Tim O’Toole knows that his team has been too small all season long. The Fairfield Head Coach knows that if the Stags had even one starter taller than 6’4″ they might not be 1-7 heading into Friday’s game at Cal State Northridge.
But all of a sudden, after a decision the Stags had hoped for – perhaps even prayed for – all year, they might look like a much different team for the duration of the season.
That’s because DeWitt Maxwell ’06, who was suspended for the season in October for violating university policy, was reinstated last week by the university and is eligible to play immediately. Maxwell’s return comes at the same time that 6’6″ forward Mamadou Diakhate, a transfer from Eastern Kentucky, will make his Stags debut.
Diakhate transferred to Fairfield after the fall semester last year, and has practiced with the Stags while sitting out the one-year period mandated by the NCAA for transfers.
“The team is looking forward to both Witt and Mamdou [entering the lineup because] they will help inside, especially defensively,” O’Toole said.
Without Maxwell, who finished last season third in the MAAC in field goal percentage (.531) and out-hustled taller opponents all year, the Stags were forced to take the court without a starter taller than 6’4″ in every game after 6’7″ forward Marty O’Sullivan ’07 went down with an ankle injury two games into the season.
Maxwell is just 6’5″ but coaches describe him as a player with an uncommon ability to overcome height disadvantages with a formula of athleticism and grit.
Despite the improved play of 6’9″ center Geoff Middleton ’08, who has seen increased playing time as of late, the Stags have played most of the season with literally no low post presence. Their tallest starter has been Alvin Carter ’05, a natural small forward who has been forced to play in the low post despite being overmatched by nearly every opponent.
Though the Stags played competitively during a three-game stretch in which they took Providence and Iowa down to the write and beat Tulane, they closed out the first semester with an embarrassing 95-80 loss at home to Fordham, during which the Rams scored 18 unanswered points in the first half.
Now though, they will have Maxwell and Diakhate for the final 17 games of the 18-game conference schedule, which the Stags opened with a 90-85 overtime loss to Loyola Dec. 9.
“[Maxwell and Diakhate] can also score inside and when we lost Marty and Nate [Hawkins ’09, who tore his ACL in November and is out for the season], it became more evident that we needed help in there, not only on defense, but on the offensive side as well.”
Last season, Maxwell averaged 11.3 points and 5.6 rebounds. Despite being suspended, he was named by the conference coaches to the All-MAAC third team for the second straight year.
Diakhate played in 14 games for Eastern Kentucky during the 2003-04 season and averaged 3.9 points and 2.4 rebounds per game. After immigrating to the United States from Senegal, he averaged better than 22 points per game as a senior at Saint Mary’s High School in Manhasset, N.Y.
Like Maxwell, he can play on the perimeter or in the low post, but is likely to see more action under the basket because of the Stags’ height deficiency.
“We were asking guys to play positions that they have never played before, and do it against very good competition,” O’Toole said. “However, I think those lessons that were learned the hard way will somehow pay off for us down the road, especially once conference play begins.”
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