foot, then everybody had to step up,” said the senior guard. “Everybody had a lot of minutes, and come postseason tournament time it gave everybody confidence that they should be on the court, and we need them on the court.”
Having an experienced backcourt always makes a team a little more dangerous, and with Needham’s leadership, this team could surprise some. Wade is a capable point guard who takes some of the stress off Needham, and if the freshmen develop – perhaps aided by Needham as well as the staff – it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Fairfield in a better place than some expect come February and March.
