Year 1 was about amassing the most talent at Hofstra, and last March showed Speedy Claxton that wasn’t the right way to attack the transfer portal. Year 2, he took a very different approach.
“Going into this year, I was like, ‘We need to build a team,’ ” the second-year Hofstra coach recalled in a phone interview as his team, the top seed in the Colonial Athletic Association, prepared to open the league tournament on Sunday against No. 8-seed William & Mary.
Team-building is where Sacred Heart transfer Tyler Thomas stepped in. The Pride needed a quality running mate for now two-time CAA Player of the Year Aaron Estrada. They needed someone talented enough to be a top scorer, but with the maturity to be able to handle a secondary role. Initially, it was difficult to find someone like that. Players on the move often envision superstardom.
“Everything you heard about Tyler when you spoke to people who were close to him was not only how good of a kid he was, but how hard of a worker he is,” said assistant coach Mike DePaoli, Thomas’ lead recruiter. “That was something we were trying to find.”
It couldn’t have worked out any better for either party. Thomas and Estrada shined together, and the two seniors led Hofstra (23-8) to the CAA regular-season title. Thomas’ scoring output dipped slightly, from 16.4 to 16.2 points, but his efficiency skyrocketed, up to 49 percent shooting and 40.8 percent from 3-point range.
That aspect of his game really surprised Claxton. Thomas never shot close to that well in three seasons at Sacred Heart. In Hempstead, he developed into a terrific compliment to the more ball-dominant Estrada, a skilled wing capable of thriving off the ball and taking advantage of less attention from opposing defenses. Hofstra didn’t need monster games from Estrada every night this season. The Pride went 9-4 when Estrada scored under 20 points, compared to 8-8 in 2021-22.
“[Thomas] became the perfect Robin to Estrada’s Batman,” Claxton said. “It truly changed the dynamic of our team.”
When deciding on his transfer, Thomas’ final three schools were St. Bonaventure, Richmond and Hofstra. The New Haven, Conn., native was drawn to the Long Island school for two reasons: He felt he could really excel playing next to Estrada, and he liked the idea of being coached by Claxton, who starred at Hofstra more than two decades ago and played parts of seven seasons in the NBA. That knowledge has proven invaluable for Thomas.
“Almost in game speed, he’ll tell you all the reads to look for,” Thomas said. “Some coaches can’t do that.”
At a long 6-foot-3, Thomas also gave Hofstra more length on the wing. Again, he fit. That improved size has helped Hofstra take a major step forward on defense this year. Estrada has improved on defense, and junior point guard Jaquan Carlos has emerged as a really strong defender.
The Pride’s defensive efficiency is ranked 106th nationally, a major improvement compared to recent years. Claxton has harped on it since the summer. He told his players the pieces were in place to win a title, but only if they improved on defense. They couldn’t just try to outscore everyone.
“You know that old saying, offense wins games, defense wins championships, it’s true,” Claxton said. “We knew if we truly wanted to win a championship like we do, then it’s going to have to start on the defensive end.”
Said Carlos: “We win games with defense. We get stops and that’s how we kill teams.”
During Hofstra’s current 11-game winning streak, eight of those victories have come by double digits. The Pride have held their opponents to the 50s or lower 11 times this season. That happened just three times last season. Claxton attributes the change to more attention being spent on defense, and to the togetherness of his team.
It’s the first thing that Claxton mentioned in describing the Pride’s surprising run to the regular-season title: chemistry. This group likes each other. They play for one another. Jealousy was an issue last year. Hofstra wasn’t together when it mattered.
“I tell those guys, that’s what kind of hurt us. Guys were selfish last year,” Carlos said. “It kind of caught up to us.”
This season, it has not been an issue. Claxton and his staff not only found the right players in the transfer portal, but also they found the right people. That enabled Claxton to allocate roles that fit the personnel, and the Pride are surging at the right time. Last season, they were crushed in the opener of the CAA Tournament by the College of Charleston. Starting Sunday afternoon, they expect a different result.
“I think the team is better prepared for it, I think I’m better prepared for it,” Claxton said. “Last year was a lot of firsts for everybody. So I know what to expect now, and these kids are pumped. They’re ready to go.”