America East Basketball News & Notes: The transfer portal is humming

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Now that the college basketball season is over, another season has begun. I am referring to the transfer portal. This is where players, for different reasons, head to looking for a better chance at getting more playing time, or a better conference to be in. The portal has become a popular destination for players over the last couple of years. Since the NCAA granted an extra year due to Covid, the portal has been loaded up with players from everywhere. To say the least, even in a league like America East, the list of players entering the portal is long. Here is the complete list as of early April.

Teams that were hit hardest by players leaving included UNH, who have lost seven players from this past season’s team. Among them are starters Nick Guadarrama and Jayden Martinez, who is heading to North Texas University. Also looking for a new place to call home are Marco Fisher, Chris Lester, Sloan Seymour, Blondeau Tchovkuiengo, KJ McClung, and Quin Murphy. A lot of work and traveling look to be ahead for the UNH coaching staff as they try to rebuild for next season.

Hartford is a bit of a different story since the program is in the midst of moving down from division one to three. It is no surprise that players are moving on. All told, nine members of last season’s squad are doing just that. Moses Flowers, and Hunter Marks, were key contributors to the team that won the America East postseason tournament two years ago and went on to play in the NCAA tournament. Joining them are Briggs McClain, Jared Kimbrough, David Shriver, Austin Williams, Thomas Webley, DeJuan Clayton, DeRohn, and DJ Mitchell. The Hawks are getting one transfer in seven-foot RS-JR Pierre Sow who is leaving Virginia State to play at Hartford.

UMBC, who lost in the conference tournament title game, will be without LJ Owens, Keondre Kennedy, Nathan Johnson, Brendan Davis, and Hakim Byrd. Owens is probably the best in this group. He averaged 11.3 points per game with three rebounds and two assists a night for the Retrievers. Kennedy also started for UMBC and averaged 15 points and five rebounds a game.

NJIT lost Dylan O’hearn who averaged 12 points a night in 25 starts for the Highlanders. James Lee at eight points a game made 17 starts and 19 appearances overall. Jason Murphy, who was just under two points a game in 10 outings, has found a new home already in St. Francis.

UMass Lowell has lost four to the portal, two that played minutes for the team and two that did not see any time at all. The two that did see time were Kalil Thomas who started all 30 games for the River Hawks and averaged nine points a night to go along with four boards a game. Gregory Hammond, who came off the bench for Lowell, averaged 2.4 points and 2.1 rebounds in 15 games last season. The two that did not see any time at all were Richie Greaves, a guard, and Caleb Bates a forward.

Albany has a couple of players they will be without going forward. Jarvis Doles made 24 starts last season for the Great Danes and averaged seven points and four rebounds a game. Jamel Horton was named the America East Defensive Player of the Year and also led the team in scoring at 13 points a night, in 29 games played. He also played a team-leading 33 minutes a ball game and passed out 116 assists which led the league.

The Binghamton Bearcats were an early-season surprise in the league. However, they will have to make do without George Tinsley who scored five points a game and four rebounds off the Bearcats bench. Bret Hutchison, a seldom-used player only appearing in five games on the year. Kellen Ames, who got into 23 games averaged seven points a night with just under three boards a game. Bryce Beamer played 20 games off the Bearcats bench and scored four points a night. Yarden Willis, who played in 24 games with four starts, averaged two points and two boards.

The Maine Black Bears have themselves a new coach in Chris Markwood. Sadly it did not stop some players from leaving the program. Freshman guard Sam Ihekweaba had a good season off the Black Bears bench. He averaged six points a game in 26 games with one start. Stephane Ingo made 17 starts for Maine. He dropped seven points a game along with six rebounds. Ja’Shonte Wright-Mcleish started 18 games in 29 overall. He averaged seven points and two rebounds for Maine. Maks Klanjscek, another freshman in 21 starts, averaged ten points and two rebounds a contest.

The defending league and postseason champions, Vermont Catamounts, will also be losing players early. Thomas Murphy, who did not play at all in 2021-22, is looking for a fresh start somewhere else. Eric Becker only appeared in five games for Vermont in limited duty. Both of these players will be on the lookout for better opportunities.

The newest member of the league is the Bryant Bears coming over from the Northeast Conference where they won the postseason tournament and made their first-ever trip to the NCAA field of 68. They were defeated by Wright State in a first four matchup in Dayton, Ohio. They will be doing a little shuffling before their first season in America East. Chris Childs, a senior guard who averaged seven points a game, is moving on. So is Mike Iuzzolino, a freshman guard who played spotty minutes during the year. Bryant is getting an addition to the team in Antwan Walker who is coming from the Rhode Island Rams where he averaged eight points, and five rebounds in 30 games, four of them starts.

As you can see, it is a long list for sure. It may not be done, however from the looks of it, most of those that were thinking of leaving have done so. It just goes to show that even if you are a starting player like some of these were, you are always looking for a better place.