It was an uneasy alliance, a new coach who needed the incumbent point guard to run the show and an undisciplined point guard who needed to be coached.
The first two years were not easy for Tommy Amaker and Shaheen Holloway. Under previous coach George Blaney, Holloway had free rein on and off the court. Enter Amaker, the former Duke assistant who believes in across-the-board accountability.
The two often reacted like positive ends of a magnet. Holloway contemplated transferring more than once. Last season, his junior year, was the nadir, marked by poor shooting and injuries.
But this year Holloway is off to a great start and Amaker said the two finally have found a meeting of the minds and wills. The Pirates (2-0) play St. Peter’s (2-1) tonight at the Meadowlands. Fordham (2-1) plays Fairfield (0-3) in the first game of a college hoops doubleheader.
Holloway had 28 points Saturday night as the Hall squeezed by Drexel, 69-65. But it’s not the points that concerns Amaker. He’s always looked at assists, defense, practice habits and all the intangibles that come with playing the point when evaluating Holloway.
“It’s been fun,” Amaker said of his last few months with Holloway. “His attitude has been unbelievable through the spring and summer and it’s continued over to the court. I’d say there’s been a transformation with Shaheen. There’s a work ethic, a leadership, an accountability that I’ve been trying to hold him to. He’s really responded.”
Amaker said he wasn’t certain what has led to Holloway’s transformation. Surely Holloway can’t have had a repeat of his junior season, when he made just 35.8 percent of his shots and committed a team-high 91 turnovers.