UNC Greensboro Basketball: 2021-22 season preview for Spartans

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UNC Greensboro Basketball guard Kobe Langley Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports /

Key reserves

G De’Monte Buckingham, Grad. Student

De’Monte Buckingham is another addition from the transfer portal that should contribute right away off the bench for UNC Greensboro basketball. He’s well-traveled after spending two seasons at Richmond University from 2016-18 and three seasons, including a redshirt year from 2018-21, at Cal-State Bakersfield.

At 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, he’ll add depth for them at the guard/wing spot. He averaged 7.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg, and 1.3 apg in 19.7 minutes of action in 2020-21. With a move into the SoCon, he’ll look to carve out a similar role, especially defensively.

G Kobe Langley, Junior

Kobe Langley played a minor role off the bench for last year’s SoCon regular season and conference tournament champions, but that should change for much of 2021-22. He averaged just 1.7 ppg, 1.6 apg, and 1.5 apg in 11.3 minutes per game. With room in the backcourt, his role and production should increase.

G A.J. Williams, Freshman

A.J. Williams is the lone freshman in the class that could see time in the lineup. He’s got a strong knack for scoring on the perimeter and when he really gets in a rhythm, he’s hard to stop getting to the rim. He spent this past season at Oak Hill Academy in Virginia, where he averaged 14.4 ppg on the wing.

G/W Jalen White, Junior

Jalen White is another addition from the transfer portal that spent the past two seasons at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. He was a formidable 6-foot-5 guard/wing that developed nicely with the Islanders, posting 11.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg, and 1.7 apg. He’s due to improve their perimeter shooting off the bench after shooting 41.4 percent (12-of-29) across 23 starts in 24 appearances this past year. With two years of eligibility left, he should fill a void in their three-guard front as a reserve.

F/C Bas Leyte, Junior

Bas Leyte will have an opportunity to carve a role for himself in a depleted frontcourt. He’s a returner that averaged 1.3 ppg and 1.7 rpg across 29 contests in 2020-21. He’ll be looked upon to provide some depth in the frontcourt and should improve as a rim protector.