Texas Tech once more has a bunch of latest gamers on its roster. This time, the newcomers are a lot youthful.
The Twenty fifth-ranked Pink Raiders go into the second season for homegrown head coach Mark Adams with solely three returning gamers. The ten newcomers embody 5 true freshmen and 5 transfers, solely two of them seniors.
“Our greatest problem for our teaching employees is to get these guys pondering older and taking part in older, and taking part in with some maturity,” Adams mentioned.
4 of Texas Tech’s major starters by a lot of the Huge 12 schedule final season have been seniors of their first — and solely season — in this system. Senior large man Marcus Santos-Silva was in his second season after three at VCU.
The lone returning starter is s uper senior ahead Kevin Obanor, who averaged 10 factors and 5.5 rebounds as Tech went 27-10 and made it to the NCAA Candy 16.
A touted switch class contains 4 guards and 6-foot-11 ahead Fardaws Aimaq, who averaged 12.7 factors and 11.1 rebounds a recreation over the previous three seasons at Utah Valley State. The 2-time Western Athletic Convention defensive participant of the 12 months is predicted to overlook the beginning of the season with a foot damage.
Kerwin Walton began as a freshman at North Carolina earlier than being restricted by accidents as a sophomore final season, when guard D’Maurian Williams averaged 14.5 factors at Gardner-Webb. De’Vion Harmon returns to his house state with two seasons of eligibility remaining after averaging 10.8 factors at Oregon final season, following two years at Oklahoma. Jaylon Tyson transferred from Texas in the course of the Christmas break final season.
“We have been very, very selective on who to herald and did our due diligence to search out the best guys that had the perspective that wished to be coached,” Adams mentioned. “However nonetheless we’re a protracted methods from making an attempt to get this crew to be a crew.”
FRESH FISHER
5-star prospect Elijah Fisher joined the Pink Raiders after his junior 12 months at Crestwood Academy in Toronto, the place the 6-6 guard performed on the varsity degree for six years.
“He’s the youngest participant on our crew. Some of the extremely recruited gamers we’ve ever had with the Pink Raiders, however he’s taking part in with numerous physicality, maturity,” Adams mentioned. “I already suppose he’s going to be considered one of our greatest defensive gamers, which is considerably of a shock for a younger man to have the ability to have that sort of defensive instincts and maturity. Excessive expectations for him.”
USING HIS HELP
Very concerned as the highest assistant for Chris Beard, Adams stayed that manner in his first season as Tech’s head coach. He plans to delegate extra in Yr 2, particularly with two new assistant coaches.
Whereas nonetheless planning on doing many of the protection, Adams goes to get assistance on the offensive facet from Al Pinkins from Florida and three-time junior faculty nationwide championship coach Steve Inexperienced from South Plains Faculty in Texas.
“I’m making a couple of adjustments,” Adams mentioned. “We’re making an attempt to be somewhat extra aggressive getting up and down the ground somewhat faster, and getting somewhat extra circulate to our offense once more.”
LOST IN THE PORTAL
The Pink Raiders misplaced two of their high scorers when guard Terrence Shannon Jr. (10.4 factors per recreation) transferred to Illinois after three seasons in Lubbock and guard Kevin McCullar (10.1 ppg) went to Huge 12 rival Kansas after 4 years.
WINNING COURT
Texas Tech went 18-0 at house final season, and has received 21 video games in a row on campus.
THE TUNE-UPS
Texas Tech is house for eight of its 12 video games earlier than the Huge 12 opener at No. 14 TCU on New Yr’s Eve. The one time the Pink Raiders go away Texas earlier than Jan. 10 is for 3 video games in Maui the week of Thanksgiving. They are going to be in Houston on Dec. 17 to play Jackson State within the HBCU Roundball Traditional.
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Extra AP faculty basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25