Brayden Maldonado Joins Other Redhawks in Transfer Portal, Seattle U Lands Division II Star
In the second week of the transfer portal being open for men’s college basketball, the Seattle Redhawks had four more players jump into the portal and coach Chris Victor made his first splash in landing a Division II Conference MVP.
Leading the Redhawks averaging 14 points per game as a senior, Brayden Maldonado entered the transfer portal Saturday with hopes of earning an additional year of eligibility from the NCAA. That request will still need to be granted, which isn’t a given, but the Second Team All-WCC selection will likely garner a lot of attention if he receives another year as one of the top point guards available.
With Maldonado most likely out the door and not expected to play an additional year of eligibility in Seattle, the Redhawks made a significant addition on Saturday morning to help replace him in landing redshirt sophomore Kaden Hansen.
Redhawks Begin Offseason by Retaining Will Heimbrodt
Less than a week after the Seattle U Redhawks season ended at the hands of the Auburn Tigers in the NIT, the most important domino already fell in the right direction to kick off the program’s offseason.
Announced via social media, the Redhawks have resigned standout forward Will Heimbrodt, who won’t enter the transfer portal. Heimbrodt has two more years of eligibility and will stay in the Emerald City for his redshirt junior season as the team’s top returning scorer.
Heimbrodt became a full-time starter for the Redhawks this season and made the most of it. He finished averaging 12 points, five rebounds, and two assists per game on 42% shooting from the field. While there were notably moments where he struggled to juggle an increased shot creating responsibility as a key part of coach Chris Victor’s offense, he played his best basketball late in the year as the team advanced to the second round of the NIT.
Redhawks Give Tigers Last-Minute Scare, Fall Short in 91-85 NIT Loss
In the final minutes of Seattle U’s matchup against Auburn, the Redhawks nearly sucked the life out of Neville Arena. Five straight baskets by the underdog almost secured a miraculous come from behind win in NIT action.
But Seattle needed the poise they played with late to weather the storm in the early going and it simply wasn’t there. Multiple runs by the Tigers put the Redhawks into a hole they could not fully climb out of, suffering a season-ending 91-85 loss in the second round of the NIT Sunday night.
With the game tied at 15 in the first half, Auburn went on a 19-5 sprint to blow the game open early. Multiple Redhawk turnovers led to baskets on the other end and Auburn fed off its rowdy home crowd. While Seattle struggled to find a rhythm offensively, Auburn established control inside that led to easy looks throughout the entire contest. The Tigers had a 38-24 advantage in points in the paint and shot 32 free throws compared to 11 by the Redhawks.
Redhawks’ Defense Stands Tall in 67-52 Win Over Tommies in First Round of NIT
Holding an explosive St. Thomas offense to a season-low on the scoreboard, the Redhawks secured a 67-52 win over the Tommies on Tuesday night at the Connolly Center, notching a massive NIT win to advance to the second round of the tournament.
Along with holding the visiting foe to a season-low in points to set up a date with top-seeded Auburn, the Redhawks limited the Tommies to 38% shooting from the field, including 23% from three-point range, along with producing 21 turnovers. This effort defensively gave Seattle enough time to find its shooting touch in the second half.
In the first half, Seattle shot just 30% from the field, falling behind early. Struggling to find quality looks, whether driving to the lane from the perimeter or feeding Houran Dan or Austin Maurer posted up inside, the Redhawks had just four points in the paint after 20 minutes. St. Thomas, on the other hand, spread out Seattle’s defense and turned their guards loose getting downhill, frequently challenging Seattle at the rim to build a 10-point lead midway through the half.
Redhawks Blow Chances Late, Fall to Tigers 61-58 in WCC Tournament
Seattle U had three looks late to tie their third round battle against Pacific on Saturday night. A missed Will Heimbrodt layup, missed Brayden Maldonado layup, and a missed Maldonado three will all continue to play in the Redhawks heads as they head back home following a 61-58 loss at Orleans Arena that ended their season earlier than hoped.
In the first half, Seattle looked like it was in the driver’s seat. Junseok Yeo led the Redhawks with nine first half points, but in his matchup with Pacific’s Elias Ralph, he picked up his second foul, forcing head coach Chris Victor to take him out with about five minutes left before halftime. After Yeo’s substitution, the Tigers stormed back. They closed out the half on a 16-1 run, fueled by six Seattle turnovers.
As a result, Seattle trailed 32-29 at halftime after leading for much of the half, but Victor’s squad kept the game within at least two possessions until the six-minute mark. The Tigers strung together a 10-0 run off the back of three Seattle turnovers to push the lead to 53-43. This sequence of miscues dug a hole that proved to be too big for the Redhawks to climb out of, though they certainly made a valiant effort to do so in the closing minutes.
