The Spartans finished the 2024-25 season with an overall record of 23-6, advancing to the North Atlantic District Championship game, where they fell to top-seeded Union County College. Northampton was ranked 12th in the final NJCAA national poll, going 5-3 vs. nationally-ranked teams. Coach McCarthy achieved his 200th career win on February 7th, as the Spartans downed nationally-ranked Montgomery County Community College, 69-54. Nasir Ruhani earned First Team All-Region honors, leading the Spartans in scoring at 21.1ppg, and was named a NJCAA Honorable Mention All-American.
Coming off a national championship tournament appearance in 2022-23, the Spartans, under veteran mentor Brennan McCarthy, finished 20-10 overall and 12-2 in conference play during the 2023-24 campaign. The team was ranked as high as #4 in the country during the season and earned the #6 seed for the Region 19 playoffs. Freshman Elijah Hamilton earned 2nd Team All Region honors and was tabbed as the EPAC Player of the Year.Â
The 2022-23 season was historic for Northampton men's basketball program, as McCarthy guided his team to an EPAC Championship, a Region 19 runner-up finish, an at-large bid to the NJCAA National Tournament and a national 4th place finish. The NJCAA National Tournament appearance was the first in program history for Northampton. The Spartans set a program record for single season wins, finishing 30-5, breaking the previous record of 29, set during the 1979-80 season. The Spartans were nationally-ranked all season, peaking at #4 heading into the national tournament, where they earned the #5 seed. The EPAC title was McCarthy's 4th and the 5th in program history. McCarthy was honored by his peers as EPAC Coach of the Year, the second time in his career he has earned the award. McCarthy also became the winningest coach in Northampton basketball history, when he won his 139th career game on December 3, 2022 vs. Philadelphia.Â
2021-22 saw the return of basketball to the Northampton campus after a one-year hiatus due to COVID-19. McCarthy guided the Spartans to a 19-5 overall record, a Region 19 Final Four appearance, a runner-up finish in the EPAC and the Spartans were nationally-ranked all season. Michael Marable and Amyr Fox earned All-Region and All-Conference Honors.Â
The 2019-20 season saw the Spartans amass an overall record of 25-4, capture their 4th EPAC Championship, earn the #1 seed for the Region XIX Tournament and advance to the Region XIX Final Four. The Spartans were nationally-ranked all season, reaching as high as #6 in the polls and finishing ranked 12th in the country. Tony James earned EPAC Player of the Year honors and First Team All Region accolades. Coach McCarthy picked up his 100th career victory on December 14th, 2019 with a 95-70 victory over Ocean County College. James also became just the second Spartan men's basketball player to garner All-American honors, being tabbed as an Honorable Mention selection.Â
The 2018-19 campaign was the 5th for Head Coach Brennan McCarthy on the sidelines at Northampton. McCarthy guided the Spartans to a 21-9 overall record, including a 12-2 mark in the EPAC, and had the Spartans in the national rankings for six weeks.Â
Northampton captured the EPAC regular season title and won the inaugural EPAC post-season championship tournament. Sophomore Jay Davis became Northampton's all-time leading scorer, passing Josh Vargas. Davis was named EPAC Player of the Year and also earned the prestigious Region XIX Player of the Year Award, a first for a Spartan men's basketball player. Elijah Barrett and Tony James joined Davis on the All-EPAC team. Davis also became Northampton's first-ever men's basketball player to earn All-American honors, as he was named to the second team.Â
In 2017-18, the Spartans finished with an overall record of 23-7, setting the school record for wins in a season since joining the NJCAA, earned multiple appearances in the NJCAA national rankings and advanced to their second consecutive Region XIX Final Four. For his efforts, McCarthy was recognized by his peers as EPAC Coach of the Year.Â
Northampton earned the #4 seed in the Region XIX playoffs, defeated Philadelphia in the quarterfinals, before dropping a heart-breaking 81-79 decision to eventual champion #1 Brookdale in the Region semi-finals. Isiah Hinton-Gray was named First Team All-Region, while Jay Davis was a Third Team selection. Hinton-Gray also broke the all-time rebounding record as the Spartans led the nation in defensive field goal percentage and ranked in the top-ten in rebounding margin.  The Spartans finished second in the EPAC with a record of 14-2, improving their mark in the conference over the last two seasons to 29-5.Â
2016-17 was a break-through season McCarthy, as he guided the Spartans to a 19-9 overall record, an EPAC Conference Championship and a berth in the Region XIX Final Four.  The Spartans finished 15-3 in conference play and went 12-2 down the stretch to earn the #3 seed for the Region XIX playoff where they defeated Ocean County College in the quarterfinals, before falling to the eventual champion Jersey Blues of Brookdale in the Region XIX semi-finals.  Sophomore Jerrel Burke earned EPAC Player of the Year honors and was also named First Team All Region, becoming Northampton's first men's basketball First Team All Region selection since the 2010-11 campaign. McCarthy was honored by the East Coast Basketball Writers Association (ECBWA) as their 2016-17 Coach of the Year.Â
2015-16 witnessed Coach McCarthy guide Northampton back to the Region XIX playoffs with a 13-13 overall record, including a tournament championship at the Onondaga Lazer Classic in November and a victory over nationally-ranked Bunker Hill Community College (MA). The Spartans finished 10-8 in conference play, led by Second Team All EPAC guard, Juan Perez-Jones. Â
Hired in the summer of 2014, Coach McCarthy finished his first season at Northampton with an 11-15 record, just missing the postseason. Â McCarthy mentored three All-Conference selections, as Mike Samuel, Derek Kulp and Justin Escobar each earned All-EPAC Honorable Mention accolades. Â
McCarthy arrived at Northampton after serving as the head assistant coach at NCAA Division III Keuka College.  A former collegiate basketball player at SUNY Cobleskill and SUNY Brockport, McCarthy went on to earn his Masters Degree from Frostburg State (Maryland). During his time at Frostburg, McCarthy served as a graduate assistant with the men's basketball program. McCarthy is active on the summer camp scene, running his own Little Spartans Camp, in addition to speaking at numerous other camps around the east coast.
 McCarthy at Northampton
Overall Record: 204-83Â (71%)Â Â Â Â Â Â
Conference Record: 116-34 (77%)
AWARDS / HONORS:
2024-25 - HoopDirt Coach of the Week (February 11, 2025)
2022-23 - EPAC Coach of the YearÂ
2021-22 - HoopDirt Coach of the Week (February 6th, 2022)
2019-20 - HoopDirt Coach of the Week (December 15, 2019)
2017-18 - EPACÂ Coach of the YearÂ
2016-17 - ECBWAÂ Coach of the YearÂ
updated April 9, 2025
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