STANDISH, Maine – The New England Basketball Journal unveiled its 2025–26 Players to Watch list last week, and Saint Joseph's College is represented by two returning standouts: junior guard Remijo Wani (Portland, Maine) and sophomore guard Silvano Ismail (Portland, Maine/Cheverus). The duo is among just 15 players from across the region to earn a spot on the preseason list.
Wani lands on the radar after a dominant sophomore campaign in which he posted 18.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game. He shot an efficient 50.6% (201-397) from the floor, 35.8% (67-187) from three-point distance, and an exceptional 89.7% (61-68) at the stripe. His production translated into one of the most decorated seasons in program history, highlighted by NABC Second Team All-America recognition. He also collected NABC All-District First Team, D3hoops.com All-Region First Team, GNAC Player of the Year, MMBCWA Player of the Year, and First Team All-Conference and All-State honors.
Statistically, Wani was one of the GNAC's premier performers. He led the conference in points per 40 minutes (25.9), finished second in total points (530) and field goals made (201), and ranked among the top 10 in several additional categories, including three-pointers made (5th, 67), points per game (6th, 18.3), steals (6th, 49), field goal percentage (9th, 50.6%), and assists (9th, 87).
Ismail, meanwhile, turned in one of the best rookie seasons in school history. The sophomore guard piled up major awards in his debut campaign, earning GNAC Rookie of the Year, MMBCWA Rookie of the Year, Second Team All-Conference, and an impressive 17 combined weekly honors from the GNAC and MMBCWA. He ranked among the GNAC's top players in several categories, including assists (3rd, 119), field goal percentage (3rd, 56.4%), three-point percentage (4th, 42.6%), steals (6th, 50), and points (8th, 445). He also placed in the conference's top 10 for free throws made (100), field goals made (158), and offensive rebounds (55).
Ismail's first-year totals rank first all-time among SJC freshmen in assists (119) and assists per game (4.4), third in free throws made (100) and free throw percentage (.781), fourth in total points (445) and three-point percentage (.426), and fifth in field goal percentage (.564), rebounds (182), rebounds per game (6.7), steals (50), points per game (16.5), and steals per game (1.9).
He further cemented his historic season by becoming just the fifth player in team history—and the first since 2019—to notch a triple-double, producing 15 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists in a February 26th, 2025, win over Mitchell College.
From the New England Basketball Journal:
"Ismail took the region by storm last year as a freshman, averaging 16.5 points and 4.4 assists. A magnetic presence on the ball, Ismail showed a preternatural ability of when to drive the lane, and defenses couldn't overcommit because of his court vision and ability to move the ball. Wani earned preseason All-American status from D3hoops.com after leading the 24-5 Monks last year with 18.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, three assists and 1.7 steals per game. If these two can take a step up, along with a squad full of veterans and returners from last year's run to the conference title, the Monks have an incredibly high ceiling."
NEW ENGLAND BASKETBALL JOURNAL DIII PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Henry Vetter, senior guard, Trinity
Jarrell Okourogo, senior guard, Trinity
Kenneth Rogers Jr., sophomore forward, Westfield State
Justin Molen, junior forward, WPI
JR Newman, senior guard, WPI
Tim Reidy, graduate guard, WPI
Thomas Whelan, senior guard, USM
Scott Gyimesi, senior forward, Tufts
James Morakis, senior guard, Tufts
Boluwasefe John, sophomore forward, Clark
Timmy Mulvey, sophomore guard, Babson
Silvano Ismail, sophomore guard, Saint Joseph's
Remijo Wani, junior forward, Saint Joseph's
Javen Flowers-Smith, senior guard, Nichols
Marcus Montanigno, graduate forward, Endicott
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