The College of Staten Island men’s basketball team is set to tip off its 2025-26 season at the Tournament of Heroes, taking place November 14–15 at the Sports and Recreation Center in Staten Island, NY. Over the past three seasons, as the Dolphins transitioned out of their division II provisional era, the program has consistently earned a spot in the ECC Postseason Tournament. Last year, the Dolphins advanced from the first round after defeating Roberts Wesleyan 81-75 to the semifinals before falling to top-seeded Daemen to close out their postseason run. The Dolphins led the conference last season in three-point field goals made per game, averaging 9.0. This year, the team returns eight players, including key contributors JJ Chestnut and Aaron Goldstein, while adding a senior transfer from Queens (NY) and four incoming freshmen. In the ECC Preseason Coaches’ Poll, the Dolphins were ranked third with 54 points, trailing only Daemen and St. Thomas Aquinas College. Head Coach T.J. Tibbs enters his eighth season at the helm, supported by Associate Head Coach Kurt Manesy and assistants Orin McKay Jr., Ashley Lambert, Khalil Shorter, and the newest addition to the staff, former CSI guard Justin Zieris.
Meet the Dolphins' Head Coach
T.J. Tibbs
T.J. Tibbs enters his eighth season at the helm of the program for the 2025-26 campaign. Since the Dolphins exited their provisional era to Division II, Tibbs has guided the CSI men’s basketball team to three consecutive appearances in the ECC Postseason Tournament. Under his leadership, the team has shown steady improvement each year, highlighted by a program-best 13-3 ECC record in 2023-24 and its first-ever trip to the tournament semifinals as ECC members the following year in 2024-25.
"We make sure that we are 'Together' with everything that we do. That is something that has been with the program since Coach Petosa's tenure. The style of basketball we play and the type of program we are, will not produce results on or off the court if we aren't doing everything with everyone else in mind. This group is embodying the tenets of being together while still understanding that we are far away from what we are working towards daily" - Head Coach T.J. Tibbs
2025-26 Key Returners
Goldstein returns for his third season with the Dolphins in 2025-26, ready to build on a standout sophomore campaign. As a key returner, he ranked second on the team with 12.0 points per game, while adding 3.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and a team-best 45 steals; averaging 1.4 per contest in 2024-25. A breakout moment last year came on January 6, when he earned ECC Player of the Week honors after averaging 21.0 points across two games. A reliable scorer and clutch performer, Goldstein shot 38% from the field and led the team from the free-throw line, converting an impressive 85% of his attempts. During his freshman season, Goldstein was a 4x ECC Rookie of the Week and the 2024 MBB Rookie of the Year at the CSI Finnies Awards.
Kone joined the Dolphins ahead of the 2024-25 season as a junior transfer and made an immediate impact in his first season with the squad. Appearing in all 30 games with 17 starts, he averaged 7.5 points and 6.4 rebounds per contest while leading the team with a 55% shooting mark (91-165) from the field. A dominant presence in the paint, Kone recorded four double-doubles on the year, highlighted by a standout 22-point, 14-rebound performance against Mercy on January 8 and he capped off the season with another double-double, 10 points and a season-high 14 boards, in the Dolphins’ 81-75 postseason victory over the Redhawks.
JJ enters his senior campaign with the Dolphins in 2025-26, marking his fourth year with the program. A steady presence on the court, JJ begins the season with 832 career points, averaging 9.7 per game, along with 367 rebounds and 324 assists. During the 2024-25 season, he started all 30 games, averaging 10.0 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per contest while adding 21 steals on the year. One of his standout performances came against Bentley University on November 23, when he poured in 24 points on 10-of-17 shooting (.588) and added five assists.