DeAndre Williams dribbling the ball past a Loyola defender.
Mark Seliger Photography
DeAndre Williams

2024-2025 Holy Cross men’s basketball season preview

By Charles Bare

Heading into its second year under head coach Dave Paulsen, the Holy Cross men’s basketball team will look to be significantly improved this season and become a contender in the Patriot League. The Crusaders did show potential a year ago, ranking second in the conference in three-point field goal percentage (35.4 percent) and fourth in overall field goal percentage (43.9 percent). Two starters return from that squad, along with six other letterwinners.

Caleb Kenney dribbling the ball up court against a St. John's defender.
Caleb Kenney

KENNEY LEADS THE WAY
Senior forward Caleb Kenney looks to lead the team with winter, after being named second team All-Patriot League and earning Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2023-2024. Kenney averaged 11.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.2 blocks and 0.8 steals per contest last season, while making 57.6 percent of his field goal attempts (174 of 302). He led the conference in field goal percentage, while standing second in blocked shots, third in rebounding and 11th in scoring.

Joe Nugent with the ball against Boston College.
Joe Nugent

THE RETURNING CAST
Sophomore forward Joe Nugent should play a key role, after starting 31 times during his rookie campaign. Nugent averaged 6.2 points and 4.4 rebounds per game, while placing fourth in the Patriot League by hitting 40.3 percent (56 of 139) of his shots from three-point range.

Sophomore guard DeAndre Williams and sophomore guard Kahlil Singleton will look to contend for starting spots or play key roles off the bench. Williams averaged 4.4 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists per contest in 2023-2024, and ranked 12th in the Patriot League in assists. Singleton averaged 4.6 points and 1.4 rebounds per game a year ago, while finishing eighth in the Patriot League in three-point percentage (34 of 88, 38.6 percent). 

Junior guard Jaden Kirkwood and sophomore forward Declan Ryan will also be in the mix for increased playing time, while junior guard Ben Capron and sophomore guard Declan McIntyre will provide added depth.

Tyler Boston with the ball at Fordham.
Tyler Boston

NEW FACES IN TOWN
Two transfers and four freshmen have joined the Crusaders this year, and will look to make an immediate impact. Junior forward Jaiden Feroah comes to Worcester from Green River College in Auburn, Wash., where he earned Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Year honors in 2023-2024 while averaging 18.0 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. Sophomore guard Gabe Warren is a transfer from Rice University, who previously earned first team All-State honors while attending John Paul II High School in Plano, Texas.

Freshman guard Tyler Boston joins the Crusaders from the Bullis School in Potomac, Md., where he was a three-time first team All-Interstate Athletic Conference selection. Freshman guard Max Green led the state of Kentucky by averaging 32.1 points per game last year at Oldham County High School in La Grange, Ky. Freshman forward Chuck Hare averaged 11.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per game while hitting 63.4 percent of his field goal attempts at the Kingswood Oxford School in West Hartford, Conn. And freshman forward Aidan Richard was a two-time All-State selection and District Player of the Year for Ronald Reagan High School in San Antonio, Texas.

Kahlil Singleton taking a shot against Boston University.
Kahlil Singleton

A CHALLENGING SLATE
Holy Cross will face a number of tough opponents in non-conference action this year, including trips to Virginia, Wisconsin and Rhode Island. The Crusaders will also take part in the College Hill Classic in Providence, R.I., where they will face Brown, New Hampshire and Sacred Heart. Holy Cross’ home schedule features four non-league games, including a visit from traditional Ivy League power Harvard.

In Patriot League play, the Crusaders will have home-and-home series against each of the nine other teams in the conference. The league schedule will be highlighted by contests against 2024 Patriot League champion Colgate and Turnpike Trophy rival Boston University.

2024-2025 Schedule
2024-2025 Roster
2024-2025 Tickets

FOLLOW THE CRUSADERS 
Be sure to follow the Holy Cross men's basketball team — and all things Crusader Athletics — on social media!
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