Former Bishop Hannan star and new Siena College men’s basketball coach Gerry McNamara will be bringing his team to Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza in Wilkes-Barre Township in November for a game against Bucknell University.
Also returning to the area will be former Holy Redeemer standout Justice Shoats. Shoats, a 6-foot guard, transferred to Siena from Lock Haven where he led the team with a 20.4 scoring average last season. He was a three-time Times Leader All-WVC selection, two-time Player of the Year and a Class 3A second-team all-state choice.
The game is Saturday, Nov. 30. The time and ticket sales will be announced at a later date.
“I am so excited to bring Siena basketball to compete in my hometown in my first year as head coach,” said McNamara via the Siena athletics website. “The last time that a Division I men’s basketball game was played there was when we came my senior year at Syracuse and, in typical Northeast Pennsylvania fashion, more than 8,000 people showed up to support.
“It’s an incredible area of passionate sports fans, and those people helped raise me. Any chance I get to come back home is a blessing, but this opportunity is very special.”
Mohegan Sun Arena hasn’t hosted a Division I basketball game since 2005 when McNamara and Syracuse defeated Towson 86-52 before a crowd of 8,209. Towson featured former Bishop O’Reilly standout Tim Crossin.
McNamara was hired at Siena after 15 seasons as an assistant at Syracuse. He was named the Associated Press Pennsylvania State Player of the Year in 2001 and 2002 and the 2002 Pennsylvania Gatorade Player of the Year. He finished his career at Hannan, which was part of a merger to form Holy Cross in 2007, seventh all-time in scoring in Pennsylvania high school history with 2,917 career points.
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