Seton Hall coach Shaheen Holloway admitted the obvious last October: Cadre Richmond had to perform at a high level to reach the Pirates’ expectations.
Four months later, as Seton Hall continues to rise, Brooklyn’s point guard is leading the way. The 6-foot-6 junior was at his best Wednesday night, scoring 15 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists in an 84-72 victory over St. John’s, the Pirates’ seventh win in nine games.
“Every single day, we just talk and I say it every day, you have to understand the stigma that you had before this year,” Holloway said. “It’s there, people hear it, people read it, and you have to change it. And the way you change is how you play every single day, and it starts in practice. And his To the credit, he’s making it happen. I think he’s taken. [positive] Step He is still not where he should be or where he wants to be. These are the steps.”
A lack of consistency was always a knock on Richmond in his first two collegiate seasons. He will play a great game and the next one will be a no show. His motor came under criticism. Lately at least, he’s been putting it all together. He has enjoyed a strong season, averaging career highs of 10 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.8 steals, along with 4.0 assists and 40.7 percent shooting from 3-point range. Holloway, a former point guard who was a star last March coaching 15th-seeded St. Peter’s in the Elite Eight before taking the Seton Hall job, has been a big plus for Richmond.
“He’s just not allowing me to be mediocre, always wanting more from me and my team,” said Richmond, who tied for a game-high plus-17 rating in 39 strong minutes. “He pushes me every day and reminds me of my goals and the player I want to be.”
Richmond has been particularly good against St John’s. In the first meeting in Newark, he torched the Red Storm for 19 points, nine rebounds and six assists. Beating his hometown school, though, isn’t important to him. His sole focus is on piling up wins.
If he continues to play like this, Seton Hall could have a chance to reach the NCAA Tournament in what was expected to be a down year. As Holloway said before the season, the Pirates need their point guard to excel, and it’s been hard to find fault with his play lately.
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