The Three Rivers College Men’s basketball team is set to bring in an entirely new roster for the upcoming season.
Both coach Brian Bess and Trey Rakes hit the recruiting circuit hard this summer, looking for the right pieces to elevate their team.
“Recruitment for us was really good this offseason,” Rakes said. “We're very excited about the guys we're bringing next year. We focused a lot on building our depth after the injuries we suffered last year. There will be a few experienced players and a core group of freshmen. We’re definitely excited about our recruiting class.”
Due to early injuries from some of their top players last season, the Raiders struggled to stay above .500, and Bess said adding more depth to their roster could help with progression in the postseason when those late injuries start to occur.
Rakes said they had their eyes on many different players who had the exact type of build and athleticism they were looking for. One of their top priorities was feeling the holes in their roster and he believes they accomplished it.
“I think adding more athleticism was definitely our mission this summer,” Rakes said. Last season, we had some guys that were athletic and some guys that probably weren't up to speed with the competition that we played against, especially with our tough schedule. I believe we’ve gotten bigger in some areas, such as guard play, and I’m just eager to get started with this talented group.”
The Raiders are bringing in 12 new players for the upcoming season.
First is 6-foot-5 point guard Faheim Meran from Miami, FL. Meran is a Chicago State transfer and was a three-star guard coming out of high school, where he won a state championship. Meran will bring a lot of experience and size to the Raiders’ roster.
Helping with the Raiders’ length is 6-foot-8 Daniel Delev from Svetlina, Bulgaria. Rakes said Delev is bringing a lot of talent. He is versatile and has some promising athleticism to help the Raiders get over the hump in size. Next is a 6-foot-7 sophomore wing, Anthony Sellars of Winston Salem, NC. Sellars averaged 12.8 points and 8.6 rebounds a game for Colby Community College last season.
“He'll be a sophomore on next year's team, so we're hoping he brings that experience and the competitive nature he's played,” Rakes said. “I think he's going to help us right away, and he does a lot of great things as far as rebounding and scoring, so we're definitely excited about him.”
Additional recruits include shooting guard Kyle Edison, who was first-team All-State and a kid who can score the ball, according to Rakes—other guards include Demetris White, Gemini Charles, Davarious Montgomery and Bryce Wallace.
“We wanted to get guys that would fit into what we're trying to do as far as working hard and winning,” he said. “We really looked at guys that came from a winning background and program. We can teach a lot of things, but teaching someone how to win and compete is not one of them, so we’re very fortunate to land some guys that understand that.”
Returning for the Raiders is guard D.J. Prater, Caleb Young and Joey Thomas. Thomas red-shirted for the Raiders last season and Rakes said he was one of those kids who competed in practice every day. Having Thomas back is a plus because he understands the system and style and should be a player the others can lean on.
Though the Raiders have started their team from scratch, Bess and Rakes expect the returners to step up and help the newcomers adjust to their system.
“We’re expecting leadership from our returners,” Rakes said. “They saw some things last year that worked and things that didn't. For them, it's all about leading these new guys, being role models and doing the right things on and off the floor.”
Rakes said they're excited to bring in some experienced players who’ve played that type of level of basketball. He feels it will be a great mix with the many freshmen they brought in.
As the Raiders prepare for their upcoming season, Rakes hopes to see a change in their level of play as they have spent many hours recruiting the right pieces for their offense and defense.
“Our schedule is going to be challenging for next season as always,” Rakes said. “I think the team we put together has so much depth compared to last year. We ran into a ton of adversity by losing three starters due to season-ending injuries, which for any team that’s tough.
Now with the 15 guys we've added, everybody can play right away and is talented enough to compete with other high-level players with no drop-off. We believe we have the right guys to get the job done.”
D'Courtland Christian - Daily American Republic