Stony Brook Basketball alumnus Jameel Warney returned to Long Island once again on Monday night as the Texas Legends took on the Long Island Nets at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
Warney led the Seawolves through their 2015-16 campaign to America East Championship victory and an NCAA Tournament berth. Currently, he is the only player to have his number retired in the Stony Brook Men’s Basketball program. Warney was also a part of Team USA as he participated in the 2017 FIBA AmeriCup, where he finished the tournament with MVP honors.
Warney scored an impressive 27 points and added on a game-high 14 rebounds along with two assists in his return. Despite Warney’s effort, the Legends fell to the Nets 124-112.
Warney filled his stat sheet quickly. His 15 points and 10 boards in the first half led all players.
However, Texas trailed Long Island throughout the majority of the game. Texas took the lead with 4:50 left in the third quarter, but Long Island pulled away and finished the quarter up by four. In the fourth quarter, Long Island went on a 10-0 run in the game’s final four minutes stretching out the lead and sealing the victory.
Despite the loss, Texas Legends Head Coach Robert MacKinnon Jr. praised Warney’s play.
“It’s what we expect out of him,” MacKinnon said. “I think he’s an NBA-ready player and it’s all about someone giving him an opportunity.”
Many Stony Brook fans were in attendance to witness Warney’s return, including some members of the Stony Brook men’s basketball team. Staff members from the NBA’s Utah Jazz were also in attendance.
Warney appreciated “the love on the Island” as he tweeted post game.
Appreciate the love on the Island
— Jameel Warney (@Fullcoursemeelz) December 12, 2017
“It’s a great feeling to be back and see some familiar faces – and see some Stony Brook fans,” Warney said. ”It makes the reason I went to Stony Brook a valid decision. We have a long time friendship that goes beyond basketball. It’s always a good feeling to see people come out and support me.”
Warney is now averaging 18.8 points per game and 9.9 rebounds per game following his performance. The 9.9 rebounds rank fourth-most in the G-League.
Monday night marked the third time in Texas’ last four games that Warney has finished a game with 27 or more points. The only time Warney scored below 27 in that stretch was an 18-point performance against the Maine Red Claws on Dec. 9.
“He has a tremendous impact on our team,” MacKinnon said. “From last year and carrying to this year, he is someone that is deserving of a shot at the next level. I think he is one of, if not the best inside-player in this league and it has been that way for the past three months.”
The Texas Legends finished up their three-game road trip with a 111-100 loss against the Raptors 905 in Ontario, Canada on Wednesday. The Nets and Legends will not meet again for the remainder of the 2017-18 season.
