After recording the first triple-double in Stony Brook history, and the first in the America East Conference in nearly a decade, forward Tommy Brenton has only one more item on his Seawolves basketball bucket list — playing in the NCAA Tournament.
In a 79–69 victory over the Maine Black Bears, Brenton scored 15 points, pulled down 14 rebounds and dished out 11 assists. His passing prowess was highlighted on ESPN’s Top Ten Plays when his alley oop pass resulted in a thunderous slam-dunk for freshman forward Scott King.
A 6-foot-5-inch fifth-year senior, Brenton is the most versatile player in Seawolves history. Already Stony Brook’s all-time leader in assists and steals, he has grabbed more than 1,000 rebounds in his illustrious career and is on pace to score 1,000 points.
Head Coach Steve Pikiell raves about Brenton’s all-around game: “He plays five positions for us. There have been several games where he’s guarded the opponent’s center but brought the ball up the floor for us as a point guard.”
Brenton’s hard-nosed play, stifling defense and powerful leadership have led to more than gaudy statistics — they’veresulted in victories. “We didn’t have a winning record until he got here,” said Pikiell. “Now in every year Tommy’s played, we’ve never had a team that’s won less than 16 games.”
For the past two years, the Seawolves have been close enough to March Madness to taste it, making it all the way to the final game of the America East tournament. “Tommy talks about it a lot,” Pikiell said of Brenton’s NCAA Tournament dreams. “He brings it up almost every time we’re in the locker room.”
This year they’re leading the America East again and ready to break through. “It’s the only thing that matters,” Brenton said. “Getting 1,000 rebounds or 1,000 points — it doesn’t mean anything if we don’t make the NCAA Tournament.”
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