Thanks everyone for the finds…starting a new list since the other thread was getting long and hard to navigate…
Updated sheet 7.0
Roster
Per Towers AJC FWIW on Friday he said White expects Baumann, Bridges, Ingram to return…
PG Hill 6-0 185 JR Longwood 14.2 4.8 4.1
SF Ingram 6-7 225 SR UGA 10.7 6.0 2.1
OC Bridges 6-11 240 SR UGA 12.8 5.4 1.9
Who could still return:
Abdur-Rahim 6-7 SO
Portal
PG Wright
CG McDowell
CG Oquendo
SF Baumann
SF Etter *
PF Ridgnal - Missouri State
PF Taylor
PF Ned
OC McMillen
OC Baker
* Walkon
COMMITMENT !!!
PG Justin Hill 6-0 185 SO Longwood 14.2 41.9 34.3 79.7 4.8 4.1
“Hill was Longwood's leading scorer throughout the year, as the explosive guard averaged 14.2 points per game. A constant triple-double threat on any given night, the dynamic sophomore scored in double figures 21 times, and he had 20 or more six times.
In addition, Hill was Longwood's leading passer, totaling 129 assists and ranking second in the Big South with 4.3 assists per game. He led Longwood in assists 21 times in the 30 games he played.”
Longwood
Justin Hill - Men's Basketball - Longwood University Athletics
“2021-22: Coming off a breakout freshman season that was one of Longwood's best debuts in the program's Division I era...an athletic and physical scoring guard with an explosive first step who fearlessly attacks the rim...has tremendous leaping ability...improved his outside shooting ability immensely during his first year in the Lancer program…a second-generation Division I talent whose parents were both record-setting guards…mother, Donna Holt Hill, was an All-American and ACC Player of the Year at Virginia, while father, Keith, was an All-Big West first-team honoree at New Mexico State and the program’s assist record-holder.
2020-21: Named to the Big South All-Freshman Team…had one of the best freshman campaigns in Longwood men’s basketball history, ranking among the program’s top two of the Division I era in both points and assists per game…his 11.0 points per game trailed only Michael Kessens’ freshman benchmark of 13.7 in 2012-13, while his 4.2 assists trailed only Lucas Woodhouse’s 5.5 that same year…named Big South Freshman of the Week three times…finished No. 2 among Big South freshmen in scoring and assists and No. 3 in rebounding…ranked fifth in the conference in assist-to-turnover ratio…had a pair of 20-point games, including 25 in a win over reigning Big South champion Gardner-Webb (Feb. 12)…appeared in 27 games with 10 starts…averaged 11.0 points, 4.2 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 26.7 minutes per game…posted a 1.30 assist-to-turnover ratio with 83 times and just 64 giveaways…shot .430 (108-of-251) from the field and .329 (24-lf-73) from three-point range…also shot .725 (58-of-80) from the free throw line and finished second on the team in both made free throws and free throw attempts…swiped 23 steals, second most on the team…scored in double figures 13 times…finished one point shy of a double-double against North Carolina A&T, dishing a career-high 11 assists and scoring nine points (Dec. 8)…posted his first 20-point game in a win over High Point (Jan. 20)…
High School: Played at Texas prep basketball powerhouse Fort Bend Travis under head coach Craig Brownson…pegged as the No. 21 recruit in Texas by Texas Basketball Review and a top-10 prospect in the Houston area by Recruiting services RCS Sports and OTR Exposure…one of five finalists for the prestigious Guy Lewis Award, as selected by the Houston Chronicle…as a senior, averaged 24.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 3.0 steals per game to power Fort Bend Travis to a 31-7 record and the Texas District 20-6A Championship…received Texas 6A All-State honors as a senior, as well as District 20-6A MVP recognitions…named to the Houston Chronicle All-Greater Houston first team…a three-time all-district selection…along with his time playing with the powerhouse Travis program, also competed with the acclaimed Houston Defenders AAU program.
Personal: Born Justin Alexander Hill on Oct. 19, 2001…son of Keith and Donna Hill…has two siblings, Cameron and Ryan…mother, Donna Holt Hill, was an All-American at Virginia, a member of the ACC 50th Anniversary Team and the 1988 ACC Player of the Year…father, Keith, was an All-Big West first-team selection at New Mexico State and led the program to the 1990 Big West Championship and an NCAA Tournament berth.”
UGA Contacts in The Athletic’s updated top 36 (4-06)
2. Malik Reneau | 6-8 forward | HS senior | Montverde (Fla.) Academy
7. Tristen Newton | 6-5 guard | sophomore | East Carolina
8. Johni Broome | 6-10 center | junior | Morehead State
10. Norchad Omier | 6-7 big | junior | Arkansas State
19. Terry Roberts | 6-3 guard | junior | Bradley
A UGA player makes their list:
22. Kario Oquendo | 6-4 wing | junior | Georgia
“Oquendo is arguably the best athlete in college basketball. This is not an exaggeration. In fact, the only exaggeration may be that I put the “arguably” qualifier in there. Oquendo is as explosive a player as you’ll see, jumping toward the basket like he’s on a trampoline, physically powering through guys with very little issue due to his 210-pound frame. He’s one of those guys that just seems to keep rising in the air. His twitch as a ballhandler is real, as he has the speed to blow by with a first step. You have to be aware of where he is on defense because of how threatening he is in passing lanes. He put all of that together to average 15 points per game in his first season in the SEC this past year while shooting 45 percent from the field. At some point, to realize his full potential, he needs to shoot it. He made only 27 percent from 3, and he’s already 22 years old so we might be getting a “he is what he is” situation here. But if he has any ceiling there as a shooter, there is some real pro potential for Oquendo. Regardless, my only hope is that he ends up somewhere fun, where he gets to play in transition and attack.”
The Athletic
UK is interested in Oquendo
His list per his Twitter handle:
🐱 x🐶 x🐊x 🐘x 🦆 =🤷🏾♂️
Contacts
PG Rudi Williams 6-2 190 SR Coastal Carolina
14.7 4.2 3.2 50.9 44.7 73.5 4.2 3.2
PG Rahsool Diggins 6-2 175 FR Connecticut 0.8 0.0 0.3
“Diggins, a 6-foot-2 guard from Philadelphia, originally committed to the Huskies in July 2020. According to 247sports.com, he was ranked No. 59 overall in the Class of 2021. In his senior year of high school, Diggins won the MaxPreps Pennsylvania High School Player of the Year.
He is a combo guard with the ability to distribute the ball and break down the defense through scoring or playmaking.”
Hartford Courant
***PG/CG Terry Roberts 6-3 180 JR Bradley 14.5 45.4 34.5 70.0 4.9 4.1 (UGA in final 10, will visit UGA next week per 247 Sports
“6-foot-3, 180-pound guard. Averaged 14.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.1 assists for the Braves as a freshman. Would have three years left to play.”
