College basketball has become like the stock market as players raise their stocks at small schools and then transfer to bigger schools. Or in other cases, players don’t get the playing time they want, or a coach leaves, and then the player enters the transfer portal.
For Marist men’s and women’s basketball, they are experiencing roster turnover as 12 total players between the two teams entered the transfer portal after last season. The men’s team lost seven players to the portal after losing in the opening round of the MAAC Tournament. The players’ decision to transfer revolved around the lack of connection with the coaching staff, as reported by Center Field. The women’s team lost five players to the portal from last season after losing in the first round of the MAAC Tournament.
Of the 12 transfers that entered the portal, nine of them transferred to another Division Ⅰ school. The others went to Division II and NAIA schools. For this transfer series this season, we are going to focus on the players that remain in Division I.
First, on the men’s side, is sophomore guard Jao Ituka, who has transferred to Wake Forest in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Last season as a freshman, Ituka led the Red Foxes in scoring with 15.3 points per game on his way to winning the MAAC Rookie of the Year award. Ituka made Second Team All-MAAC and was a finalist for the Kyle Macy Award, which is presented to the top freshman in Division Ⅰ men’s college basketball. In MAAC play, Ituka ranked third in scoring and eighth in field goal percentage. Ituka will join a Wake Forest team that finished 25-10 a year ago.
Junior guard Ricardo Wright transferred to SMU in the American Athletic Conference. Wright finished second in scoring for the Red Foxes last season with 13.6 points per game, and he shot 37.4 percent from three-point range. In the MAAC, Wright ranked 10th in scoring, and he started 27 of 30 games. During his freshman season, Wright made the All-MAAC Rookie Team, and he led Marist in scoring with 11 points per game. Wright joins an SMU team that went 24-9 last season. Wright and Ituka will be put on a national stage as they will play strong opponents with teams like North Carolina and Houston.
Graduate transfer guard Matt Herasme transferred to the University of New Hampshire in the America East Conference. Herasme played for Marist for four years and played in 106 games. He played over 2,872 minutes for the Red Foxes, and he averaged 5.5 points per game and 4.3 rebounds per game during his career. Last season, he led the Red Foxes in starts and rebounds per game with 4.9. Herasme has been named a captain at New Hampshire, and he will be taking on a leadership role.
Graduate student forward Braden Bell transferred to Prairie View A&M University in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. Bell played in 29 games last season, starting three of them for the Red Foxes. In those games, Bell averaged 4.1 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. Bell’s best performance of the season was a season-high 14 points and three steals at Fairfield.
Graduate student center Victor Enoh transferred to UNC Wilmington in the Colonial Athletic Association Conference. Enoh played two seasons with the Red Foxes after transferring from Memphis University. In his senior season, Enoh started 14 of 28 games and averaged 2.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. He also ranked second on the team in blocked shots with 17.
“Victor will bring some much-needed experience to the roster,” UNC Wilmington head coach Takayo Siddle said on the team website. “He’s played high-level basketball against great competition and will give us an additional inside presence.”
Graduate student guard Raheim Sullivan transferred to the New Jersey Institute of Technology in the ASUN Conference. Sullivan played two seasons for the Red Foxes after transferring from McCook Community College in Nebraska. In his senior season, Sullivan started in 12 of 23 games and averaged 7.7 points and 1.3 steals per game. He also finished second in the MAAC in three-point percentage with 42.6 percent.
On the women’s side, senior guard Trey Kennedy transferred to George Mason University in the Atlantic 10 Conference. Kennedy played three seasons at Marist and was All-MAAC Third Team in 2020-21. During their junior season, Kennedy was second on the team in scoring and rebounding with 10.6 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. Kennedy also posted double-digit scoring outputs 11 times last season, and will be looking to bring that to George Mason.
Graduate student guard Sarah Barcello transferred to San Diego State University in the Mountain West Conference. Barcello played at Marist for three seasons and did not make an appearance her senior season. In her freshman season, Barcello made the All-MAAC Championship Team, and during her junior season, she made the All-MAAC Third Team. Barcello led the Red Foxes in scoring her junior season with 12.6 points per game.
Junior guard Anabel Ellison transferred to Stetson University in the Atlantic Sun Conference. Ellison appeared in 21 games off the bench last season for the Red Foxes and totaled 40 points and 25 assists on 31 percent shooting on the season. Ellison will look for an improved role with Stetson.
As the season fast approaches, these players will look to build on their careers at Marist and take their talents to new heights.
Edited by Andrew Hard
Photo from Marist Athletics
You folks are killing it – great job and interesting