Syracuse, N.Y. - Siena forward Francis Folefac plans to enter the transfer portal, he told the Field of 68 website.
Folefac, a 6-foot-7 freshman, averaged 11.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game for the Saints. He started 26 of Siena’s 35 games, earning that spot after big man Tasman Goodrick went down with a season-ending injury.
Folefac scored 18 points (7-of-16 overall shooting) in the NCAA Tournament against Duke, a game the Saints lost 71-65. He went 2-for-4 from the 3-point line and grabbed seven rebounds.
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Folefac shot 52.3% overall for Siena and was 6-of-16 (37.5%) from the 3-point line in limited attempts. He is a 74% free throw shooter.
He was a key piece for the Saints under coach Gerry McNamara, who is now Syracuse’s new head coach.
McNamara in his Monday press conference with reporters talked about the way he used Folefac last season, particularly near the end of the shot clock, when the Saints could give him the ball and he could “bully” opponents in the paint. (Folefac weighs 245 pounds.)
NCAA rules prohibit McNamara from commenting on recruitable athletes, which Folefac will be on April 7, when the transfer portal officially opens.
But he was asked about Folefac’s basketball ability while still Folefac’s Siena coach.
Here’s what he said:
“Just an awesome player. You talk about guys that can, in terms of versatility, can play up or down. You know, he can play the guys that are bigger than him because he’s physical enough. He could guard guys that are smaller than him because he’s got incredible arm length and lateral ability. We’ve played really good teams and he’s been very good against all the really good teams at the highest level.
“He’s such a mismatch problem because you can work through him in the pinch post (elbow area) and regardless of your size, he’s still gonna carve out enough space to create offense. And that was one thing going into year two I really thought I needed – a low post guy that can really take the pressure off the guards and initiate offense for you. And again, you’re talking about an incredible culture piece, like we had with Gavin Doty. Our best players were hard workers.”
Folefac and Gavin Doty, two of Siena’s best players, have each announced intentions to transfer from the Albany-area school.
At Siena’s NCAA Tournament selection show party, Folefac discussed his relationship with the Saints coaching staff.
“It’s been amazing being able to play for coaches that have so much experience and have played at the highest level,” he said. “I’m just trying to soak up as much knowledge as I can from them. Trying to be a sponge every day, from practice to games to workouts to lifting.”
Folefac, a native of Lanham, Maryland, was recruited to Siena by assistant coach Ben Lee, who will likely move with McNamara to Syracuse. Lanham is the hometown of Arinze Onuaku, the Siena big man coach who is expected to be on McNamara’s staff, too.
McNamara has said SU will release the names of his coaching staff once those people have been finalized with the school’s Human Resources department.
