As St. Thomas More started open gyms in early September, onlookers made a point to head coach Jere Quinn about how impressive the new-look squad looked.
With London Jemison – one of the top prospects in the region – surrounded by some new talent, the Chancellors certainly had the look of one of the best teams in NEPSAC. But some preseason injuries have halted their progress and slowed the chemistry they were building as a group. They’ve had to patch some of their sessions together.
With official practices starting in November and the first game of the season coming on Nov. 15, there’s not a lot of time for Quinn and St. Thomas More to get fully healthy and fully ready with a group mostly made up of postgraduate transfers. But while the Chancellors will certainly not be a finished product in November, the possibilities are tantalizing for this squad when they ultimately get back to full strength.
“I certainly think our end product will be better than the beginning because we start so quickly,” Quinn said.
Quinn, who’s entering his 47th season as head coach at St. Thomas More, knows how to get his teams moving in the right direction – evidenced by a winning season in all 46 years on the job. It might be more complicated than usual this season, but led by Jemison, the Chancellors are motivated to grab some hardware. Here’s what to expect from St. Thomas More in 2024-25.
Final chapter for Jemison
It was a big summer for Jemison, who took his perimeter game to the next level with Expressions Elite before committing to Alabama in September. Now, his focus is mainly on his third and final season at St. Thomas More, where he’s had a strong career but intends to finish it on a high note.
The 6-foot-8 forward is one of the most complete players in New England, but there’s still room for him to take his game to the next level this winter.
“I still don’t think London has any idea how good he is,” Quinn said.
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Quinn specifically hopes to see Jemison do some of the little things and make more hustle plays, like getting on the offensive and defensive glass. And while he’s always led by example with a strong work ethic in the gym and weight room, Jemison could stand to be a little more vocal.
“He’s such a nice kid that we’d like him to become more of a leader,” Quinn said. “We tell him it’s OK to lead quietly, but he practices so hard, he comes in and does an extra workout every day. …
“I believe we’re expecting a really strong year out of him.”
A ‘variety pack’
Though they’ve been slowed by injuries, Quinn said his group has been gelling and fitting well together. Jemison is the only returner, and most of the 13-player roster is made up of 2025 postgraduates.
“They seem to really like each other,” Quinn said. “They seem to want to play for each other. It’s been a real positive. … They’ve been an absolute pleasure.”
Quinn has a collection of high-level transfers, including Christian Humphrey, a 6-foot-8 forward from Michigan who’s committed to Brown. He’s extremely athletic with shooting ability, a prospect Quinn believes has loads of potential. Quinn also brought in Kieran Mullen, a 7-footer from British Columbia, and Brandon Benjamin, a 6-foot-7 forward who’s a monster rebounder and strong around the basket.
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Quinn loves his roster’s versatility, and with those frontcourt players specifically, including Jemison, he’s excited about their potential. Quinn boasts five players with a wing span of 6-foot-10 or longer, and he has the ability to put out lineups that will wreak havoc defensively.
“We have a variety pack of things we can do,” Quinn said. “It looks exciting.”
St. Thomas More has an exciting incoming backcourt of Merrimack commit Shuto Sakihama, who played on Japan’s U18 national team, and Tahlan Pettway (Worcester, Mass.), who’s getting mid to low Division 1 interest. Sakihama is just 5-foot-8, but he’s quick and puts pressure on defenses with sharp decision-making. Pettway is just getting over an injury but will make an immediate impact as a strong shooter and floor general.
Bryce Goldman, a 6-foot-5 guard committed to UC Irvine, won’t be ready to play until the second semester, but adds a scoring dimension. Jaeden Robley, DJ Hawkins (Farmington, Conn.) and Bentley Shelton will also be contributors this season.
The Chancellors will need some time this season, but they’ll certainly be in the mix once it all comes together.
“As long as we stay healthy, we have a chance to be pretty strong and do a multitude of things,” Quinn said.
