Following Thanksgiving, college basketball teams are starting to figure out their rotations as they get closer to conference play. The Marist men had an excellent week as they went 2-0 with wins over Columbia and Maine in the Basketball Hall of Fame London Showcase. The women were the opposite as they went 0-2 with blowout losses to Columbia and Vermont.
For Marist’s 12 Division I transfers, it was a mixed bag of solid performances and players still searching for minutes. The week saw players earn spots in the rotation and take steps back from previous weeks. Let’s dive into how the transfers did in week four.
First, on the women’s side, junior guard Anabel Ellison is the stud of the week for the transfers. Ellison started both games for Stetson University this week and contributed. Ellison had six points and one rebound in a loss to the University of Denver and three points, two rebounds, and one assist in a loss to Florida State. After a slow first week, Ellison has earned a spot in the starting lineup. This is also Ellison’s second time as the stud of the week.
Graduate student guard Sarah Barcello had another decent week for San Diego State University. Barcello had five points and one rebound in a win over UC San Diego. She also had four points and one assist in a loss to the University of San Francisco. Barcello has earned a spot in the rotation, and she has shown the ability to fill up the stat sheet.
Senior guard Trey Kennedy once again struggled to find minutes for George Mason University this week. Kennedy did not play in a win over East Carolina University, and they only played one minute in a win over American University. At this point in the season, it looks like Kennedy will not be a major factor in the rotation.
On the men’s side, graduate student forward Braden Bell had the best week. Although he only played one game, Bell had his best game of the season for Prairie View A&M University, as he had 13 points and three rebounds in a loss to Rice. Bell continues to perform for Prairie View, and he has solidified his spot in the rotation.
Sophomore guard Jao Ituka surprisingly took a step back this week for Wake Forest University. Ituka did not play in the Big Ten/ACC challenge against Wisconsin, and he only played three minutes and had four turnovers against Clemson. The week marked Ituka’s first real exposure against other high-major teams. If he wants to get back into the rotation and earn a longer leash, he’ll need to clean up the turnover problems.
Graduate student center Victor Enoh returned to play this week for UNC Wilmington. Enoh played eight minutes and had one rebound in a win over Coastal Carolina in his only of the week. Enoh has cooled off following his strong start to the season. He will look to get back to his play early in the season and get more minutes.
Graduate transfer guard Matt Herasme had a decent week for the University of New Hampshire. Herasme had three points, two rebounds, and one assist in a loss to Sacred Heart. He followed this with eight points, nine rebounds, and two assists in a loss to Columbia. Herasme has earned a spot in the starting lineup, and he will look to get back to winning ways next week.
Graduate student guard Raheim Sullivan improved his play this week for the New Jersey Institute of Technology. Sullivan had six points and one assist in a loss to Cincinnati. He then had eight points, five rebounds, and one assist in a loss to Bucknell. Sullivan is playing better, but his team is 1-7. He will look to change the course of his team’s season before it’s too late.
Junior guard Ricardo Wright is not having the season he hoped for. Wright once again struggled to find minutes for SMU this week. Wright did not play against Jackson State, and he only played three minutes in a loss to Texas A&M. At this point in the season, Wright has not earned a spot in the rotation, and it looks like he may have made the wrong decision leaving Marist where he would have been the team’s first option. It will be interesting to see what happens with Wright in the coming weeks.
With conference play fast approaching, the Marist transfers who aren’t getting many minutes will have to try to play their way into a bigger role, and the former Red Foxes that are seeing court time will hope to keep making an impact with their respective teams.
Edited by Jonathan Kinane
Photo from Marist Athletics