Rivals
“He’s electric with the ball, capable of creating something out of nothing on offense in a flash. His handle is terrific, and he’s an explosive athlete who can get where he needs to go out of isolations. He averaged nearly 15 points, five rebounds and four assists this year, and hit 34 percent from 3 on a steady diet of tough pull-up shots. He makes some really impressive live-dribble passing reads, but the critical part of his game that he’s going to have to clean up will be turning it over. His assist-to-turnover ratio was very close to the 1-to-1 mark, and he makes some choices both in terms of shot selection and distribution that will worry high-major coaches. But above all, this is a high-major athlete at the guard spot with enough size to not be a liability on defense and enough handle to genuinely break down opposing teams.”
The Athletic
“The talks have been the same as Florida, Kansas State, and Wichita State. With Georgia they're saying they want to build the program back up, get it rolling, and get Athens rocking again. Also my teammate from JUCO is over there as well so it would be cool if I got to play with him again.”
247 Sports
Visiting Florida weekend of 4-8, on his Twitter page he said not committed 4-10.
***CG Mardrez McBride 6-2 SR North Texas 11.3 3.0 1.1 41.9 38.9 59.2 (UGA has talked to, from Augusta, GA)
“They got a new staff. They got the coaches from Florida and they're going to be in the rebuilding process but not really. They want to come in and win right away so they need impactful guys to come in and turn this thing around at UGA. I would like it a lot plus I would be close to home. I'm from Georgia so it's something to think about.”
“The senior guard was UNT’s third-leading scorer this season when he averaged 11.3 points per game. The Georgia native led the Mean Green in minutes played at 34.3 per game.
McBride spent two seasons at UNT after excelling at USC Salkehatchie. He started all 59 games he played for the Mean Green.
The Georgia native was at his best at the end of the season. He scored 24 points in UNT’s win over Texas State in the Mean Green’s NIT opener before coming back to score 21 in their loss to Virginia.”
Denton Record-Chronicle
CG Cam Wynter 6-2 185 SR Drexel 15.8 5.3 4.6
“6-foot-2, 175-pound guard. Averaged 15.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.6 assists for the Dragons. Has one year left to play.”
Rivals
“Wynter was named to the All-Colonial Athletic Association First Team for the second straight season. The senior from Hempstead, N.Y. ended the season third in the league in scoring (15.8), second in assists (4.6) and third in free-throw percentage (.861). Wynter is no stranger to the All-CAA team. He was named a Second Team selection in 2020 and was the CAA Rookie of the Year in 2019. Wynter is now sixth on the Drexel career scoring list with 1,657 points. He is also third in career assists with 577 and eighth in career steals with 140. He ended his Drexel career with a 28-point performance in the CAA quarterfinals against Delaware.”
Drexel
CG Dylan Penn 6-3 190 SR Bellarmine 16.6 49.6 24.2 72.2 4.2 5.0
“6-foot-3, 190-pound guard. Averaged 16.6 points, 5 rebounds and 4.2 assists as the new D1 program won the ASUN Tournament. Would have one year to play.”
Rivals
CG Tristen Newton 6-5 190 SO East Carolina 17.7 43.5 33.3 87.9 4.8 5.0
“6-foot-5, 200-pound guard. Averaged 17.7 points, 5 assists and 4.8 rebounds for the Pirates this season. Will have two years left to play.”
Rivals
“He averaged 17.7 points, five rebounds and five assists last year, possessing the ability to play both on and off the ball as a lead or secondary offensive creator. He’s still really skinny, but he reads the floor and will be significantly helped by playing with better players around him than he had at East Carolina. He sees skip passes and high-level pick-and-roll reads. He makes live dribble passes from creative angles and plays unselfishly. He’s conscientious on defense and knows where he needs to be rotationally and helps generally despite his skinny frame. But more than that, he’s twitchy but plays with great pace off the bounce. He can attack the basket and finish. As a shooter, he’s got a good set shot and looks more comfortable off the catch, although there is some real ability to hit pull-ups if he has time behind ball screens. He has more touch than his 33.3 percent mark from 3 would indicate, but he does need to clean up that shot off the bounce.”
The Athletic
CG Ray Harrison 6-4 180 SO Presbyterian 17.1 3.9 3.0 36.5 24.3 85.1
1-22-22
“CLINTON, S.C. -- — Justin Hill had 23 points as Longwood edged past Presbyterian 71-70 on Saturday. Rayshon Harrison had 29 points for the Blue Hose..,
ESPN
CG Sir Jabari Rice 6-4 180 SR New Mexico State 11.9 5.1 3.1 39.1 33.5 77.9
“Rice has scored in double figures for the Aggies in each of the last three seasons under Chris Jans, who is now the head coach at Mississippi State, which is a possible landing spot for Rice. This past season, he averaged 11.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game, leading NMSU to their first NCAA Tournament win since 1993.”
KTSM News
CG/SF Luis Rodriguez 6-6 JR Mississippi 6.6 5.5 1.8 35.3 30.4 64.8
Rodriguez was solid against Mike White’s Gators last season 8 pts 11 R and 10 pts 7 R.
SF Jusaun Holt 6-6 190 FR Alabama 0.7 1.6 0.2
SF Juwan Gary 6-6 218 SO Alabama 6.5 3.4 0.3 51.4 22.0 61.1
SF Devin Ree 6-7 185 Oak Hill Academy by way of Terry, Miss.
'22 3-Star Devin Ree says Louisville and Auburn are standing out
247 Sports'
SF Bryce Hopkins 6-6 FR Kentucky 2.1 1.4 0.3 42.9 31.3 53.8
"Hopkins contributed little in his freshman season, but he was one of those players who fell into empty space with the Wildcats. He was a top-40 recruit who would need some time to develop, and that is often a reason to disappear from Kentucky after one season, maybe two.
UK coach John Calipari kept talking over the last month of the season about wanting to give Hopkins more chances for playing time, but the freshman never saw the floor down the stretch. After what could best be described as a breakout game with 13 points in the win over LSU at Rupp Arena, the 6-foot-6 combo forward played seven minutes the rest of the season.
That wasn’t a good indication for Hopkins that he could be a contributor, and he took the road out of Lexington.
Now, Hopkins might have just been another Keion Brooks Jr. — a player with seemingly bigger potential than what he’s displayed on the floor for the Wildcats — but he might have developed into something more consistent than Brooks, who still was a starter for 33 games this season as a junior. Brooks is testing the NBA Draft process, but leaving the door open for his return to UK."
Mesenger-Inquirer
Eric Williams 6-7 200 SR Oregon 8.4 4.6 1.2 37.6 35.1 67.9
"Fifth-year forward Eric Williams Jr. has made the decision to go pro, foregoing his sixth year of eligibility, he told The Oregonian. Williams played two seasons for the Ducks after redshirting in 2019-20. In his two years at Oregon, Williams averaged 9 points and 5.2 rebounds over 57 games.
