On March 19, 2024, men’s basketball departed Columbus, Ohio after a nail-biting 88-83 loss to Ohio State. The game marked the end of a historic season in which the Red earned its first-ever bid to the NCAA National Invitation Tournament (NIT).
Following a loss to Yale in the Ivy League Tournament semifinals, Cornell’s season seemed finished. However, the NIT bid provided a final glimmer of hope for the Red to showcase its talent on a national stage. Cornell seized the opportunity, impressing the country with its speed and tenacity, and came remarkably close to upsetting No. 2 Ohio State in the tournament’s first round.
The offseason brought significant changes to the program, with news breaking on March 23, 2024 that head coach Brian Earl had resigned to take the head coaching position at William and Mary.
Then-associate head coach Jon Jaques ’10 stepped in as interim head coach immediately following Earl’s departure and was officially named the Red’s new head coach in April.
A former team captain for the Red, Jaques is well-acquainted with the team’s culture and standards. Before serving as an assistant coach at Cornell from 2013 to 2022, he spent a year on Columbia’s coaching staff as a graduate assistant coach.
Mike Brennan and Mark McGonigal joined Jaques’ coaching staff as assistant coaches from other programs, while Jalen Hayes transitioned to an assistant coach role after previously serving as director of operations. Luke Cowell joined the team as the new director of operations.
While the Red will undoubtedly feel the absence of key, recently graduated players like Isaiah Gray ’24, Chris Manon ’24 and Keller Boothby ’24, the team’s new first-years and one transfer have quickly integrated into the team and are already contributing in significant roles. Here’s a breakdown of all six new members:
#4 Gioacchino Panzini (Spring Lake, New Jersey) — Guard
Panzini earned first-team all-league honors as a senior at Saint Rose High School in New Jersey, leading the team to two state sectional titles and a state group championship. He was named league tournament MVP while serving as a two-year captain.
#6 Mateen Rafiq (Sacramento, California) –– Forward
Rafiq was a three-time first-team all-league selection at El Camino and Weston Ranch High Schools in California, scoring over 2,000 career points. He led the nation in made three-pointers during his final season and was named Synergy Basketball’s most efficient high-volume scorer in the country.
#7 Anthony Nimani (Meriden, Connecticut) –– Guard
Nimani was a two-time all-state selection at Platt High School in Connecticut, earning first-team honors as a senior and second-team as a junior. He led his team to the state semifinals while becoming the school’s all-time leading scorer with 1,626 points.
#11 Ty Iwanokiw (Pittsburgh) –– Forward/Center
Iwanokiw earned first-team all-league and second-team all-section honors in his final season at North Allegheny High School in Pennsylvania, where he was second in scoring and rebounding as a senior.
#13 AJ Rodriguez (Westchester, New York) –– Guard/Forward
Rodriguez, from New York, helped lead St. Thomas More to a 28-9 record during the 2023-24 season. As a senior captain at Iona Preparatory in 2022-23, he earned third-team all-state honors and first-team all-league recognition.
Heading into the 2024-2025 season, Cornell ranked fourth in the Ivy League preseason polls, trailing Princeton, Yale and Brown. The team aims to secure another spot in the Ivy League tournament, with hopes of earning a trip to the NCAA tournament in March.
#34 AJ LaBeau (Boise, Idaho) – Forward/Center
LaBeau, the lone sophomore transfer from Washington State, was a two-time honorable mention and all-conference selection at Timberline HS. As a senior, he led his team to the second round of the state tournament and was invited to compete in the regional and state all-star games.
Until Jan. 11, the Red will focus on non-conference play to build momentum before heading to New York City to face Columbia.
As for its first game of the season, the Red delivered a decisive 93-52 win over Division III Marywood.
Sophomore guard Jake Fiegan, junior guard Cooper Noard, junior guard Josh Baldwin, junior forward AK Okereke and senior forward Guy Ragland Jr. were named starters, while senior and second-team All-Ivy guard Nazir Williams did not dress for the game for unspecified reasons.
The first half showcased Cornell’s fast-paced, fluid offense — a hallmark of Earl’s strategy that has seamlessly continued under Jaques. The team’s speed and conditioning were evident, as Marywood frequently had to sub out multiple players at once, likely due to fatigue.
This relentless pace prevented Marywood’s defense from fully setting up, allowing Cornell to capitalize on quick transition plays, often scoring with more than 20 seconds left on the shot clock.
Cornell’s man-to-man defense, incorporating a trapping scheme when Marywood players halted their dribbling, forced eight turnovers and secured five steals during the first half.
Offensively, Cornell appeared confident from beyond the arc, hitting four of 12 three-pointers, and showed strength under the basket. However, the Red’s mid-range game was notably absent, possibly due to the emphasis on fast-paced transitional plays.
The first half concluded with Cornell leading 48-22. Fiegen led the team with 13 points, followed by Noard with 10 and Okereke with eight.
In the second half, after the key starters and immediate substitutes built a comfortable 40-point lead, Jaques took the opportunity to delve deeper into his bench, giving other players, including all five first-years, valuable court time. Of the 19 players who dressed for the game, 18 saw playing time, with 15 contributing points.
The 93-52 win marks the first for Jaques as head coach.
The team will return to Newman Arena this Friday at 6 p.m. to take on Samford. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.