The 2020-21 college basketball gets underway Tuesday, Nov. 9 with nine Summit League men's squads and seven women's squads set to open their respective seasons.
So, with the preseason All-Summit League first and second teams featuring 22 returning players, contributing writer Greg Mitchell takes a look at five newcomers rostered on #SummitMBB and #SummitWBB teams that he expects to make an immediate impact on the hardwood this season.
Five Men's Basketball Newcomers To Watch
Erik Oliver, G, 6’1, Soph. (South Dakota): There would seem to be shots available in Vermillion with A.J. Plitzuweit recovering from an ACL injury and Stanley Umude having transferred out of the program. Todd Lee may have found just the player to add some punch to his offense. Oliver joins the Coyotes after scoring 20.9 ppg and earning NCJAA honorable mention All-American honors at Laramie County Community College last season. The guard improved as a three-point shooter a year ago, and brings dynamic potential, having once scored 51 points in a game for the Golden Eagles. Coyotes fans are surely drooling at the prospect of Oliver and Plitzuweit on the court together, whether that comes later this season or next.
Evan Gilyard II, G, 5’10, Gr. (Kansas City): Billy Donlon added a jolt of experience to his backcourt by bringing on Gilyard, a player who has started 66 games over a four-year career split between UTEP and, most recently, New Mexico State. The Chicago native had the distinction of playing on both sides of that fierce Southwest rivalry, and joins the Roos quest to climb the Summit League standings. The lead guard carries a career 10.1 points per game scoring average and, likely more important to Donlon, comes with a reputation as an excellent perimeter defender.
Trenton Massner, G, 6’2, Jr. (Western Illinois): The Leathernecks at times struggled from the three-point line in Summit League play last season, but Rob Jeter must like his team’s chances for that to improve after adding Massner to his backcourt rotation. The Northwestern State transfer is coming off a year that saw him score 13.1 ppg and shoot 37.5 percent from distance, including hitting three long range shots in five of the season’s final eight games. The All-Southland second teamer joins a WIU program that is just 75 miles from his hometown of Wapello, Iowa.
Isaac McBride, G, 6’0, Soph. (Oral Roberts): Max Abmas may not be the only dynamic guard in Tulsa this season. The Golden Eagles’ superstar has a new potential offensive running mate in McBride, a Vanderbilt transfer that was a highly-regarded prep recruit in 2019. The shooting guard played in 21 games for the Commodores a year ago and flashed big-time potential, such as scoring 16 points and hitting four 3-pointers against Ole Miss at the tail end of the season. Paul Mills will likely turn to McBride to provide further floor spacing on a team that was as dangerous as any from distance in 2020-21.
Brendan Howard, F, 6’5, Jr. (North Dakota): The Fighting Hawks welcome plenty of new faces this season, many of whom will look to step into the big offensive role left open when Filip Rebraca transferred. College of Southern Idaho big man Tsotne Tsartsidze, whose junior college coach
called him a “diamond,” has exciting potential, but Howard brings a mountain of credentials. The Montana State-Billings transfer had an illustrious prep career, being named Gatorade Player of the Year in Montana twice and being the first player in the Big Sky State’s top prep division to score 2,000 career points. That continued for the Yellowjackets, where he scored over 1,000 points in two full seasons. The forward is also surely itching to get back on the court after Montana State-Billings’ 2020-21 campaign was limited to just two games due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Five Women's Basketball Newcomers To Watch
Addaya Moore, G, 5’10, Rs. Sr. (Western Illinois): Leathernecks' coach JD Gravina is surely expecting big things from Moore, who transfers into the program with a wealth of experience. The guard was set to be a key cog and starter at Cincinnati last year before an injury ended her season after just four games. The Granite City, Ill., native has been a quality rebounder throughout her career -- which began at Illinois -- and was having a career year across the board last season (5.8 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 2.5 apg) before getting hurt. Of the returning Leathernecks, only Evan Zars and Danni Nichols averaged more rebounds per game than Moore has the past two seasons (4.4 rpg).
Indeya Sanders, G, 5’6, Gr. (Denver): The Pioneers figure to have a blur in their backcourt this season after convincing Sanders to head West. The combo guard transferred into Doshia Woods’ program after four years at American, spending the past two as a locked-in starter that averaged 35 minutes per game. Sanders is a dynamic ballhandler that can push the pace and beat players off the dribble, a skillset that should fit nicely into a Pioneer team that liked to play downhill and attack the basket a season ago. Notably, Sanders got to the free throw line at one of the highest rates in the country in 2020-21, and rarely missed when there by shooting 84.6 percent from the charity stripe.
Tess Santos, F, 6’0, Gr. (Denver): If Sanders provides punch on the perimeter, then Santos brings the Pioneers reinforcements down low. The Lisbon, Portugal native comes to Denver with plenty of experience after starting 91 games over a four-year career at Presbyterian College, as well as playing at various youth levels for the Portuguese national team in high school. Woods is likely expecting Santos to plug in immediately, especially on the defensive end.
Brooklyn McDavid, F, 6’1, Gr. (Kansas City): Jacie Hoyt brought in a bevy of newcomers, but McDavid may be at the front of the class. The Pacific transfer was a star in the West Coast Conference, making the All-WCC First Team as a junior and getting All-WCC Honorable Mention a season ago. The forward was a constant starter over her four-year career as a Tiger, and should be a go-to scoring option for the Roos. She comes to Kansas City with a career 12.6 ppg scoring average, and has never shot lower than 44.6 percent from the field in a season.
Nyjah White, F, 5’11, Gr. (Kansas City): White is another of the seven incoming Roos and, like McDavid, should play a key role for Kansas City. The Columbia, Mo. native returns to her home state after being a steady starter over a four-year career at Bradley. Her former coach has
praised her versatility, and White posted back-to-back seasons averaging at least 10 points and five rebounds per game the past two years. She should give the Roos an instant boost on the defensive end, but don’t overlook her ability to make plays from the forward position. White averaged 3.4 assists per game last season, a figure that would’ve led the Roos in 2020-21.
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