Williams saw more of a sixth man role in his final collegiate season. Off the bench, he was a defensive anchor while being a go-to spark plug for energy.
Before Oregon, he spent two seasons at Duquesne and averaged 11.7 points and 6.8 rebounds."
Daily Emerald
4-13-2022
He's also testing the NBA Draft waters. Arkansas, Texas Tech, Georgia, DePaul, and Memphis appear to be the top 5 for now.
SF Keylan Boone 6-8 200 JR Oklahoma State 6.0 3.3 0.5 36.9 31.6 83.3
“Keylan Boone played basketball with Lindy Waters III (during the 2019-20 season at Oklahoma State) and against Brady Manek (both in high school, when Boone starred at Memorial while Manek starred at Harrah; and in Bedlam games as Manek was an OU Sooner).
Today, Waters and Manek are role models for the 21-year-old Boone, who after three seasons at OSU submitted his name to the transfer portal.
Undrafted out of OSU, Waters played for the Enid Outlaws of The Basketball League and for the Oklahoma City Blue of the NBA G League before he was signed by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
As a Cowboy senior, Waters averaged 10.5 points per game. Against the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night, he scored 25 points for the Thunder.
With the Sooners in 2020-21, Manek averaged 10.8 points on 42% shooting. He transferred to North Carolina. This weekend, as he averages 15.2 points on 50% shooting, Manek performs on center stage at the Final Four.
Driven by belief and a commitment to gym time, Waters secured an NBA contract. Manek joined a Tar Heel roster loaded with blue-chip athletes and now is among the more talked-about players in the NCAA Tournament.
Waters and Manek bet on themselves, and Boone says he’s doing the same now. He believes he can be an effective every-game starter, and he wants that opportunity, and that’s why he’s in the portal.
Having been a role player for three seasons at Oklahoma State, Boone aspires to become an important member of a college team and better position himself for the first chapter in a bid for a professional basketball career.
While his college stats have been modest (a 6.0-point scoring average for the 2021-22 Cowboys), he’ll get a chance to play professionally because he’s 6-foot-8 and has the ability to impact games from 3-point range.
“This is huge for me. So huge,” Boone told the Tulsa World. “This next season and the two years after that — it determines everything. Sometimes, you have to relocate to find your rhythm.
“My next school, I’m looking to be one of the leaders. A scoring-minded wing. A 3-and-D guy (3-pointers and defense) who puts in the work. With this move, I’m asking for a lot, but I have to work for it. I’ll be a gym rat.”
At Memorial, twin brothers Keylan and Kalib Boone were twin-tower playmakers for three state championship teams. They’ve been roommates since arriving in Stillwater. While Kalib decided to stay with the Cowboys, Keylan has launched the process of finding his next destination.
Might the University of Tulsa or Oral Roberts be Keylan’s landing spot? Each school is on his radar. He says new Golden Hurricane coach Eric Konkol made a positive first impression.
“(Konkol) is a good guy. He sounds like a winner,” Keylan Boone said. “I talked with him. He’s a good man. ORU, they texted me and I talked to their head coach (Paul Mills) on the phone. They’ve had a pretty good run here lately.
“I don’t have a list (of possible destinations). I don’t have a top five. I’m still trying to figure all of this out.”
Now at 205 pounds after having been a 170-pound Memorial senior in 2019, Boone says he plans to make a transfer decision no later than May 10.
While with the Cowboys, Keylan Boone played in 80 games but made only 10 starts. When a 3-point shooter is in the 38-42% range on conversions — and especially when he’s a match-up problem at 6-8 — he’s going to help any team. During the 2021-22 Cowboy season, Keylan averaged only 18 minutes per game and was good on only 31% from that distance.
His best performance this season: During a 13-point home win over Texas, he scored 17 points. He was 5-of-7 on 3s. Keylan Boone played 27 minutes that day. In 17 other games, however, he was on the floor for less than 20 minutes. In five games, he played no more than 13 minutes.
Keylan is like any other shooter — more effective when there’s consistency with his minutes and opportunities. I’m thinking if he plays at least 28 minutes a game instead of 18, his offensive game should flow in a 15-points-per-game manner that just didn’t happen when his role was so inconsistent at Oklahoma State.
“My biggest advice is for Keylan to take care of everything academically, address all of the little things that go into being a student-athlete, and then have a smooth transition,” Memorial coach Bobby Allison said. “Put a bow on these three years in Stillwater.
“Keylan isn’t sad about his time at OSU and has no regrets. This is the first time Keylan makes a decision just for Keylan.”
This transfer process actually involves three decisions: Keylan’s split from the Cowboys, moving away from his brother and finding the right fit with his next squad. While he acknowledges that TU and ORU are options, he says he’s open to attending school on the East Coast, on the West Coast or somewhere in the middle.
“I’m comfortable with playing anywhere,” Keylan said. “I’m not afraid of change. Change is normal. Sometimes, it needs to happen.”
Tulsa World
SF Bobi Klintman 6-8 190 Bel Aire (Kans.) Sunrise Christian
PF Kalu Ezikpe 6-8 240 SR Old Dominion 11.3 7.1 1.6 52.2 10.0 73.5 (From Lawrenceville, GA, UGA in final 6, per 247 sports plans to visit UGA)
***PF Malik Reneau 6-8 210 Montverde (Fla.) Academy (I assume there will be contact)
“Reneau may not be an elite scorer, but can contribute in multiple ways to help a team, and has demonstrated that with a talented cast at Montverde.”
Fort Myers News-Press
“We see him as one of the more complete products entering college hoops as a freshman this year. He’s not the best athlete in the world, but his footwork is terrific, and allows him to really play well out of the mid-post as a lefty driver to finish. He has good touch and a lot of little crafty moves in his bag, especially when getting back to his little lefty mini-hook. He sees the court and passes well. He’s unselfish. He’s not some crazy athlete, but he’s conscientious defensively and knows where he needs to be.”
The Athletic
ON GEORGIA
“We’ve definitely kept in touch since they left Florida. Coach [Mike] White reached out and explained the situation right away. Then, Coach [Erik] Pastrana has been on me since day one, so we’ll see with them. We have that relationship.”
Cassidy Rivals.com
PF Norchad Ormier 6-7 232 SO Arkansas State
17.9 12.2 1.2 63.2 33.3 72.9
“The reigning Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, Omier will enter the transfer portal after a season in which he averaged 17.9 points and 12.2 rebounds per game.
A native of Nicaragua, Omier was only the third player in conference history to earn both individual awards in the same season and just the third Arkansas State player to ever be named Sun Belt Player of the Year.”
