In one season as the head coach at Marist Jeff Bower put together a record of 12-19 (9-11 MAAC), increasing the program’s conference win total by three games from the season prior. And with leading scorers Chavaughn Lewis and Khalid Hart returning, the Red Foxes may be able to take another step forward in 2014-15.
However, the Marist program may have to attempt to do so without its head coach. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, new Detroit Pistons president and head coach Stan Van Gundy is expected to hire Bower as his general manager. Bower has plenty of experience at the NBA level, including a seven-year stint as general manager in New Orleans, and he and Van Gundy have known each other since they were young college assistants.
Losing Bower, especially at this point in the offseason, would be a big loss for Marist to absorb. Marist will also have to account for the graduation of guard Jay Bowie and center Adam Kemp, who combined to average 22.2 points and 12.8 rebounds per game in 2013-14.
Marist did sign a five-member recruiting class for the 2014-15 season, a group that includes three front court players to help account for the loss of Kemp. But as is the case with any coaching change, the status of those recruits (and the players in line to return) will be dictated by who the school hires and how quickly that process is completed.