Monmouth basketball: Myles Ruth ready to lead? Plus injury news; King Rice on Steve Masiello
WEST LONG BRANCH – As the scrimmage progressed inside OceanFirst Bank Center Wednesday, Myles Ruth spent most of his time putting his teammates in positions to succeed, whether it was dishing the ball on a fast break or trying to find Myles Foster inside in a halfcourt set.
“If I get them involved, I’m getting involved, too, and that’s the key,” he said.
Because in a preseason with more questions than answers, Monmouth’s junior point guard looms as the most important piece of the puzzle. He’s proven he can be a catalyst at the defensive end. But now he has to be a steady floor general, making good decisions for extended minutes on a nighty basis.
“Myles is a problem on the break,” coach King Rice said. “But we have to get him to make the right decisions when he gets down there. It might be to shoot 10 in-a-row, but it might be to just throw it out to the corner and right now. But he’s still learning to do that, so sometimes he slows down too much.”
It’s the latest progression in a journey that saw the former Don Bosco star step in as a starter for much of his freshman season, when the team earned a share of the MAAC regular season title in the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 season.
But Ruth saw his minutes plummet last season with the arrival of Shavar Reynolds, the graduate transfer point guard from Seton Hall, who helped the Hawks win 21 games, knock off a pair of high-major foes and reach the MAAC Tournament final.
“I think Myles embraced having Shavar here because he was older, he was teaching him stuff,” Rice said. “(Shavar) really looked at it like he was a big brother. Shavar was at Seton Hall while he was in high school, and I think he helped Myles. Now the family, of course, the kid started as a freshman, you think he’s starting as a sophomore. So I think it was hard for their group, but I think Myles handled it well and now he feels like it’s his turn.”
The experience could end up being one of the biggest takeaways from last season if Ruth can step seamlessly into his expanded role.
“It definitely was a learning experience,” he said. “I learned a lot from (Shavar). Little things. Like how to keep everything together, keep everyone together. That’s the main thing for a point guard. That gives you a chance to win.”
After logging 11 minutes per game last season, that number could triple this season. Sophomore point guard Sam Fagan is injured and was not on the court for Wednesday’s scrimmage, with sophomore swingman Jayden Doyle handling the point guard duties opposite Ruth, along with walk-on Jakari Spence.
“He is starting to look like that guy who is going to run our team for the next few years,” Rice added.
Injury report
In addition to Fagan, redshirt junior forward Jarvis Vaughan, penciled in as a starter, was not on the court for Wednesday’s 20-minute scrimmage, having hurt his knee in practice earlier in the week. It puts Vaughan's status in doubt for the start of the season. He has played just 40 games over his first three seasons due to injuries.
Also not on the court was freshman center Amaan Sandhu, with the 7-footer watching from the sideline and walking with a slight limp.
With just 11 healthy players, Monmouth’s first unit consisted of Ruth, junior forward Myles Foster, sophomore guard Tahron Allen, freshman guard Jack Collins and junior center Klemen Vuga.
Monmouth outscored by Bucknell
The Hawks have a scrimmage Sunday against St. Francis-Brooklyn ahead of the Nov. 9 season-opener at Seton Hall. Rice did provide some details on the Hawks’ scrimmage at Bucknell on Oct. 15.
“I thought we started off first eight to 10 minutes, we looked really good,” Rice said. “And then there were some stretches where I probably could have called timeout, where I let some things go and it went from a two, four-point game to 14 points real fast. It was things like we turned it over on a long full court pass where we’re trying to be Magic Johnson, a pass from this side of half court with the guy running.
“Then we came back strong in the second half. They ended up beating us by 17 or 18, but it was mainly the first half they really got us. But I liked that we fought. I liked that our defense, our traps really got us back into it.”
Manhattan’s Masiello fired
During Monmouth’s eight seasons in the MAAC, Rice developed a close friendship with Manhattan coach Steve Masiello. In a stunning move, Masiello was fired by the school on Tuesday, less than two weeks before the start of the regular season.
“I’m surprise, I’m crushed. A coach getting fired a week or two before the season,” Rice said. “Every administration always says it’s all about the kids. That wasn’t all about the kids if you did it right then.”
Manhattan was picked to finish second behind Manhattan this season, while Jose Perez, who has indicated he will transfer, was tabbed as the Preseason Player of the Year.
“I don’t know what happened and I like the people there, but Steve is my good, good friend and I just don’t think you fire a guy two weeks before the season," Rice said. "If you’re mad at him maybe sit him out a couple of games. Those kids right now are hurting. The only reason they came there because of Steve Masiello. You took their coach away and now they feel deserted. Now you jeopardize all of their careers.”
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Monmouth basketball: Is Myles Ruth ready to lead?