Arkansas Democrat
“The story here is remarkable. A Nicaraguan forward who didn’t really pick up basketball until he was 13, Omier has developed into one of the most productive big men in the country. He’s a multi-time first-team All-Sun Belt member, and won the league’s Player of the Year award this season in 2022. An undersized big, the name of the game here is balance and fundamentals. Omier has tremendous body control around the basket, and knows how to use his big, 235-pound frame to shield the ball from defenders and score around the basket. His touch around the rim is exceptional, and his footwork is precise. He averaged 18 points and 12 rebounds per game while shooting 63 percent from the field, dominating the interior by carving out space with terrific lower body strength. His defensive ability is also real, as he won the Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year award through sheer activity. His motor doesn’t stop running, and he’s constantly trying to hunt ways to move his man around into an advantageous position for himself on both ends. It’s hard to explain without watching him, but Omier just really knows how to use his lack of size to his advantage to leverage opponents away from the rim, play through contact, and dominate the interior. I do have some real worries about him moving levels, and how that will translate. He’s a non-shooter at this point who doesn’t have great mechanics in that regard. And as an undersized big, it’s possible that the athletic giants at the high-major level could work to undermine his effectiveness. The fit here is going to be absolutely essential. He needs to find the perfect landing spot, but if he does, he has all-league upside just due to how hard he plays.”
The Athletic
It appears he is a priority for UK
PF Morris Udeze 6-8 245 JR Wichita State
10.2 6.1 0.5 50.5 20.0 72.6
This will be the second time Udeze has entered the transfer portal in his career, after he entered the portal following the 2019-20 season but returned to WSU. Udeze averaged 10.2 points per game this past season, the second most of his Shocker career.
Prep School:
Played for the postgraduate team at Montverde Academy near Orlando, Fla. during the 2017-18 school year… Visited WSU in June, 2017 and committed in late September over four other finalists: Ohio State, Butler, LSU and TCU…Three-star recruit, per 247 Sport and Rivals… Ranked No. 161 nationally in the Class of 2018 by 247Sports (18thamong centers) and among the top-15 prospects in the state of Florida.
High School:
Averaged close to 13 points and 8 rebounds for Fort Bend Travis High School as a senior in 2016-17… Team finished runner-up in its district at 25-9 and won a bi-district playoff game… Houston Chronicle First Team All-District 20-6A… Voted Team MVP… Played summer ball for the Houston Defenders.
PF Hasan Ward 6-9 215 VCU JR 6.5 4.8 0.8 55.3 0.0 66.7
"Ward was a key frontcourt piece for the Rams the past two years. He displayed his above-the-rim ability in limited playing time as a freshman, then had a breakout year as a sophomore in 2019-20.
That season he averaged 2.4 blocks, ranking 21st nationally, and he thrived as a lob partner with guards Bones Hyland and Ace Baldwin Jr.
As a junior this past year, Ward battled ankle injuries, including a right-ankle bone bruise suffered in November, that hampered him. He missed two games in December due to the bone bruise. He also missed VCU’s February game against Richmond due to a left ankle sprain.
He struggled to carry over the sophomore-year form at times, though he had a big stretch from late January until mid February before the left ankle sprain, when he averaged 11.6 points and 8.8 rebounds over five games.
Ward finished with averages of 6.5 points 4.9 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 20.3 minutes per game. He started 24 of his 29 games."
Richmond Times-Dispatch
2-04-2021
"Through VCU’s first 15 games, Ward was averaging 2.4 blocks per game while logging just 17.7 minutes a night for Coach Mike Rhoades.
The sophomore was second in the Atlantic-10 Conference behind George Mason University’s A.J. Wilson, who was averaging 2.7 blocks in 23.5 minutes an outing.
The quick-off- his-feet Ward, with a 7-foot-4 wingspan, may be a candidate for the A-10 All-Defensive team even though he doesn’t rank in the Top 100 in minutes played. Mostly he comes off the bench with high energy to spell senior Corey Douglas — with 24 blocks — on the low post.
As part of the Rams’ revered “Bench Bunch,” Ward also averages 6 points and 4.6 rebounds. He is hitting 60 percent from the floor, much of it from point-blank range, and 80 percent at the foul line.
“The Warden” had a season-best five blocks in the Rams’ 66-43 win on Jan. 23 against defending A-10 champ University of Dayton.
There’s plenty of intimidation — and sometimes embarrassment — associated with facing shot blockers. Players tend to adjust their shots or choose to pass off or dribble away.
You don’t want to feel the wrath of “The Warden.”
Rams opponents were hitting just .398 from the floor after 15 games compared to .459 for the Rams.
Heading toward the 2019-20 season, VCU had maximized its scholarship limit of 13, meaning no room for Ward. That changed when Florida native Sean Mobley announced he was transferring from VCU to the University of Central Florida. Mobley had started 23 of 30 games his sophomore season in 2018-19.
Ward also was pursued by the likes of Rutgers, University of Georgia and University of Massachusetts."
Richmond Times-Dispatch
Off the board:
CG Desmond Cambridge 6-4 180 SR Nevada 16.2 43.5 37.0 71.2 5.1 1.8 ( Committed to ASU)
SF Devan Cambridge 6-6 215 JR Auburn 5.3 40.2 22.1 66.7 3.6 0.6 ( Committed to ASU)
PG Cam Hayes 6-3 180 SO NC State 7.0 33.5 25.0 77.6 2.3 2.1 (Visiting ASU, UGA has PG commitment)
PG Tyree Appleby 6-1 183 SR Florida 10.9 36.4 34.2 84.8 2.1 2.7 (UGA has PG commitment)
SF Erik Stevenson 6-4 209 SR South Carolina 11.6 36.9 33.3 98.4 4.7 2.8 (Committed to West Virginia)
SF Jeremiah Williams 6-5 185 FR Temple 9.5 41.7 23.1 63.2 3.5 4.3 (Committed to Iowa State)
CG CG Will Richard 6-5 195 FR Belmont 12.1 46.8 32.6 80.4 6.0 1.8 (Committed to Florida)
CG Devin Carter South Carolina 6-3 188 FR 9.0 3.8 1.8 42.0 26.7 68.8 (Not in final 6)
SF Eric Dailey 6-6 225 Bradenton (Fla.) IMG (Will return to IMG)
SF Ali Ali 6-8 196 SO Akron 13.9 2.9 2.6 46.0 40.7 72.2 (Committed to Butler)
CG Lance Terry 6-2 180 JR Gardner-Webb 14.3 45.9 35.0 81.2 3.4 1.2 (Committed to Georgia Tech)
CG Jermaine Couisnard 6-4 211 JR South Carolina 12.0 39.6 32.3 67.9 2.5 3.2 (UGA not on his final 6)
C Johni Broome 6-10 235 SO Morehead State 16.8 10.5 1.2 55.5 0.0 63.6 (UGA not in his final 8)
CG Jacobi Wood 6-2 SO Belmont 6.3 2.1 2.2 40.7 33.0 75.8 (UGA not in his final 6)
SF Alex Fudge 6-8 185 FR LSU 3.3 3.2 0.3 42.4 28.6 56.8 (Expected to sign with Florida)
Updated sheet 7.0
Roster
Per Towers AJC FWIW on Friday he said White expects Baumann, Bridges, Ingram to return…
PG Hill 6-0 185 JR Longwood 14.2 4.8 4.1
SF Ingram 6-7 225 SR UGA 10.7 6.0 2.1
OC Bridges 6-11 240 SR UGA 12.8 5.4 1.9
Who could still return:
Abdur-Rahim 6-7 SO
Portal
PG Wright
CG McDowell
CG Oquendo
SF Baumann
SF Etter *
PF Ridgnal - Missouri State
PF Taylor
PF Ned
OC McMillen
OC Baker
* Walkon
COMMITMENT !!!