Redhawks Squeak Out Defensive Slugfest, Edge Toreros in WCC Tournament
In March postseason basketball, offenses tend to slow down. A heavier emphasis is put on guys stepping up running half court offense and games come down to who can play better in crunch time. The Seattle U Redhawks needed both of those factors to go their way as they squeaked out a 58-56 win over the University of San Diego Friday night at the Orleans Arena in the second round of the WCC tournament.
Seattle led by the eventual final score with 1:43 left to play, and its defense hunkered down. The Toreros came up empty handed on their last three possessions, failing to capitalize on chances to knot it up or take a late lead. Their final possession came off a missed layup from Seattle’s Will Heimbrodt with 11 seconds left. On the other end, San Diego missed a potential walk off three and missed the game tying layup off an offensive rebound, allowing the Redhawks to breathe a sigh of relief as their season stayed alive.
Seattle’s effort late came off the back of a veteran who has been a closer for the team over the past month in guard Jojo Murphy. Murphy delivered off the bench with 12 points, five assists, four rebounds and two steals, both of which led to fastbreak layups. Whether it's starting in place of Brayden Maldonado, starting alongside him, or coming off the bench, his effort has been something head coach Chris Victor can always depend on.
Brayden Maldonado’s Heroics in Return Lead Redhawks to 71-66 Win Over Lions
In his first game back in the lineup, Brayden Maldonado did not miss a beat, having his best game of the season and helping the Seattle Redhawks get over a second-half hump that has plagued them all season for the 71-66 over LMU Saturday night at the Gersten Pavilion.
Maldonado returned to the lineup after missing the previous three games with an injury and finished with a season-high 33 points. He put the Redhawks on his shoulders offensively, impacting the game in a variety of ways.
Coming off screens, the Lions opted not to send multiple defenders at him, and the guard found his way into the paint driving to the hoop frequently. He attempted 12 free throws and converted on nine of them. He also matched a season-high in three pointers made with six. He made multiple tough shots coming off screens and gave LMU defenders trouble all night.
Will Heimbrodt’s Career Night Lifts Redhawks to 87-80 Road Win vs. Waves
WCC play has been up and down for Wiil Heimbrodt, but in the wake of guard Brayden Maldonado's injury, the playmaking forward has stepped up. On Wednesday night, the sophomore put together the best performance of his career at the perfect time to lead the Redhawks to an 87-80 win over the Pepperdine Waves.
Igniting a hot Seattle U offense, Heimbrodt finished with 24 points on 10-13 shooting from the field, matching a career-high, along with five assists, five blocks, four rebounds, and four steals. From the tip, he represented a matchup nightmare for the Waves. No one in the backcourt could match his physicality, and no one in the front court could keep up with his speed. Niine of his field goals came in the paint, and he got to the rim in a multitude of ways.
John Christofilis, Seniors Step Up in Redhawks 71-59 Win Over Pilots
With Seattle U celebrating senior night at the Connolly Center, all three seniors that dressed were in the starting lineup together for the first time this season, and all made a significant impact in the Redhawks 71-59 win over the Portland Pilots on Saturday night.
Prior to his senior season, John Christofilis started 50 games over his sophomore and junior seasons with the Redhawks. This year, however, his minutes and opportunities have all been reduced in a bench role. However, the savvy guard has not hung his head, instead fitting into whatever role Chris Victor needed from him and on Saturday, he made the most of his chance in a return to the lineup with Brayden Maldonado still out due to injury.
Late Game Mishaps Derail Redhawks’ Spirited Comeback vs. Gaels in 72-70 Loss
With the question of who fill the void of Brayden Maldonado after his ankle injury on Sunday against Oregon State, multiple Redhawks did their best to pick up the slack for Seattle U in a critical home game on Wednesday night.
But in a matchup against a 23-4 Saint Mary’s squad, an already shorthanded Redhawk squad made too many mistakes down the stretch to finish off a torrid comeback attempt, falling short in 72-70 loss to the Gaels at Climate Pledge Arena.
Despite trailing by as much as 14 points in the first quarter, Seattle stormed back in the second half and both teams were tied at 67 with about 1:30 left to play. On offense, the Redhawks had the ball in the hands of Jojo Murphy, who made his first start of the season in place of Maldonado. With a chance to take the lead, the senior guard drove into the lane but lost the ball for a costly turnover. On the other end, Saint Mary’s capitalized, turning to Mikey Lewis in isolation as the sophomore guard finished high off the glass for the go-ahead bucket.
Analysis: How Can Redhawks Overcome Lengthy Absence for Brayden Maldonado?
