Category: Rutgers basketball

Rutgers women’s basketball has a new head coach in Coquese Washington with plenty of Big Ten experience

Rutgers women’s basketball has a new head coach in Coquese Washington who has lots of Big Ten basketball experience.

Coquese Washington is the next head coach of Rutgers women’s basketball. The announcement of Washington came on Monday evening as the former Notre Dame guard is set to become the third head coach in the program’s history.

Washington has a strong resume that most recdently includes the past two seasons as associate head coach for powerhouse Notre Dame, where she was a star player for the then Big East program.

She has 22 years of coaching experience  most notably a twelve-year stint at Penn State where she rebuilt the program and took them to the NCAA Tournament four times and the NIT three times. Twice under her direction, Washington led the Nittany Lions to the Sweet Sixteen.

While she has a very good reputation as a head coach, she was also quite the player in her own right. After her storied career at Notre Dame, she played several seasons in the WNBA including a couple seasons locally for the New York Liberty.

“I am beyond thrilled with the opportunity to be here at Rutgers, a university that excels both academically and athletically,” Washington said in a statment released by the university.

“Following in the footsteps of Hall of Fame coaches Theresa Grentz and C. Vivian Stringer is a tremendous honor. They exemplify achieving high levels of excellence with grace, class, integrity and dignity. The way they blazed trails and impacted the lives of student-athletes and coaches, beyond the ones on their teams, is nothing short of amazing. Standing on their shoulders to guide this program is going to be a wonderful adventure, and our family is eager to get to Piscataway and become a part of this remarkable community.”

The six-year contract for Washington gives the newest Rutgers head coach a guarantee of $4.625 million. There is also the possibility of meeting bonuses based on performance.

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The retirement of Stringer leaves a giant hole in the program as the Hall of Fame coach was a legend within the game. In some ways, Stringer’s clout was even bigger than the program itself.

Now, it is up to Washington to rebuild this program.

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Last year under acting head coach Timothy Eatman, Rutgers finished 11-20 with a second round loss in the Big Ten Tournament.

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How did Rutgers basketball star Ron Harper Jr. test at the NBA combine?

Ron Harper Jr. is at the NBA combine this week.

Ron Harper Jr. is doing himself a solid one this week at the NBA combine. The Rutgers small forward is enhancing his draft stock with somegood showings on the court.

Last season, his fourth with Rutgers basketball, saw Harper average a career-high 15.8 points per game. He also had 5.9 rebounds per game.

This past week, Harper signed with an agent, signally that he isn’t going to return to college basketball.

Here is how Ron Harper Jr. measured up at the NBA combine:

  • Body-fat: 14.5 percent (third-highest)
  • Hand-size: 9.5 inches (second-largest)
  • Hand-width: 10 inches
  • Height (without shoes): 6’4.00
  • Height (with shoes): 6’5.50″
  • Standing reach: 8’9.50″
  • Weight: 240.4 pounds
  • Wingspan: 7’1.25″

Here is how Ron Harper Jr. tested in the speed and agility portion of the combine:

  • Lane agility time: 11.41 seconds (fastest time for a small forward was Julian Strawther at 10.3 seconds)
  • Shuttle run: 3.24 seconds (fastest time for a small forward was Leonard Miller at 3.02 seconds)
  • Three-quarter sprint: 3.4 seconds (fastest time for a small forward was Gabriele Procida at 3.07 seconds)
  • Standing vertical leap: 26 inches (longest leap for a small forward was Kendall Brown at 31.5 inches)
  • Max vertical leap: 30.5 inches (longest leap for a small forward was Kendall Brown at 41 inches)

All NBA combine numbers are courtesy of the NBA’s combine portal.

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Harper has been earning solid praise throughout the NBA combine.

 

In a recent interview, former NBA scout Michael VandeGarde, who spent 18 years scouting for the Philadelphia 76ers, had Harper as a second round pick.

Andy Katz has a sleeper to be top four in the Big Ten: Rutgers basketball

Rutgers basketball can make another run according to Big Ten Network’s Andy Katz.

Andy Katz unveiled his top three teams in the Big Ten for next season, with the Big Ten Network insider thinking that Rutgers has a chance to finish near the top of the conference.

He says this, even with Rutgers losing stars Ron Harper Jr. and Geo Baker this offseason. The duo led Rutgers in scoring with Harper invited to the NBA combine this week.

Katz had Michigan as his top team in the Big Ten followed by Michigan State and Indiana. Purdue and Illinois could vie to be that fourth team in the Big Ten but Katz has a sleeper to crack the top four.

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He’s back on the bus. Katz thinks Rutgers could make a run again in the Big Ten and potentially be a top-four team yet again.

“I’m gonna give you a potential sleeper again of driving the bus – Rutgers,” Katz said on the Big Ten Network on Thursday.

