Men's Basketball Newcomer Notebook
Oct 16 | Men's Basketball
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – With 24 days until the season opener, four Rutgers men's basketball newcomers discussed their transition to the team and preparing for the upcoming season. The four eligible members this season include one junior in junior college transfer Shaq Carter and a trio of freshmen: Montez Mathis, Ron Harper Jr. and Caleb McConnell.
"They're great to coach," head coach Steve Pikiell said. "They're in the gym all the time. They have enthusiasm about them. I love their personalities. They all bring something a little different. You've got a little bit of everything with them, which I like. The skills they bring are things we didn't have in the program. They all come to work, and I'm really excited about them."
Shaq Carter comes to the Scarlet Knights after two seasons at Eastern Florida State College. The Fort Lauderdale, Fla. native helped that squad advance to two straight Final Fours while continually producing double-digits in points and rebounds.
"He's becoming one of our better post defenders," Pikiell said. "He can score around the bucket. He's showing signs every day of learning our systems. He's got no issues physically. He can play right away."
Carter will look to make an immediate impact, with two seasons of eligibility remaining. Recently named to the Preseason Big Ten All-Newcomer team by Street & Smith's, Carter is eager to make his presence felt at both ends of the floor."
"Practice has been great so far," Carter said. "Coach has done a great job of making sure that we understand what's going on. My teammates have been very helpful with that. I'm just adapting to the intensity level and the fast pace of the game here. I'm just working on being a good teammate on and off the court and focusing on my rebounding."
Montez Mathis comes to The Banks as a consensus four-star recruit. A First team all-conference performer in the famed Baltimore Catholic league, Mathis brings a scoring touch to the shooting guard spot.
"He's a freak athlete," Pikiell said. "He can shoot the ball. He gets to the rim. And he's a playmaker. He makes plays for other people, which I'm excited about. He really has a nice way about him on the court. His teammates love him. He's going to have a nice career here. He's got that Baltimore toughness."
A noted scorer, Mathis averaged 26.7 points at the John Carrol School, while also excelling in the transition game and on defense. The top overall recruit in Maryland last year, Mathis is excited to bring his skills to the Garden State.
"I play with a lot of heart and toughness," Mathis explained. "I feel like I can help with my defense, that's been stepping up a lot since high school. I'll do anything I can to help this team."
Joining Mathis is another four-star recruit in Ron Harper Jr. The pair provides Rutgers multiple four-star signees in the same class for the first time since 2008.
"He's really skilled," Pikiell said. "He's got a great personality. He's picked up our offenses really quickly, he's got a high IQ. He can really shoot it. He's kind of unique – he can block shots, he's athletic, he can get to the rack, he can post them up. So he's got a versatility to his game. I'm really excited about where he can be down the road."
The son of Ron Harper, a 15-year NBA veteran who won five titles with the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers, Harper Jr. brings an advance pedigree. His talents have already been noticed, as he led the men's team at the MidKnight Madness three-point competition, stroking 18 in the first round and 16 in the finals. Having been around the game since a very young age, Harper is ecstatic about staying in his home state for his collegiate career.
"I feel like I ended up in the perfect spot," Harper, Jr. said. "I play hard and I play for my team. This is the perfect fit for me at Rutgers. I get to stay here and play for the state university and in one of the best conferences in the country. I have Jersey pride. It doesn't get much better than this. I feel like with this group of guys we have, we can do something special."
Caleb McConnell rounds out the quartet. Possessing great height for a guard, he brings good ball-handling skills to the point guard position.
"He's 6-6 and really long," Pikiell explained. "He and Geo Baker have been battling every day in practice. He has a terrific floater in the lane. He knows how to play. He can shoot the ball from deep. He can really handle the ball and pass the ball. He's got swagger. He's got a chance to be really good."
McConnell excelled in high school at the SPIRE Academy in Ohio, averaging Averaged 15.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.0 steals-per-game as a senior. Originally from Jacksonville, Fla., he is eager to begin his career as a Scarlet Knight.
"I'm trying to be a good leader from the point guard spot," McConnell said. "I've been working hard in practice and I'm just trying to stay ready so that I can perform when my numbers called."
Men's basketball fans have the opportunity to support the Scarlet Knights 17 times at the RAC, comprised of 10 conference contests, as well as multiple games against regional hardwood foes. Five Big Ten programs that have won NCAA men's basketball titles will compete in Piscataway. Fans can secure season tickets, flex ticket plans and single-game non-conference tickets online, or by calling 866-445-GORU (4678). Additional information can obtained by visiting RutgersGameday.com.