PG Justin Hill 6-0 185 SO Longwood 14.2 41.9 34.3 79.7 4.8 4.1
“Hill was Longwood's leading scorer throughout the year, as the explosive guard averaged 14.2 points per game. A constant triple-double threat on any given night, the dynamic sophomore scored in double figures 21 times, and he had 20 or more six times.
In addition, Hill was Longwood's leading passer, totaling 129 assists and ranking second in the Big South with 4.3 assists per game. He led Longwood in assists 21 times in the 30 games he played.”
Longwood
Justin Hill - Men's Basketball - Longwood University Athletics
“2021-22: Coming off a breakout freshman season that was one of Longwood's best debuts in the program's Division I era...an athletic and physical scoring guard with an explosive first step who fearlessly attacks the rim...has tremendous leaping ability...improved his outside shooting ability immensely during his first year in the Lancer program…a second-generation Division I talent whose parents were both record-setting guards…mother, Donna Holt Hill, was an All-American and ACC Player of the Year at Virginia, while father, Keith, was an All-Big West first-team honoree at New Mexico State and the program’s assist record-holder.
2020-21: Named to the Big South All-Freshman Team…had one of the best freshman campaigns in Longwood men’s basketball history, ranking among the program’s top two of the Division I era in both points and assists per game…his 11.0 points per game trailed only Michael Kessens’ freshman benchmark of 13.7 in 2012-13, while his 4.2 assists trailed only Lucas Woodhouse’s 5.5 that same year…named Big South Freshman of the Week three times…finished No. 2 among Big South freshmen in scoring and assists and No. 3 in rebounding…ranked fifth in the conference in assist-to-turnover ratio…had a pair of 20-point games, including 25 in a win over reigning Big South champion Gardner-Webb (Feb. 12)…appeared in 27 games with 10 starts…averaged 11.0 points, 4.2 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 26.7 minutes per game…posted a 1.30 assist-to-turnover ratio with 83 times and just 64 giveaways…shot .430 (108-of-251) from the field and .329 (24-lf-73) from three-point range…also shot .725 (58-of-80) from the free throw line and finished second on the team in both made free throws and free throw attempts…swiped 23 steals, second most on the team…scored in double figures 13 times…finished one point shy of a double-double against North Carolina A&T, dishing a career-high 11 assists and scoring nine points (Dec. 8)…posted his first 20-point game in a win over High Point (Jan. 20)…
High School: Played at Texas prep basketball powerhouse Fort Bend Travis under head coach Craig Brownson…pegged as the No. 21 recruit in Texas by Texas Basketball Review and a top-10 prospect in the Houston area by Recruiting services RCS Sports and OTR Exposure…one of five finalists for the prestigious Guy Lewis Award, as selected by the Houston Chronicle…as a senior, averaged 24.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 3.0 steals per game to power Fort Bend Travis to a 31-7 record and the Texas District 20-6A Championship…received Texas 6A All-State honors as a senior, as well as District 20-6A MVP recognitions…named to the Houston Chronicle All-Greater Houston first team…a three-time all-district selection…along with his time playing with the powerhouse Travis program, also competed with the acclaimed Houston Defenders AAU program.
Personal: Born Justin Alexander Hill on Oct. 19, 2001…son of Keith and Donna Hill…has two siblings, Cameron and Ryan…mother, Donna Holt Hill, was an All-American at Virginia, a member of the ACC 50th Anniversary Team and the 1988 ACC Player of the Year…father, Keith, was an All-Big West first-team selection at New Mexico State and led the program to the 1990 Big West Championship and an NCAA Tournament berth.”
UGA Contacts in The Athletic’s updated top 36 (4-06)
2. Malik Reneau | 6-8 forward | HS senior | Montverde (Fla.) Academy
7. Tristen Newton | 6-5 guard | sophomore | East Carolina
8. Johni Broome | 6-10 center | junior | Morehead State
10. Norchad Omier | 6-7 big | junior | Arkansas State
19. Terry Roberts | 6-3 guard | junior | Bradley
A UGA player makes their list:
22. Kario Oquendo | 6-4 wing | junior | Georgia
“Oquendo is arguably the best athlete in college basketball. This is not an exaggeration. In fact, the only exaggeration may be that I put the “arguably” qualifier in there. Oquendo is as explosive a player as you’ll see, jumping toward the basket like he’s on a trampoline, physically powering through guys with very little issue due to his 210-pound frame. He’s one of those guys that just seems to keep rising in the air. His twitch as a ballhandler is real, as he has the speed to blow by with a first step. You have to be aware of where he is on defense because of how threatening he is in passing lanes. He put all of that together to average 15 points per game in his first season in the SEC this past year while shooting 45 percent from the field. At some point, to realize his full potential, he needs to shoot it. He made only 27 percent from 3, and he’s already 22 years old so we might be getting a “he is what he is” situation here. But if he has any ceiling there as a shooter, there is some real pro potential for Oquendo. Regardless, my only hope is that he ends up somewhere fun, where he gets to play in transition and attack.”
The Athletic
UK is interested in Oquendo
His list per his Twitter handle:
🐱 x🐶 x🐊x 🐘x 🦆 =🤷🏾♂️
Contacts
PG Rudi Williams 6-2 190 SR Coastal Carolina
14.7 4.2 3.2 50.9 44.7 73.5 4.2 3.2
PG Rahsool Diggins 6-2 175 FR Connecticut 0.8 0.0 0.3
“Diggins, a 6-foot-2 guard from Philadelphia, originally committed to the Huskies in July 2020. According to 247sports.com, he was ranked No. 59 overall in the Class of 2021. In his senior year of high school, Diggins won the MaxPreps Pennsylvania High School Player of the Year.
He is a combo guard with the ability to distribute the ball and break down the defense through scoring or playmaking.”
Hartford Courant
***PG/CG Terry Roberts 6-3 180 JR Bradley 14.5 45.4 34.5 70.0 4.9 4.1 (UGA in final 10, will visit UGA next week per 247 Sports
“6-foot-3, 180-pound guard. Averaged 14.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.1 assists for the Braves as a freshman. Would have three years left to play.”
