Pinging The Portal: Cincinnati Stays Focused on Pair of Guard Targets

CINCINNATI — Wes Miller and the Bearcats have contacted plenty of players in the transfer portal, and that continued over the weekend, starting with Charlotte guard Jahmir Young.

Young is a three-time All-Conference USA player and averaged 19.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 3.7 assists for the 49ers in 2021-22. The microwave scorer is a crafty finisher around the rim and a capable outside shooter (34.1%). Young posted a stellar 58.5% true shooting mark last season and has steadily improved his efficiency every year.

The 6-foot-2 scorer is focused on preparing for the 2022 NBA Draft but has drawn interest from other schools like Gonzaga, Kansas, and Maryland.

4/14 UPDATE: Young told 247Sports's Dushawn London that Cincinnati, South Carolina, Wake Forest, and Maryland are his top choices.

The other new portal interest comes in Morehead State guard Ta'Lon Cooper. The junior averaged 9.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists in 2021-22. Those numbers were good enough to crack the All-OVC team despite his struggles shooting the ball.

Cooper shot 40.8% from the field and totaled a 51.2% true shooting rate across 34 games. He made up for it by leading the OVC in total assists (202) and playing stout defense at 6-foot-4, 190 pounds. Cooper was 10th in the OVC in defensive rating (97.9) and was 11th in blocks as a guard (23).

He has heard from other schools like Georgetown, Iowa State, Wichita State, Wake Forest, and South Carolina.

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