Follow Rutgers men's (@RutgersMBB) and women's (@RutgersWBB) basketball on Twitter and Instagram for news and updates. For additional updates, download the Rutgers Gameday App.
"They're great to coach," head coach Steve Pikiell said. "They're in the gym all the time. They have enthusiasm about them. I love their personalities. They all bring something a little different. You've got a little bit of everything with them, which I like. The skills they bring are things we didn't have in the program. They all come to work, and I'm really excited about them."
Shaq Carter comes to the Scarlet Knights after two seasons at Eastern Florida State College. The Fort Lauderdale, Fla. native helped that squad advance to two straight Final Fours while continually producing double-digits in points and rebounds.
"He's becoming one of our better post defenders," Pikiell said. "He can score around the bucket. He's showing signs every day of learning our systems. He's got no issues physically. He can play right away."
Carter will look to make an immediate impact, with two seasons of eligibility remaining. Recently named to the Preseason Big Ten All-Newcomer team by Street & Smith's, Carter is eager to make his presence felt at both ends of the floor."
"Practice has been great so far," Carter said. "Coach has done a great job of making sure that we understand what's going on. My teammates have been very helpful with that. I'm just adapting to the intensity level and the fast pace of the game here. I'm just working on being a good teammate on and off the court and focusing on my rebounding."
Montez Mathis comes to The Banks as a consensus four-star recruit. A First team all-conference performer in the famed Baltimore Catholic league, Mathis brings a scoring touch to the shooting guard spot.
"He's a freak athlete," Pikiell said. "He can shoot the ball. He gets to the rim. And he's a playmaker. He makes plays for other people, which I'm excited about. He really has a nice way about him on the court. His teammates love him. He's going to have a nice career here. He's got that Baltimore toughness."
A noted scorer, Mathis averaged 26.7 points at the John Carrol School, while also excelling in the transition game and on defense. The top overall recruit in Maryland last year, Mathis is excited to bring his skills to the Garden State.
"I play with a lot of heart and toughness," Mathis explained. "I feel like I can help with my defense, that's been stepping up a lot since high school. I'll do anything I can to help this team."
Joining Mathis is another four-star recruit in Ron Harper Jr. The pair provides Rutgers multiple four-star signees in the same class for the first time since 2008.
"He's really skilled," Pikiell said. "He's got a great personality. He's picked up our offenses really quickly, he's got a high IQ. He can really shoot it. He's kind of unique – he can block shots, he's athletic, he can get to the rack, he can post them up. So he's got a versatility to his game. I'm really excited about where he can be down the road."
The son of Ron Harper, a 15-year NBA veteran who won five titles with the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers, Harper Jr. brings an advance pedigree. His talents have already been noticed, as he led the men's team at the MidKnight Madness three-point competition, stroking 18 in the first round and 16 in the finals. Having been around the game since a very young age, Harper is ecstatic about staying in his home state for his collegiate career.
"I feel like I ended up in the perfect spot," Harper, Jr. said. "I play hard and I play for my team. This is the perfect fit for me at Rutgers. I get to stay here and play for the state university and in one of the best conferences in the country. I have Jersey pride. It doesn't get much better than this. I feel like with this group of guys we have, we can do something special."
Caleb McConnell rounds out the quartet. Possessing great height for a guard, he brings good ball-handling skills to the point guard position.
"He's 6-6 and really long," Pikiell explained. "He and Geo Baker have been battling every day in practice. He has a terrific floater in the lane. He knows how to play. He can shoot the ball from deep. He can really handle the ball and pass the ball. He's got swagger. He's got a chance to be really good."
McConnell excelled in high school at the SPIRE Academy in Ohio, averaging Averaged 15.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.0 steals-per-game as a senior. Originally from Jacksonville, Fla., he is eager to begin his career as a Scarlet Knight.
"I'm trying to be a good leader from the point guard spot," McConnell said. "I've been working hard in practice and I'm just trying to stay ready so that I can perform when my numbers called."
Men's basketball fans have the opportunity to support the Scarlet Knights 17 times at the RAC, comprised of 10 conference contests, as well as multiple games against regional hardwood foes. Five Big Ten programs that have won NCAA men's basketball titles will compete in Piscataway. Fans can secure season tickets, flex ticket plans and single-game non-conference tickets online, or by calling 866-445-GORU (4678). Additional information can obtained by visiting RutgersGameday.com.
Follow Rutgers men's (@RutgersMBB) and women's (@RutgersWBB) basketball on Twitter and Instagram for news and updates. For additional updates, download the Rutgers Gameday App.
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