Rivals
“He’s electric with the ball, capable of creating something out of nothing on offense in a flash. His handle is terrific, and he’s an explosive athlete who can get where he needs to go out of isolations. He averaged nearly 15 points, five rebounds and four assists this year, and hit 34 percent from 3 on a steady diet of tough pull-up shots. He makes some really impressive live-dribble passing reads, but the critical part of his game that he’s going to have to clean up will be turning it over. His assist-to-turnover ratio was very close to the 1-to-1 mark, and he makes some choices both in terms of shot selection and distribution that will worry high-major coaches. But above all, this is a high-major athlete at the guard spot with enough size to not be a liability on defense and enough handle to genuinely break down opposing teams.”
The Athletic
“The talks have been the same as Florida, Kansas State, and Wichita State. With Georgia they're saying they want to build the program back up, get it rolling, and get Athens rocking again. Also my teammate from JUCO is over there as well so it would be cool if I got to play with him again.”
247 Sports
Visiting Florida weekend of 4-8, on his Twitter page he said not committed 4-10.
***CG Mardrez McBride 6-2 SR North Texas 11.3 3.0 1.1 41.9 38.9 59.2 (UGA has talked to, from Augusta, GA)
“They got a new staff. They got the coaches from Florida and they're going to be in the rebuilding process but not really. They want to come in and win right away so they need impactful guys to come in and turn this thing around at UGA. I would like it a lot plus I would be close to home. I'm from Georgia so it's something to think about.”
“The senior guard was UNT’s third-leading scorer this season when he averaged 11.3 points per game. The Georgia native led the Mean Green in minutes played at 34.3 per game.
McBride spent two seasons at UNT after excelling at USC Salkehatchie. He started all 59 games he played for the Mean Green.
The Georgia native was at his best at the end of the season. He scored 24 points in UNT’s win over Texas State in the Mean Green’s NIT opener before coming back to score 21 in their loss to Virginia.”
Denton Record-Chronicle
CG Cam Wynter 6-2 185 SR Drexel 15.8 5.3 4.6
“6-foot-2, 175-pound guard. Averaged 15.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.6 assists for the Dragons. Has one year left to play.”
Rivals
“Wynter was named to the All-Colonial Athletic Association First Team for the second straight season. The senior from Hempstead, N.Y. ended the season third in the league in scoring (15.8), second in assists (4.6) and third in free-throw percentage (.861). Wynter is no stranger to the All-CAA team. He was named a Second Team selection in 2020 and was the CAA Rookie of the Year in 2019. Wynter is now sixth on the Drexel career scoring list with 1,657 points. He is also third in career assists with 577 and eighth in career steals with 140. He ended his Drexel career with a 28-point performance in the CAA quarterfinals against Delaware.”
Drexel
CG Dylan Penn 6-3 190 SR Bellarmine 16.6 49.6 24.2 72.2 4.2 5.0
“6-foot-3, 190-pound guard. Averaged 16.6 points, 5 rebounds and 4.2 assists as the new D1 program won the ASUN Tournament. Would have one year to play.”
Rivals
CG Tristen Newton 6-5 190 SO East Carolina 17.7 43.5 33.3 87.9 4.8 5.0
“6-foot-5, 200-pound guard. Averaged 17.7 points, 5 assists and 4.8 rebounds for the Pirates this season. Will have two years left to play.”
Rivals
“He averaged 17.7 points, five rebounds and five assists last year, possessing the ability to play both on and off the ball as a lead or secondary offensive creator. He’s still really skinny, but he reads the floor and will be significantly helped by playing with better players around him than he had at East Carolina. He sees skip passes and high-level pick-and-roll reads. He makes live dribble passes from creative angles and plays unselfishly. He’s conscientious on defense and knows where he needs to be rotationally and helps generally despite his skinny frame. But more than that, he’s twitchy but plays with great pace off the bounce. He can attack the basket and finish. As a shooter, he’s got a good set shot and looks more comfortable off the catch, although there is some real ability to hit pull-ups if he has time behind ball screens. He has more touch than his 33.3 percent mark from 3 would indicate, but he does need to clean up that shot off the bounce.”
The Athletic
CG Ray Harrison 6-4 180 SO Presbyterian 17.1 3.9 3.0 36.5 24.3 85.1
1-22-22
“CLINTON, S.C. -- — Justin Hill had 23 points as Longwood edged past Presbyterian 71-70 on Saturday. Rayshon Harrison had 29 points for the Blue Hose..,
ESPN
CG Sir Jabari Rice 6-4 180 SR New Mexico State 11.9 5.1 3.1 39.1 33.5 77.9
“Rice has scored in double figures for the Aggies in each of the last three seasons under Chris Jans, who is now the head coach at Mississippi State, which is a possible landing spot for Rice. This past season, he averaged 11.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game, leading NMSU to their first NCAA Tournament win since 1993.”
KTSM News
CG/SF Luis Rodriguez 6-6 JR Mississippi 6.6 5.5 1.8 35.3 30.4 64.8
Rodriguez was solid against Mike White’s Gators last season 8 pts 11 R and 10 pts 7 R.
SF Jusaun Holt 6-6 190 FR Alabama 0.7 1.6 0.2
SF Juwan Gary 6-6 218 SO Alabama 6.5 3.4 0.3 51.4 22.0 61.1
SF Devin Ree 6-7 185 Oak Hill Academy by way of Terry, Miss.
'22 3-Star Devin Ree says Louisville and Auburn are standing out
247 Sports'
SF Bryce Hopkins 6-6 FR Kentucky 2.1 1.4 0.3 42.9 31.3 53.8
"Hopkins contributed little in his freshman season, but he was one of those players who fell into empty space with the Wildcats. He was a top-40 recruit who would need some time to develop, and that is often a reason to disappear from Kentucky after one season, maybe two.
UK coach John Calipari kept talking over the last month of the season about wanting to give Hopkins more chances for playing time, but the freshman never saw the floor down the stretch. After what could best be described as a breakout game with 13 points in the win over LSU at Rupp Arena, the 6-foot-6 combo forward played seven minutes the rest of the season.
That wasn’t a good indication for Hopkins that he could be a contributor, and he took the road out of Lexington.
Now, Hopkins might have just been another Keion Brooks Jr. — a player with seemingly bigger potential than what he’s displayed on the floor for the Wildcats — but he might have developed into something more consistent than Brooks, who still was a starter for 33 games this season as a junior. Brooks is testing the NBA Draft process, but leaving the door open for his return to UK."
Mesenger-Inquirer
Eric Williams 6-7 200 SR Oregon 8.4 4.6 1.2 37.6 35.1 67.9
"Fifth-year forward Eric Williams Jr. has made the decision to go pro, foregoing his sixth year of eligibility, he told The Oregonian. Williams played two seasons for the Ducks after redshirting in 2019-20. In his two years at Oregon, Williams averaged 9 points and 5.2 rebounds over 57 games.
