Umass Basketball Recruits: The Future of the Program

As the UMass Basketball Program looks to rebuild, it is looking to the future with its recruits. Here is a look at the recruits that the program has landed so far.

Introduction

From 2006 to 2015, the UMass Minutemen basketball team was a unremarkable program. They had just two winning seasons in that ten year stretch, and failed to make the NCAA tournament In 2015, things changed. Head Coach Derek Kellogg led the team to a 26-9 record and their first NCAA appearance in 16 years. While they lost in the first round of the tournament, it was clear that the team was heading in the right direction.

The reason for this turnaround? Recruiting. In 2016, ESPN ranked UMass’s recruiting class as the 44th best in the country, a massive jump from previous years. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the recruits that have made UMass Basketball relevant again, and why they could be the key to sustained success for the program in years to come.

The Current Roster

The UMass Men’s Basketball team is currently comprised of 15 student athletes, all of whom are under the age of 24. The team is young, with only two seniors and no juniors. The roster includes players from all over the country, with representation from Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Indiana, Ohio, and Canada. The team’s goal is to win the Atlantic 10 conference championship and to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament

The Coaching Staff is led by head coach Matt McCall who is in his third season with the program. Coach McCall has assembled a talented group of assistant coaches who have a wealth of experience at both the collegiate and professional levels. Under Coach McCall’s guidance, the team has made significant progress in recent years and is poised to take another step forward this season.

The current roster includes:

– Senior guard Luwane Pipkins A Massachusetts native and the team’s leading scorer from last season, Pipkins is a talented playmaker who has the ability to take over a game offensively. He is also a good rebounder and defender.
– Senior forward Rashaan Holloway: A physical presence in the post at 6-foot-11 and 250 pounds, Holloway averaged nearly a double-double last season (9.5 points and 9.1 rebounds per game). He provides a solid interior presence on both ends of the court.
– Sophomore guard Javonni Bickham: A 6-foot-5 wing player from Brooklyn, Bickham is an excellent defender with tremendous upside on offense. He averaged 5.5 points per game as a freshman while shooting 42 percent from three-point range
– Sophomore guard Anthony Gurley: A 6-foot-3 guard from Virginia Beach Gurley is a gifted scorer who can get hot from outside or attack the basket off the dribble. He averaged 8.9 points per game last season while shooting 39 percent from three-point range.
– Freshman forward Makai Ashton-Langford: One of the top recruits in the country, Ashton-Langford is a 6-foot-3 guard from Worcester who brings great athleticism and ball handling skills to the court. He competed at the prestigious McDonald’s All American game last year before enrolling at UMass.

The Future Roster

One of the most important things for a college basketball team is recruiting. A team’s success in the future often depends on who they are able to bring in. With that being said, let’s take a look at some of the top recruits that UMass has their eye on.

ASA College (Junior College) guard Tyreese Lewis is one of the top recruits in the country. Lewis is a 6’5″ guard who is originally from Brooklyn, New York. He is originally committed to Seton Hall but UMass is still trying to get him to come to Amherst.

UMass has also been after central Pennsylvania forward Julius Irvin for a while now. Irvin is a 6’7″ forward who played his High School ball at Harrisburg Academy. He has offers from schools such as Penn State Marquette, and Pittsburgh, but UMass is still in the mix.

One name that has been linked to UMass recently is five-star point guard Jaden Springer Springer is originally from Tennessee and decommitted from USC back in August. He has since then been linked with several schools, including UMass. However, it seems like Tennessee may be the frontrunners for him at this point.

Finally, we have center Makhi Mitchell out of Maryland. Mitchell is a 6’10” center who played his high school ball at Stonewall Jackson high school He has also received offers from schools such as Penn State Pittsburgh, and Texas Tech

While these are just some of the top recruits that Umass has their eye on, only time will tell if they are able to successfully bring any of them in.

The Coaching Staff

Umass Head Coach Matt McCall and his staff have been busy on the recruiting trail bringing in a number of talented players that they hope will help turn the program around. Assistant coaches Jamion Christian and Al Skinner have been instrumental in recruiting, while McCall has also brought in a number of talented players from the transfer market. Here’s a look at some of the recruits that have signed with UMass:

Jared Terrell: A 6’4″ shooting guard from Weymouth, MA, Terrell was one of the top scorers in the state last season, averaging 23 points per game He’s a gifted scorer who can shoot from long range and create his own shot off the dribble. Terrell should be an immediate impact player for the Minutemen.

