The recent changes in college basketball haven’t made life easy for mid-major programs but VCU is one of those teams that just stays relevant. Even after another head coaching chance, the Rams are fresh off a fantastic debut season under Phil Martelli Jr., with 28 wins, A-10 regular season and conference titles, and a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Moving and shaking
Top scorer Terrence Hill has taken his talents to Tennessee but there are a lot of reasons still to be exciting for this upcoming season. The Rams return six notable rotation pieces, including Lazar Djokovic and two other starters. Former starters Barry Evans and Jadrian Tracey were seniors and are gone, but expect big things from players like Ahmad Norwell, Michael Belle and Brandon Jennings.
There’s a pair of Top 100 recruits joining the fold for the Rams, getting 4-star recruits in Sammy Jackson and Collin Ross. Beyond that frontcourt help, a few transfers fill out the rest of the depth for the Rams. Former Middle Tennessee forward Torey Alston joins after averaging more than 13 points a game as a sophomore while former Sacred Heart guard Nyle Ralph-Beyer adds depth in the backcourt as well.
Harper stays local
From that notable backcourt depth we get Blake Harper, a 6-5 guard from Washington DC with plenty of potential. As a freshman, he starred at Howard, becoming the MEAC Player of the Year by averaging 19.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game. After that work with the Bisons, Harper spent last season at Creighton, starting a handful of games while putting up 7.7 points and 3.6 rebounds a game.
If Harper can put together a stat line somewhere in the middle of those efforts, then VCU would certainly love what he can bring to town. He’s got great athleticism and strength for his size and has already been a reliable piece for a power conference program. VCU won’t need 19 points a game from him, but becoming a consistent offensive weapon would certainly help put the Rams back in the national conversation again.
Combined Harper’s potential with the returning pieces and it’s easy to see why there’s a lot of excitement among the folks in Richmond. Whether or not this team can exceed last season’s results rests on a lot of different factors, but having the potential of a top-level scorer like Harper certainly helps matters. Don’t be surprised if he becomes the best scorer in this VCU backcourt.
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