Williams saw more of a sixth man role in his final collegiate season. Off the bench, he was a defensive anchor while being a go-to spark plug for energy.
Before Oregon, he spent two seasons at Duquesne and averaged 11.7 points and 6.8 rebounds."
Daily Emerald
4-13-2022
He's also testing the NBA Draft waters. Arkansas, Texas Tech, Georgia, DePaul, and Memphis appear to be the top 5 for now.
SF Keylan Boone 6-8 200 JR Oklahoma State 6.0 3.3 0.5 36.9 31.6 83.3
“Keylan Boone played basketball with Lindy Waters III (during the 2019-20 season at Oklahoma State) and against Brady Manek (both in high school, when Boone starred at Memorial while Manek starred at Harrah; and in Bedlam games as Manek was an OU Sooner).
Today, Waters and Manek are role models for the 21-year-old Boone, who after three seasons at OSU submitted his name to the transfer portal.
Undrafted out of OSU, Waters played for the Enid Outlaws of The Basketball League and for the Oklahoma City Blue of the NBA G League before he was signed by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
As a Cowboy senior, Waters averaged 10.5 points per game. Against the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night, he scored 25 points for the Thunder.
With the Sooners in 2020-21, Manek averaged 10.8 points on 42% shooting. He transferred to North Carolina. This weekend, as he averages 15.2 points on 50% shooting, Manek performs on center stage at the Final Four.
Driven by belief and a commitment to gym time, Waters secured an NBA contract. Manek joined a Tar Heel roster loaded with blue-chip athletes and now is among the more talked-about players in the NCAA Tournament.
Waters and Manek bet on themselves, and Boone says he’s doing the same now. He believes he can be an effective every-game starter, and he wants that opportunity, and that’s why he’s in the portal.
Having been a role player for three seasons at Oklahoma State, Boone aspires to become an important member of a college team and better position himself for the first chapter in a bid for a professional basketball career.
While his college stats have been modest (a 6.0-point scoring average for the 2021-22 Cowboys), he’ll get a chance to play professionally because he’s 6-foot-8 and has the ability to impact games from 3-point range.
“This is huge for me. So huge,” Boone told the Tulsa World. “This next season and the two years after that — it determines everything. Sometimes, you have to relocate to find your rhythm.
“My next school, I’m looking to be one of the leaders. A scoring-minded wing. A 3-and-D guy (3-pointers and defense) who puts in the work. With this move, I’m asking for a lot, but I have to work for it. I’ll be a gym rat.”
At Memorial, twin brothers Keylan and Kalib Boone were twin-tower playmakers for three state championship teams. They’ve been roommates since arriving in Stillwater. While Kalib decided to stay with the Cowboys, Keylan has launched the process of finding his next destination.
Might the University of Tulsa or Oral Roberts be Keylan’s landing spot? Each school is on his radar. He says new Golden Hurricane coach Eric Konkol made a positive first impression.
“(Konkol) is a good guy. He sounds like a winner,” Keylan Boone said. “I talked with him. He’s a good man. ORU, they texted me and I talked to their head coach (Paul Mills) on the phone. They’ve had a pretty good run here lately.
“I don’t have a list (of possible destinations). I don’t have a top five. I’m still trying to figure all of this out.”
Now at 205 pounds after having been a 170-pound Memorial senior in 2019, Boone says he plans to make a transfer decision no later than May 10.
While with the Cowboys, Keylan Boone played in 80 games but made only 10 starts. When a 3-point shooter is in the 38-42% range on conversions — and especially when he’s a match-up problem at 6-8 — he’s going to help any team. During the 2021-22 Cowboy season, Keylan averaged only 18 minutes per game and was good on only 31% from that distance.
His best performance this season: During a 13-point home win over Texas, he scored 17 points. He was 5-of-7 on 3s. Keylan Boone played 27 minutes that day. In 17 other games, however, he was on the floor for less than 20 minutes. In five games, he played no more than 13 minutes.
Keylan is like any other shooter — more effective when there’s consistency with his minutes and opportunities. I’m thinking if he plays at least 28 minutes a game instead of 18, his offensive game should flow in a 15-points-per-game manner that just didn’t happen when his role was so inconsistent at Oklahoma State.
“My biggest advice is for Keylan to take care of everything academically, address all of the little things that go into being a student-athlete, and then have a smooth transition,” Memorial coach Bobby Allison said. “Put a bow on these three years in Stillwater.
“Keylan isn’t sad about his time at OSU and has no regrets. This is the first time Keylan makes a decision just for Keylan.”
This transfer process actually involves three decisions: Keylan’s split from the Cowboys, moving away from his brother and finding the right fit with his next squad. While he acknowledges that TU and ORU are options, he says he’s open to attending school on the East Coast, on the West Coast or somewhere in the middle.
“I’m comfortable with playing anywhere,” Keylan said. “I’m not afraid of change. Change is normal. Sometimes, it needs to happen.”
Tulsa World
SF Bobi Klintman 6-8 190 Bel Aire (Kans.) Sunrise Christian
PF Kalu Ezikpe 6-8 240 SR Old Dominion 11.3 7.1 1.6 52.2 10.0 73.5 (From Lawrenceville, GA, UGA in final 6, per 247 sports plans to visit UGA)
***PF Malik Reneau 6-8 210 Montverde (Fla.) Academy (I assume there will be contact)
“Reneau may not be an elite scorer, but can contribute in multiple ways to help a team, and has demonstrated that with a talented cast at Montverde.”
Fort Myers News-Press
“We see him as one of the more complete products entering college hoops as a freshman this year. He’s not the best athlete in the world, but his footwork is terrific, and allows him to really play well out of the mid-post as a lefty driver to finish. He has good touch and a lot of little crafty moves in his bag, especially when getting back to his little lefty mini-hook. He sees the court and passes well. He’s unselfish. He’s not some crazy athlete, but he’s conscientious defensively and knows where he needs to be.”
The Athletic
ON GEORGIA
“We’ve definitely kept in touch since they left Florida. Coach [Mike] White reached out and explained the situation right away. Then, Coach [Erik] Pastrana has been on me since day one, so we’ll see with them. We have that relationship.”
Cassidy Rivals.com
PF Norchad Ormier 6-7 232 SO Arkansas State
17.9 12.2 1.2 63.2 33.3 72.9
“The reigning Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, Omier will enter the transfer portal after a season in which he averaged 17.9 points and 12.2 rebounds per game.
A native of Nicaragua, Omier was only the third player in conference history to earn both individual awards in the same season and just the third Arkansas State player to ever be named Sun Belt Player of the Year.”