In the midst of a WCC battle against the Oregon State Beavers, the Seattle U Redhawks lost the engine for their offense when Brayden Maldonado left the game and did not return with an injury. In his absence, Seattle stepped up when its primary shot creator left the the game with 36 of its 60 points coming off the bench, securing a 60-50 win.
But assuming Maldonado will miss extended time moving forward, a much taller task awaits the shorthanded Redhawks at their doorstep on Wednesday with a rematch against the 23-4 Saint Mary’s Gaels.
Every time Maldonado brings the ball up the court, it’s clear he is at the top of the opposing scouting report. All eyes defensively are zeroed in on him, making sure they can affect the 10th leading scorer in the WCC anyway they can. Guards chase the senior guard around the perimeter all game, two defenders attack him as the ball handler on every screen, and he’s the undivided center of attention.
Multiple Redhawks Step Up Off Bench in 60-50 Win Over Beavers
Midway through the first half, the Seattle U Redhawks leading scorer, Brayden Maldonado, exited to the locker room with a lower body injury. Typically, this would spell doom for a mid-major college basketball program, especially one that has struggled as much as Chris Victor’s team has on the offensive side of the court all season long.
But despite the devastating loss for Seattle with Maldonado unable to return to play, it was all hands-on deck for John Christofilis and the Redhawks as they managed to fill that void with 37 points off the bench and come away with the 60-50 win over Oregon State on Sunday night at the Redhawk Center.
Redhawks’ Explosive Second Half Offense Outpaced by Broncos in 84-72 Defeat
Following a loss Saturday night loss to the Portland Pilots where they scored just 53 points, the Seattle U Redhawks couldn’t afford another sluggish offensive performance going up against the high-powered Santa Clara Broncos, and they heeded the call with one of their best offensive games of the season.
But despite 20 minutes of some of their best offense in the second half, the Redhawks still fell to the Broncos 84-72 Wednesday night at the Leavey Center, continuing to slump in WCC play.
Redhawks Drop 54-53 Contest in Sloppy Slugfest vs. Pilots
As the Seattle U Redhawks battled the Portland Pilots on the road on Saturday night at the Chiles Center, neither team played their best basketball with plenty of mistakes made by each team on both sides of the floor. But it was a key Redhawk mistake that ultimately cost them their eighth loss of conference play.
The Pilots, fresh off of an upset win against Gonzaga, trailed 29-17 to Seattle U after 20 minutes in a poor performance in front of the home crowd. In the locker room, Portland head coach Shantay Legans urged his team to play with more effort. Responding favorably to the halftime pep talk, the Pilots fought back and made it a one possession game late in the second half. While the Redhawks had seen their advantage dwindle to a single point, they still led 53-52 with 35 seconds, presenting an opportunity to steal victory from the jaws of defeat.
But as has been the case too often as of late, it wasn’t meant to be in the City of Roses.
Redhawks Erupt for 83 Points in Narrow Win vs. Upset-Minded Waves
An uncharacteristically shaky defensive performance nearly left the Redhawks on the wrong side of a deflating upset at home. But Chris Victor’s team heated up the nylon, winning a shootout over the Waves. Who delivered down the stretch for Seattle U?
Seattle U Men’s Basketball Can’t Keep Up With WSU, Conference Struggles Continue
After beating the Cougs by 14 a month ago, offensive problems that have plagued the Redhawks since came back to bite them in a 70-58 loss in Beasley.
Redhawks Comeback Falls Short in 56-54 Loss to Pacific
After going cold in the first 20 minutes, the Redhawks found the hot hand from behind the arc to put a scare in the Tigers on the road. But the rally proved to be too little, too late as Pacific escaped with a two-point win. What ultimately cost Seattle U in Stockton?
Unexpected Source Steps Up to Close Out Redhawks 69-59 Win Over Lions
Building an 18-point first half advantage, the Redhawks withstood a valiant rally from the LMU Lions on their home court, securing their third WCC win. How did Seattle U use a comfortable early lead to cruise on Wednesday?
Offense Rebounds as Redhawks Bounce Back With 75-64 Win vs. Toreros
Surviving a couple of runs made by the Toreros, the Redhawks curbed their second half offensive woes on Thursday night, snapping a three-game losing streak and building momentum for a looming Gonzaga rematch. Who stood out in Seattle U’s much-needed home win?
Offensive Struggles Derailing Redhawks’ Strong Start Early in WCC Play
In non-conference play, the Redhawks excelled at finishing games, turning in one of the best starts in the history of the program. But an unideal theme has emerged since WCC play started with a major problem derailing that promising start.
ALL SEATTLE SPORTS, ALL THE TIME
Explore our latest Seattle sports content by clicking on your favorite team(s) below!