“So Caleb McConnell still could come back, was not invited to the combine. Defensive Player of the Year for the Big Ten – just got his trophy actually tonight. I will not be shocked if he returns. And I love Cliff Omoruyi and Paul Mulcahy…and I love who they’re recruiting.

“And I talked to Steve Pikiell, who’s not a guy that’s gonna go out and say how good they’re gonna be, but he thinks they’re going to be really good. And I think Cliff Omoruyi is going to be a first-team all-Big Ten player and Mulcahy and if they get McConnell – it’s gonna be another great year in the league to be watching.”

Rutgers lost in the NCAA Tournament to Notre Dame, 89-87 in overtime. They finished the season 18-14 (12-8 Big Ten) and fourth in the conference.

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Rutgers basketball: NBA scout weighs in on Ron Harper Jr.’s NBA draft outlook

Former Rutgers basketball star Ron Harper Jr. gets assessed by a former NBA scout.

Ron Harper Sr. declared officially for the NBA draft, the Rutgers star signing with an agent and closing out the chapter on his collegiate career.

A career that will go down among the best in Rutgers basketball history.

Harper was not only the team’s leading scorer, but he was also a quintessential leader who kept his cool in big moments throughout the season.

As for his NBA outlook, it appears that Harper has the makings of a draft pick. Just where he lands in the NBA draft depends on his performance at this week’s NBA combine as well as his individual workouts.

He is a solid shooter and a very good defender. Last month, RutgersWire asked Michaek VandeGarde his thoughts on Harper.

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An NBA scout with the Philadelphia 76ers for nearly two decades, VandeGarde sees some potential for the former Rutgers basketball standout.

“He has some upside if he gets in better shape or proves he can be an above average shooter,” VandeGarde said. “His pedigree makes me think he will work hard and improve his game…he is a senior already so that limits his upside compared to most draft picks…Someone could draft him mid to late second round but I think that is 50/50.”

VandeGarde spent 18 years with the 76ers organization as a scout. Currently, he is involved with CoachTube, a digital platform that offers sports coaching courses including former NFL head coaches, college basketball coaches and a variety of other notable sports personalities.

 

Now, as for VandeGarde’s assessment of Harper, it is certainly reflective of the overall thought process as reflected in many mock drafts.

Last season, Harper averaged 15.8 points and 5.9 rebounds in leading Rutgers to consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances since 1976. In his final game for Rutgers, an NCAA Tournament loss to Notre Dame, he scored 22 points and shot 57.1 percent from 3-point range.

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VandeGarde also mentioned Harper’s ‘pedigree.’

That pedigree is, of course, from his father, Ron Harper Sr. The elder Harper was a very, very good NBA player who won five NBA titles during his career.

It appears that twice, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree…Dylan Harper, the younger brother of the Rutgers standout forward, is a four-star prospect at Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.).

The sophomore is emerging as one of the top players in the state and holds an early offer from Rutgers in addition to several other Big Ten programs.

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Former Rutgers basketball commit Braeden Moore commits to BYU

Former Rutgers basketball commit Braeden Moore commits to BYU basketball.

Former Rutgers basketball verbal Braeden Moore has committed to BYU. The forward made his announcement on Friday.

A standout at Donda Academy (Simi Valley, CA), Moore transferred to the school for his senior season of high school. Donda Academy is famous as the school started by mogul Kanye West.

Moore is a 6-foot-8 forward who has good range to his game. As a junior at Christ Presbyterian (Nashville, TN), he averaged 18.5 points and 8.0 rebounds.

In late October, Moore de-committed from Rutgers. He had committed to Rutgers last July.

The three-star power forward was ranked the No. 278 player in the nation and is a class of 2022 prospect.

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He posted on social media about his decision to commit to BYU:

 

The 2022 recruiting class for Rutgers featured three-star Derek Simpson, a top-10 player in the state as well as three-star power forward Antwone Woolfolk from Ohio.

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Cliff Omoruyi on his decision to return to Rutgers: ‘I want to lead the team’

Cliff Omoruyi talks about why he decided to return to Rutgers men’s basketball for his junior season.

Cliff Omoruyi is eyeing a leadership role with Rutgers men’s basketball ahead of what will certainly be a season of change for the Scarlet Knights.

Given the losses this offseason, including Geo Baker, Ron Harper Jr., Caleb McConnell and Jaden Jones all declaring that they will turn professional, there was some speculation that Omoruyi might follow suit. He is the prototype of the new breed of big men given his athleticism, ability to protect the rim and his tremendous inside presence.

But Omoruyi decided to return for at least one more season at Rutgers (a story first broken by RutgersWire in March). On Thursday, Andy Katz of the Big Ten Network had an interview with the Rutgers center where that decision to return came up.

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In fact, the first question from Katz was about why Omoruyi decided to return for what will be his junior season at Rutgers.

