Siena's Doty, Shoats take after Gerry McNamara as ironmen

Sophomore Gavin Doty and senior Justice Shoats play nearly every minute for the Saints, just like their coach did at Syracuse.

Published on Feb. 6, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Siena men's basketball coach Gerry McNamara is known for playing heavy minutes during his college career at Syracuse. He's found a pair of ironmen in his image in sophomore guard Gavin Doty and senior guard Justice Shoats, who have played nearly every minute for the Saints in their recent games. Doty and Shoats each played all 40 minutes in Siena's 79-72 victory over Iona, extending the team's winning streak to six games.

Why it matters

McNamara's coaching style of playing his top players heavy minutes has translated to Siena, where Doty and Shoats are among the national leaders in minutes played per game. This approach has helped the Saints remain in contention for the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference title, as they are tied for second place with Saint Peter's, just one game behind Merrimack.

The details

Shoats sat a total of just 15 seconds in Siena's last three games, while Doty also played the full 40 minutes against Iona. Doty had 25 points and a career-high 13 rebounds in the win, including some key late-game plays to help seal the victory. Shoats scored 18 points on 8-of-13 shooting and assisted on a crucial late basket.

  • On Thursday, February 5, 2026, Siena defeated Iona 79-72.
  • Siena and Saint Peter's are scheduled to play on Saturday, February 7, 2026 at 2 p.m. in Jersey City, New Jersey.

The players

Gerry McNamara

Siena men's basketball coach who is known for playing heavy minutes during his college career at Syracuse, where he is the all-time leader in minutes played.

Gavin Doty

Siena sophomore guard who played all 40 minutes in the win over Iona, scoring 25 points with a career-high 13 rebounds.

Justice Shoats

Siena senior guard who played all 40 minutes against Iona, scoring 18 points on 8-of-13 shooting.

Francis Folefac

Siena freshman forward who had 17 points and 12 rebounds in the win over Iona.

Bryce Eaton

Redshirt sophomore guard for Saint Peter's who had 21 points, 6 assists and 0 turnovers in 35 minutes in their win over Manhattan.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I'm one of those guys that went through my college career and did the same thing for my program. As a competitor, as a guy that wants to win, there's nothing better. You hate being off the court. You know you can make an impact every second. I wouldn't put these guys in a situation I don't think they could handle. … I've got as much confidence in these two guards as I've had in any guards I've coached in terms of laying it on the line for every second of every possession.”

— Gerry McNamara, Siena Men's Basketball Coach (timesunion.com)

“We were willing to do whatever it took tonight.”

— Gavin Doty (timesunion.com)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

McNamara's coaching style of playing his top players heavy minutes has translated to Siena, where Doty and Shoats are among the national leaders in minutes played per game. This approach has helped the Saints remain in contention for the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference title, as they are tied for second place with Saint Peter's, just one game behind Merrimack.