Arkansas Democrat
“The story here is remarkable. A Nicaraguan forward who didn’t really pick up basketball until he was 13, Omier has developed into one of the most productive big men in the country. He’s a multi-time first-team All-Sun Belt member, and won the league’s Player of the Year award this season in 2022. An undersized big, the name of the game here is balance and fundamentals. Omier has tremendous body control around the basket, and knows how to use his big, 235-pound frame to shield the ball from defenders and score around the basket. His touch around the rim is exceptional, and his footwork is precise. He averaged 18 points and 12 rebounds per game while shooting 63 percent from the field, dominating the interior by carving out space with terrific lower body strength. His defensive ability is also real, as he won the Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year award through sheer activity. His motor doesn’t stop running, and he’s constantly trying to hunt ways to move his man around into an advantageous position for himself on both ends. It’s hard to explain without watching him, but Omier just really knows how to use his lack of size to his advantage to leverage opponents away from the rim, play through contact, and dominate the interior. I do have some real worries about him moving levels, and how that will translate. He’s a non-shooter at this point who doesn’t have great mechanics in that regard. And as an undersized big, it’s possible that the athletic giants at the high-major level could work to undermine his effectiveness. The fit here is going to be absolutely essential. He needs to find the perfect landing spot, but if he does, he has all-league upside just due to how hard he plays.”
The Athletic
It appears he is a priority for UK
PF Morris Udeze 6-8 245 JR Wichita State
10.2 6.1 0.5 50.5 20.0 72.6
This will be the second time Udeze has entered the transfer portal in his career, after he entered the portal following the 2019-20 season but returned to WSU. Udeze averaged 10.2 points per game this past season, the second most of his Shocker career.
Prep School:
Played for the postgraduate team at Montverde Academy near Orlando, Fla. during the 2017-18 school year… Visited WSU in June, 2017 and committed in late September over four other finalists: Ohio State, Butler, LSU and TCU…Three-star recruit, per 247 Sport and Rivals… Ranked No. 161 nationally in the Class of 2018 by 247Sports (18thamong centers) and among the top-15 prospects in the state of Florida.
High School:
Averaged close to 13 points and 8 rebounds for Fort Bend Travis High School as a senior in 2016-17… Team finished runner-up in its district at 25-9 and won a bi-district playoff game… Houston Chronicle First Team All-District 20-6A… Voted Team MVP… Played summer ball for the Houston Defenders.
PF Hasan Ward 6-9 215 VCU JR 6.5 4.8 0.8 55.3 0.0 66.7
"Ward was a key frontcourt piece for the Rams the past two years. He displayed his above-the-rim ability in limited playing time as a freshman, then had a breakout year as a sophomore in 2019-20.
That season he averaged 2.4 blocks, ranking 21st nationally, and he thrived as a lob partner with guards Bones Hyland and Ace Baldwin Jr.
As a junior this past year, Ward battled ankle injuries, including a right-ankle bone bruise suffered in November, that hampered him. He missed two games in December due to the bone bruise. He also missed VCU’s February game against Richmond due to a left ankle sprain.
He struggled to carry over the sophomore-year form at times, though he had a big stretch from late January until mid February before the left ankle sprain, when he averaged 11.6 points and 8.8 rebounds over five games.
Ward finished with averages of 6.5 points 4.9 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 20.3 minutes per game. He started 24 of his 29 games."
Richmond Times-Dispatch
2-04-2021
"Through VCU’s first 15 games, Ward was averaging 2.4 blocks per game while logging just 17.7 minutes a night for Coach Mike Rhoades.
The sophomore was second in the Atlantic-10 Conference behind George Mason University’s A.J. Wilson, who was averaging 2.7 blocks in 23.5 minutes an outing.
The quick-off- his-feet Ward, with a 7-foot-4 wingspan, may be a candidate for the A-10 All-Defensive team even though he doesn’t rank in the Top 100 in minutes played. Mostly he comes off the bench with high energy to spell senior Corey Douglas — with 24 blocks — on the low post.
As part of the Rams’ revered “Bench Bunch,” Ward also averages 6 points and 4.6 rebounds. He is hitting 60 percent from the floor, much of it from point-blank range, and 80 percent at the foul line.
“The Warden” had a season-best five blocks in the Rams’ 66-43 win on Jan. 23 against defending A-10 champ University of Dayton.
There’s plenty of intimidation — and sometimes embarrassment — associated with facing shot blockers. Players tend to adjust their shots or choose to pass off or dribble away.
You don’t want to feel the wrath of “The Warden.”
Rams opponents were hitting just .398 from the floor after 15 games compared to .459 for the Rams.
Heading toward the 2019-20 season, VCU had maximized its scholarship limit of 13, meaning no room for Ward. That changed when Florida native Sean Mobley announced he was transferring from VCU to the University of Central Florida. Mobley had started 23 of 30 games his sophomore season in 2018-19.
Ward also was pursued by the likes of Rutgers, University of Georgia and University of Massachusetts."
Richmond Times-Dispatch
Off the board:
CG Desmond Cambridge 6-4 180 SR Nevada 16.2 43.5 37.0 71.2 5.1 1.8 ( Committed to ASU)
SF Devan Cambridge 6-6 215 JR Auburn 5.3 40.2 22.1 66.7 3.6 0.6 ( Committed to ASU)
PG Cam Hayes 6-3 180 SO NC State 7.0 33.5 25.0 77.6 2.3 2.1 (Visiting ASU, UGA has PG commitment)
PG Tyree Appleby 6-1 183 SR Florida 10.9 36.4 34.2 84.8 2.1 2.7 (UGA has PG commitment)
SF Erik Stevenson 6-4 209 SR South Carolina 11.6 36.9 33.3 98.4 4.7 2.8 (Committed to West Virginia)
SF Jeremiah Williams 6-5 185 FR Temple 9.5 41.7 23.1 63.2 3.5 4.3 (Committed to Iowa State)
CG CG Will Richard 6-5 195 FR Belmont 12.1 46.8 32.6 80.4 6.0 1.8 (Committed to Florida)
CG Devin Carter South Carolina 6-3 188 FR 9.0 3.8 1.8 42.0 26.7 68.8 (Not in final 6)
SF Eric Dailey 6-6 225 Bradenton (Fla.) IMG (Will return to IMG)
SF Ali Ali 6-8 196 SO Akron 13.9 2.9 2.6 46.0 40.7 72.2 (Committed to Butler)
CG Lance Terry 6-2 180 JR Gardner-Webb 14.3 45.9 35.0 81.2 3.4 1.2 (Committed to Georgia Tech)
CG Jermaine Couisnard 6-4 211 JR South Carolina 12.0 39.6 32.3 67.9 2.5 3.2 (UGA not on his final 6)
C Johni Broome 6-10 235 SO Morehead State 16.8 10.5 1.2 55.5 0.0 63.6 (UGA not in his final 8)
CG Jacobi Wood 6-2 SO Belmont 6.3 2.1 2.2 40.7 33.0 75.8 (UGA not in his final 6)
SF Alex Fudge 6-8 185 FR LSU 3.3 3.2 0.3 42.4 28.6 56.8 (Expected to sign with Florida)
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