Iona basketball is losing an All-MAAC star to the transfer portal in the aftermath of Tobin Anderson’s firing. The surprising decision marks a period of uncertainty for one of the most successful mid-majors in the past decade. As the Gaels search for a new leader, they will have to deal with the inevitable departure of several players to the portal. And the first one to officially leave is veteran guard Dejour Reaves. Joe Tipton of On3Sports confirmed the departure of the first-team All-Conference selection. The Syracuse native led the Gaels with 17.3 points per game and also averaged 5.5 rebounds and 2.1 steals. Iona’s perplexing decision will be met with more ridicule if the program does not nail its next head coach hire John Meore/The Journal News / USA TODAY NETWORK The Gaels are not used to firing coaches after just two years. Anderson was hired in 2023 with the hopes of continuing Iona basketball’s success under previous head coach Rick Pitino. The former leader of Farleigh Dickinson grabbed the nation’s heart after his team’s incredible upset of No. 1 seed Purdue two years ago. However, it’s important to note that that year was only Anderson’s first as a head coach in Division I. The 53-year-old was still new to leading a program at this level when he agreed to coach the Gaels. That being said, Tobin’s two years with Iona basketball were subpar. The Gaels had a rare losing season in Anderson’s first year in charge and were not much better the following season. However, this year’s team seemed to be finding its form as the season went on. The Gaels subsequently won five straight games down to stretch to earn a spot in the MAAC Conference championship game. Iona was the No. 4 seed going in, so this group was performing above expectations in the tournament. Nevertheless, Tobin Anderson’s team did not seize the opportunity against No. 6 seed Mount St. Mary’s in the final, and its March Madness dreams were dashed. Dejour Reaves finished his last game with the Gaels with 19 points, seven rebounds, two steals, and one block. Overall, it’s clear that Reaves would have returned if Iona basketball had decided against moving on from Anderson. The senior confirmed more than a week ago his intention to finish his college career with the Gaels. But that’s in the past, and Iona basketball will restart its climb back up the MAAC ladder. Despite the controversial decision to fire Anderson, there’s no reason why this team cannot regain the recent dominance it had over this conference. The Gaels had a stretch where they made it to The Big Dance in eight out of twelve years. It’s clear the program wants a return to those days immediately.