Former Redeemer hoops standout Shoats ready to play for McNamara at Siena

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When Gerry McNamara takes the floor to begin his duties as the new head coach at Siena College, he won’t be the only one out there to come out of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton area.

The Saints formally announced this past week that former Holy Redeemer standout Justice Shoats would be joining the program after spending two seasons at Division II Lock Haven.

Shoats himself tweeted the news of his commitment back on May 6.

A release from the Siena College athletics department on May 22 confirmed Shoats’ commitment to the Saints, a Division 1 program playing in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC).

“Justice is coming off of a terrific season at Lock Haven,” McNamara said in the release. “His ability to touch the paint with downhill drives, and how he guards the ball defensively, is high-level.”

Shoats was a two-time Times Leader Player of the Year, and a WVC All-Star on three occasions, also earning All-State Second Team honors at the Class 3A level.

After a solid freshman season, Shoats started all 29 games as a sophomore for Lock Haven in the 2023-24 season, leading the Bald Eagles with 20.4 points per game while also averaging over four rebounds and four assists per game.

Shoats won five Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East Player of the Week Awards and was ultimately named PSAC East Player of the Year as Lock Haven earned a No. 1 seed in the PSAC Tournament and advanced to the conference semifinals for the first time in 34 years.

He’ll be joining a Siena squad that went to three straight NCAA Tournaments from 2008-2010 but haven’t been back since then, finishing last in the MAAC last year with a 4-28 record.

The Saints announced the hiring of McNamara to replace outgoing head coach Carmen Maciariello on March 29. McNamara had served as the associate head coach at his alma mater Syracuse during the 2023-24 season.

McNamara played his high school ball at Bishop Hannan High School, winning two state Player of the Year awards and a state championship his senior season.

He would add an NCAA national championship at Syracuse as a freshman in 2003, going on to start 135 games over four years and earning two first team All-Big East honors. He started his coaching career as a graduate manager for the Orange in 2009.