Hofstra rolls to ninth consecutive victory
Hofstra Pride guard Aaron Estrada works on Hampton Pirates guard Amir Nesbitt during ta game at the Mack Sports Complex on Thursday. Credit: Lee S. Weissman
Hofstra’s Aaron Estrada is having another spectacular season and is the frontrunner to again be named the Colonial Athletic Association’s Player of the Year. But here’s the thing: As outstanding as he is, that was a given going into the 2022-23 season.
Tyler Thomas may have been the biggest unknown. The leading scorer for a 20-loss Sacred Heart team a year ago before an offseason transfer, the 6-3 wing was joining a bunch of new teammates and taking on a new role. It has turned out perhaps better than anticipated.
Estrada had 21 points and Thomas added 13 on Thursday night as the first-place Pride shrugged off last-place Hampton, 73-43, before 1,833 at Mack Sports Complex. It was Hofstra’s ninth consecutive win and third straight in which it never trailed.
Hofstra (21-8, 14-2) controls its own destiny. If it wins its last two games, it will be the No. 1 seed in the CAA Tournament, with an automatic NCAA Tournament bid the goal.
Warren Williams came off the bench to score 12 points and point guard Jaquan Carlos had eight assists and 10 rebounds for the Pride. They held a third straight foe under 60 points by limiting the Pirates (6-22, 3-12) to 23% shooting and forcing them into 16 turnovers. Jordan Nesbitt led Hampton with 19 points.
Thomas is averaging 15.7 points overall and 20.2 during the winning streak.
Pride coach Speedy Claxton became acutely aware of him after a scrimmage before last season in which he scored 20 points in the first half and finished with more than 30. “We were very familiar with him and we knew that if we were able to get him, we’d have the best backcourt in the league,” Claxton said. “Thank God he trusted in us and what we were preaching.”
Thomas was intrigued at the idea of playing for a coach who’d been an NBA guard and having a scorer like Estrada on the floor with him. He is shooting 49% overall this season and a team-best 41% on three-pointers as compared with 41% and 33% last season with the Pioneers.
“I’m really happy playing with these teammates and this style,” Thomas said. “I get a lot or easy shots playing off Aaron and playing off of [Carlos].”
Thomas was a tone-setter Thursday. When he finished a fast break with a layup just 5:05 into the game to make it 15-5, he already had eight points.
“We knew that he was a scorer and it would free me up so that I would be able to get my shots,” Estrada said. “Having somebody to play off of who is just as talented as I am on offense . . . it really opens things up for both of us. Playing together is ultimately good for both of us.”
Stony Brook wins in OT
Tyler Stephenson-Moore had 17 points, Keenan Fitzmorris added 14 and Frankie Policelli had 13 points and 10 rebounds as host Stony Brook (10-18, 6-9 CAA) beat William & Mary, 71-66, in overtime. William & Mary (10-18, 5-10), which trailed by seven with just over a minute left in regulation, tied it at 62 on Ben Wight’s layup with 12 seconds left.
Roger Rubin returned to Newsday in 2018 to write about high schools, colleges and baseball following 20 years at the Daily News. A Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 2011, he has covered 13 MLB postseasons and 14 NCAA Final Fours.
