Two new names emerge in Maryland's search for frontcourt help
Two new names have emerged in Maryland’s search for frontcourt help.
The first is Manhattan graduate transfer Pauly Paulicap, who entered the transfer portal on Tuesday. The Terps couldn’t wait to reach out to the 6-foot-8, 220-pound big man, especially with Westtown (Pa.) center Frank Kepnang announcing his plans to stay in the class of 2021 earlier this week.
The other new name is Huntington Prep (WV) center Seny Ndiaye, a raw but athletic 6-foot-11 shot-blocker who came to the United States from Senegal less than two years ago. Ndiaye is a class of 2020 recruit but he’s currently deciding between enrolling at a college this year or prepping at Brewster Academy (NH). He holds offers from West Virginia and Marshall along with interest from Maryland, Illinois and Wake Forest.
While Ndiaye looks like someone who could need another year or two before he’s ready to provide quality minutes in the Big Ten, Paulicap is about as good of a big man as you’ll find on the transfer market this late in the offseason and could be a real gift if Terps coach Mark Turgeon is able to work his magic and bring him to College Park. The New York native was named MAAC Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore, and after missing all but 10 games of his junior season due to injury, returned to led the Jaspers in scoring (10.4 ppg), rebounding (6.6 rpg) and blocks (1.9) this past season.
Paulicap hit the market just days after Kepnang announced that he would remain in the 2021 class. Kepnang was one of two high school big men that Maryland was trying to get to reclass, along with Canadian big man Charles Bedaiko who opted for a prep year at IMG Academy two weeks ago.
The Terps still have three unused scholarships for next season and could use some more capable bodies up front with all-Big Ten performer Jalen Smith off to the NBA and deep reserves Ricky Lindo (George Washington) and Joshua Tomaic (San Diego State) each opting to transfer down a level. Sophomore Donta Scott returns as the team’s starting power forward, but outside of him there’s more questions up front than answers. 7-foot-3 sophomore Chol Marial and Alabama graduate transfer Galin Smith are currently projected to split time at center, but Marial hasn’t made it through a full season in years due to lingering leg injuries and Smith never averaged more than 13 minutes per game in three seasons with the Crimson Tide. There’s a chance the NCAA grants Boston College transfer Jairus Hamilton immediately eligibility, which would certainly help the team’s frontcourt issues, but he’s more of a hybrid forward than a true big man. Paulicap, on the other hand, is regarded as an elite shot blocker and post defender and could compete with Marial and Smith at center.
More recruiting news:
-- Class of 2021 three-star Milbrook (NC) forward Eric van der Heijden included Maryland in his top-10 Wednesday. The Terps, who offered the North Carolina native last month, made the cut along with Louisville, Iowa, Wake Forest, Marquette, Texas, Providence, Clemson, Ole Miss and Cincinnati.
-- Maryland also extended an offer to class of 2022 Sidwell Friends (DC) forward George Perkins today, whose had quite the come-up the past couple of weeks. Howard was his only offer before VCU and George Washington entered the fold on the first day college coaches could reach out to rising juniors earlier this month, and now the biggest Power Conference program in the area is involved.
