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Maryland Basketball: Analyzing the Terrapins rotation for 2018-19

By Anthony Brown

SPOKANE, WA - MARCH 18: The Maryland Terrapins pep band performs during the Terrapins and South Dakota State Jackrabbits game during the first round of the 2016 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena on March 18, 2016 in Spokane, Washington. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SPOKANE, WA - MARCH 18: The Maryland Terrapins pep band performs during the Terrapins and South Dakota State Jackrabbits game during the first round of the 2016 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena on March 18, 2016 in Spokane, Washington. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /
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EAST LANSING, MI – JANUARY 4: Bruno Fernando #23 of the Maryland Terrapins drives baseline defended by Xavier Tilman #23 of the Michigan State Spartans at Breslin Center on January 4, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI – JANUARY 4: Bruno Fernando #23 of the Maryland Terrapins drives baseline defended by Xavier Tilman #23 of the Michigan State Spartans at Breslin Center on January 4, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /

C  Bruno Fernando (SO)

Maryland Basketball almost lost Fernando to the NBA Draft but he withdrew and decided to come back for his sophomore season. A good thing for Maryland Basketball seeing as, had they lost him, an energetic piece in the frontcourt would have been gone just as soon as they got him.

Fernando came to College Park as an international student from Angola. He made his presence felt right away. He set the tone for the team early on celebrating and pumping up the crowd at the Xfinity Center after he made big plays.

Pairing him with Jalen Smith is going to be a sight to behold. Are they going to click right away during the season? No, clicking in practice is one thing but clicking in the game is totally different when you factor in the level of talent you’re facing each game both inside and outside of the conference. It may take them a while during the season but it will happen.

I think the next step for Fernando is building his midrange game. if he can do that, in addition to the aggressiveness on the boards, his ability to back down his defender and be a fierce defender with his size, teams will have trouble with him.

He has the potential to average a double-double in points and rebounds should his game take the next step.

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