Luwane Pipkins: A 5’11” point guard from Boston, MA, Pipkins is a dynamic playmaker with good Court Vision and excellent passing instincts. He’s also a capable scorer, averaging 17 points per game last season. Pipkins will be asked to shoulder a lot of responsibility as UMass’ starting point guard next season.

Curtis Cobb: A 6’5″ wing from Portland, ME, Cobb is a versatile player who can score, rebound, and defend. He’s athletic and has a high motor, which should endear him to Minutemen fans. Cobb should be able to contribute right away as a key member of UMass’ rotation.

The Schedule

The schedule has been released and the first game is against Duke on November 6th. The coaching staff has been working hard to put together a tough non-Conference Schedule to prepare the team for conference play The conference schedule will be announced at a later date.

The Fans

As the 2017-2018 Umass Basketball season comes to a close, the fans are already looking ahead to next year. who will be the new recruits? What does the future of the program look like?

The fans are always excited to see new recruits come in and help contribute to the team. next year, there are a few recruits that have Umass fans especially excited. Malek White is a 6’0″ guard from New York. He is considered a four-star recruit by ESPN and is ranked as the 61st best player in his class. Trey Madness is another four-star recruit who is a 6’7″ small forward from Maryland. He is ranked as the 66th best player in his class by ESPN. These two recruits have fans hopeful that they can help contribute to a winning season next year.

In addition to White and Madness, there are a few other recruits that have fans excited for next season. Jared Terrell is a 6’4″ shooting guard from Rhode Island who is ranked as the 92nd best player in his class by ESPN.Gilbert areas is 6’8″ Power Forward from Massachusetts who is ranked as the 100th best player in his class by ESPN. Finally, Luwane Pipkins ia a 5’11” point guard from Massachusetts who is ranked as the 101st best player in his class by ESPN.

All of these recruits have fans excited for what they can bring to the team next season. With any luck, they will be able to help lead Umass to a winning season.

The Media

The future of the program is in the hands of the recruits. The media has a big influence on who those recruits are and where they come from.

The Alumni

The future of the UMass Basketball Program is in good hands with its current crop of recruits.

The Recruiting Class is headlined by 5-star point guard Trey Lyles, who is ranked as the No. 2 player in the class of 2014 by ESPN. Lyles has the size and skill set to be an immediate impact player at the collegiate level, and he should be a key part of the UMass rotation for years to come.

Also in the recruiting class are 4-star shooting guard Rashad Vaughn and 4-star small forward Abdul-Malik Abu. Vaughn is a consensus top-30 player in the class of 2014, while Abu is a top-50 recruit according to ESPN. Both Vaughn and Abu have the potential to be major contributors for the Minutemen right away.

Rounding out the recruiting class are 3-star power forward Chris Egi and 3-star center Tyler Bergantino. Egi and Bergantino may not have the same star power as Lyles, Vaughn, and Abu, but they both bring a lot of skill and talent to the table. Egi is a rangy 6’9″ forward who can shoot from outside and block shots while Bergantino is a physical 6’11” center who can score in the post and rebound at a high level.

This recruiting class gives UMass fans plenty to be excited about for the future of the program. With five highly talented recruits coming in, there is no doubt that the Minutemen will be a force to be reckoned with for years to come.

The Tradition

The UMass Minutemen Basketball Program has a long and storied tradition, dating back to 1898. The program has seen its share of ups and downs, but it remains one of the most respected programs in the country. In recent years the team has struggled to recruit top talent, but that may be about to change.

The new Head coach Matt McCall, has already made a big splash on the recruiting trail. In just his first year on the job, he has landed two five-star recruits: Romeo Langford and Makhi Mitchell. Langford is a 6’6″ wing from New Albany, Indiana who is rated as the #2 player in the class of 2018 by 247Sports. Mitchell is a 6’10” center from Baltimore, Maryland who is rated as the #32 player in the class of 2018 by 247Sports.

With these two recruits, UMass now has the makings of a very strong team in the future. If they can continue to recruiting at a high level, they could soon be back amongst the elite programs in college basketball

Conclusion

It is safe to say that the future of the program looks bright with the current recruiting class With a mix of high-level recruits and role players, the team should be able to compete at a high level for years to come. The Coaching Staff has done an excellent job of identifying and developing talent, and it is clear that they are committed to building a winning culture at UMass.