Siena: No update on Nico Clareth

PHOTOGRAPHER: Peter R. Barber

Siena's Nico Clareth left the team before Friday's loss to Niagara.

ALBANY — After Sunday’s 65-62 MAAC win against Canisius, the Siena College men’s basketball program didn’t have a substantial update on junior co-captain Nico Clareth’s status.

It also didn’t really seem like there’s an expectation Clareth, who left the team before Friday’s loss against Niagara “to attend to a family issue” in Baltimore, will be back anytime soon with the Saints.

“We’re day-to-day on that kind of stuff, but I’m worrying about the group we have right here. [It’s] a really good group and we’re committed to winning with this group,” said Siena head coach Jimmy Patsos, whose assistant coach Greg Manning had visited with Clareth and the player’s family Saturday in Baltimore. “They give us a good chance to win and we move onward.”

Siena athletic director John D’Argenio said he didn’t have any information beyond what the school had released Friday about Clareth being out on a “day-to-day” basis.

“Not really. I haven’t talked to him since he left,” D’Argenio said. “So it’s really just day by day. Probably have a conversation with him, I would guess, this week.”

A year ago, Clareth took what was termed as an “indefinite leave of absence” from the Saints. Asked how the current situation differs from the one a year ago, D’Argenio seemed to admit that Clareth’s leave of absence last year was not a voluntary one.

“I think because it was really more him,” D’Argenio said of the reason the school had not issued a similar statement regarding this year’s situation with Clareth. “My understanding is that he needed to go home and take care of some family stuff.”

After Friday’s and Sunday’s games, Clareth’s teammates said they have not heard from him since he left the team prior to Friday’s loss.

“We have not. No,” Siena sophomore Thomas Huerter said Sunday. “We just know it’s something with his family and he’s down there sorting it out.”

Siena next plays Thursday at Iona, where Clareth returned to the Saints after his leave of absence. In a text message Saturday, Patsos had said it was possible Clareth could return early this week to the team.

“We miss Nico,” Siena freshman Jordan Horn said. “We miss his heart, his passion, but I wish the best for him right now.”

Reach Gazette Sportswriter Michael Kelly at [email protected] or @ByMichaelKelly on Twitter. For more college basketball coverage, head to dailygazette.com/blogs/the-outlet.