Men’s Basketball Starts 79th Season Saturday Against Maine Farmington

SUFFOLK vs. MAINE FARMINGTON
Date Time Venue Video Stats Notes Series Last Meeting Last Suffolk Win Streak	Saturday, Nov. 9 2:00 PM Smith Court Boston, Mass. CNE Network GoSuffolkRams.com GoSuffolkRams.com 0-1 Nov. 18, 2018, L, 94-91 (OT) Never Lost 1

BOSTON – Suffolk men's basketball pulls the curtain back on its 79th season Saturday, Nov. 9 when UMaine Farmington stops by Larry E. and Michael S. Smith Court for a 2:00 p.m. showdown. 

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RAPID REWIND
A year ago, Suffolk went 15-12 overall and .500 (8-8) against conference counterparts to secure the sixth seed in the league tournament.  

In the postseason, the Rams upset third seed Endicott in overtime, 80-79, and second seed Western New England, 74-63, to reach the conference championship for the first time in the CNE tenure (formerly CCC). Suffolk slipped to fifth seed Roger Williams, 79-76, in the title tilt to finish as the conference's runner-up for the first time.  

WELCOME BACK
Suffolk brings back all, but one letterwinner from a year ago. Keenan Robertson, a two-time all-conference first-team honoree, highlights the returners as the guard led the team in scoring (17.4 ppg) and on the glass (6.6 rpg) last season. All-league selection Danny Yardemian (14.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg) is back in the back court as well as everyday starters Cole LeVangie (8.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg) and Jake Gomez (7.1 ppg, 4.4 rpg). 

Liam Cunnie, Declan Davis, Jonathan Donovan, Matt Draheim, Devin Dzikas, Aidan Kane, Greg Keane, Kyle Phillips, Connor Strickland, Cem Uner, Nick Verdile and Owen Walters are back in the fold as well. 

RAMS ROOKIES
Coming off a conference runner-up performance last season, Suffolk men's basketball head coach Jeff Juron recruited one true freshman Grady Ceccucci to join the Rams roster for 2024-25. 

MORE READING: Ceccucci Added to Men's Basketball Roster for 2024-25 

GEOGRAPHY 101
The bulk of Suffolk's 17-player roster calls the Bay State home with nine Massachusetts locals. Four Rams brought their talents in from the Empire State with Maine, New Hampshire and Virginia represented by one student-athlete apiece. There is an international Ram on roster as well, Cem Uner, who flew in from Istanbul, Turkey. 

CLASS CATEGORIES
The Rams rank feature seven seniors, six sophomores, a pair of juniors, one grad student and one true freshman.

POSITION PICTURE
Eleven of Suffolk's players are primarily guards with four true forwards and a pair of swing players. 

RAMS RINGLEADERS
Suffolk men's basketball will be led by a quartet of upperclassmen in 2024-25 as head coach Jeff Juron announced that graduate student Danny Yardemian and seniors Jake Gomez, Cole LeVangie and Keenan Robertson will all captain the Rams this season.  

MORE READING: Foursome to Captain Men's Basketball in 2024-25 

COACH'S COURT
Jeff Juron returns to the bench for his 10th season at the helm of the Rams.

Over nine seasons at Suffolk, Juron has helped Suffolk to new heights highlighted by seven consecutive winning seasons and an 115-103 (.528) record in that span.

Back on Juron's staff is long-time assistants Dana Harris and Joe Sharkey with Stephen Fabrizio and Jack McDonnell joining the fold for theirs first campaigns as an assistant coaches. 

LIFT THE LID

• Since 1967-68 Suffolk is 27-29 in the first game of the season. 
• The Rams have pulled the curtain back in the win column in seven straight seasons, including last year's 68-54 triumph over Eastern Nazarene 
• The blue-and-gold is 7-2 in the season opener in the Jeff Juron era. 
• The Rams will begin their season at home for the first time since 2022-23. 
• Suffolk is 7-4 at home, 7-11 on the road in its season debut, and 7-11 when playing on an impartial court.  
• Prior to the 1976-77 campaign, the location of Suffolk's season opener was undisclosed with the Rams going 5-4 through those contests.  

PRESEASON PREDICTIONS
Suffolk men's basketball has been predicted to finish fifth in the Conference of New England (CNE) according the league's preseason poll.

MORE READING: Men's Basketball Projected Fifth in CNE Preseason Poll

BEAVERS BREAKDOWN
Maine Farmington concluded last season with an 18-9 overall record and went 9-5 in NAC play. The Beavers edged out Maine at Presque Isle with a narrow two-point victory in the quarterfinals before falling to eventual NAC Champion Husson in the semis.  

The Beavers welcome back nearly their entire roster, however they did loose starting floor general and team leader Zachary Mickle to graduation. Additionally, the squad will be led by first-year head coach Quinn Newton. 

Six players who averaged over eight points per game a year ago are back in the rotation highlighted by Simon Chadbourne, who set the program's single-season record for triples made with 88. Brock Flagg is one of the region's most efficient scorers with a 65.7 connection rate from the floor in 21 minutes per game. Patrick McKenney, who backed up Mickle at point guard, is expected to see increased playing time. 

In the front court, Jordan Anthony, a third-team all-conference honoree, will be relied on to lead the way. 

INSIDE THE SERIES

• Suffolk and Maine Farmington will meet for the second time Saturday. 
• The first and last meeting between the Rams and Beavers was Nov. 18, 2018 at the Babson Invitational. 
• Suffolk slipped to UMF, 94-91, in overtime to trail the all-time series. 

MORE INFO: Suffolk vs. UMaine Farmington – All-Time Series

STAT SHOWDOWN
 

SUFFOLK'S SCHEDULE
The Rams take their talents to Salem State Tuesday, Nov. 12 for a 5:00 p.m. tilt.