Saint Joseph’s senior forward Papa Ndao will sit out the entire 2014-15 season due to “medical reasons,” the university’s athletic department announced on Friday.
Saint Joseph’s to lose Papa Ndao for 2014-15 season
Last season’s Atlantic-10 champions already lost three seniors to graduation last year. Now they’ll lose another key piece to their frontcourt for the season.
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Ndao, originally from Dakar, Senegal, is one of three seniors on the Hawks this season. He played 31 games for SJU en route to last season’s Atlantic-10 title. And though he won’t touch the hardwood this season, he’s still an essential cog for the Hawks off the court.
“Papa’s well-being is our primary concern,” said head coach Phil Martelli. “While I am disappointed that Papa won’t be with us physically, I expect him to play a significant role as a team leader.”
Ndao played 85 career games for the Hawks, including scoring a career-high 13 points against George Mason last season. The 6-foot-8, 220-pounder from Montverde Academy (Fla.) will graduate in May with a degree in interdisciplinary studies.
Without him, SJU is down to a solid class of freshmen big men in Obi Romeo, James Demery and Markell Lodge, and will likely rely heavily on sophomore Deandre’ Bembry to carry the load for Martelli’s squad. Bembry, a selection for the A-10 All-Rookie Team, was the team’s third leading scorer last season, dropping 12.1 points per contest for the Hawks.
Redshirt sophomore Javon Baumann and junior Isaiah Miles are also frontcourt options for SJU.
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