“One of the reasons-  I just want to be a leader, I want to lead the team,” Omoruyi said in the Big Ten Network interview.

“Another reason is that I want to get my degree in two years. I want to get it done.”

This offseason, Omoruyi said he is focused on working on his shooting angles as well as his spacing on the court. In addition, he is doing agility work to continue to build on his already notorious level of athleticism.

“I just do the extra work like stretching, working on my agility with my athletic trainer, getting my body right,” Omoruyi told Katz about his offseason work.

This past season, Rutgers men’s basketball made consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances for the first time since 1976. The growth of Omoruyi into one of the best centers in the Big Ten certainly was crucial for the Scarlet Knights.

As a sophomore, Omoruyi averaged 11.9 points and 7.8 rebounds per game.

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Ron Harper Jr. will be part of the NBA draft combine

Rutgers basketball forward Ron Harper Jr. was invited to the NBA draft combine.

The NBA combine will include former Rutgers basketball star Ron Harper Jr.

Harper is the only member of the Rutgers basketball team invited to the combine event, which begins next week.

Senior guards Geo Baker and Caleb McConnell also decided to make a declaration to go professional. Like Harper, McConnell has the option to return to Rutgers if he does not hire an agent.

Freshman guard Jaden Jones also declared for the NBA draft.

Harper had 15.8 points and 5.9 rebounds per game as a senior last season, his fourth at Rutgers. His play including being a tenacious defender helped Rutgers basketball to a second-straight NCAA Tournament appearance.

 

This past season, he set career-best marks in scoring (15.8 points per game), assists per game (1.9), three-point shooting percentage (39.8), field goal percentage (44.2) and free throw percentage (79.5).

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He is the son of Ron Harper Sr., a five-time NBA champion. His younger brother is Dylan Harper, who is turning into a priority recruit at Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.).

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Sophomore Dylan Harper, brother of Rutgers standout Ron Harper Jr., adds three offers the past two weeks

Rutgers basketball recruit Dylan Harper has three big offers over the past two weeks.

Dylan Harper has seen his recruitment take off the past several weeks, with several bigtime offers rolling in for the class of 2024 guard.

A 6-foot-5 prospect out of Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.), Harper is a consensus four-star recruit. The 247Sports Composite lists him as the No. 33 player in the nation. He is the No. 3 player in New Jersey for his recruiting class.

And his recruitment is really starting to pick up in recent weeks.

Over the past two weeks, Harper has received offers from Indiana (April 24), Texas Tech (April 29) and Missouri (May 2).

In February, he was offered by Georgetown. Last season, he pulled in offers from Rutgers and St. Peter’s.

 

Don Bosco finished the season 23-5.

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Harper is the younger brother of Ron Harper Jr., the Rutgers basketball standout forward who declared for the NBA draft following this past season. His father is Ron Harper Sr. who starred in the NBA and won five NBA titles.

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Former Rutgers recruiting target Elijah Taylor enters transfer portal

Former Rutgers basketball recruiting target, power forward Elijah Taylor, has officially entered the transfer portal

One of the top 50 power forwards and the No. 6 basketball prospect out of Pennsylvania from the class of 2020 is officially a free agent. Former Notre Dame Fighting Irish forward Elijah Taylor entered the transfer portal on Friday.

The Philadelphia, PA native is transferring out of Notre Dame after just one season with the Irish. His freshman season was shut down before it got started. Taylor underwent ankle surgery on December 11, 2020, and sat out the entire 2020-21 season through rehabilitations.

He saw game time in three contests in the 2021-2022 season, averaging under four minutes per contest and totaling eight points, two rebounds, and a block.

A three-star recruit in the 247Sports Composite, Taylor was noted as being a tough, aggressive guy who would can mix it up in the paint and add good athleticism to boot.

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Prior to committing to the Fighting Irish, Taylor received offers from Seton Hall, Florida, Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech, Penn State, George Washington, and Rutgers. His first offer came from the Scarlet Knights.

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Academic issues caused him to not only not be able to play, but also to practice with the team this past season. Nevertheless, at the time, Taylor pledged to be back and get things worked out so he could continue his Irish career. He entered the portal a few days prior to the deadline for players to be able to transfer and play immediately in the fall.

Rutgers basketball offers Mayar Wol, a long and athletic forward

Rutgers basketball latest to offer Mayar Wol, a small-forward out of North Carolina.

Rutgers men’s basketball is the latest to come in an offer Mayar Wol, an under-recruited forward prospect who is beginning to get some major recruiting attention.

In recent days, the class of 2023 from Moravian Prep Academy (Hickory, NC) has been offered by Rutgers and also Ole Miss.

Last season, he averaged 12.3 points per game.

He also holds offers from Eastern Kentucky, Georgia Tech, North Carolina A&T, Ohio, South Alabama and Tennessee. He is listed as 6-foot-8 and 190 pounds.

Wol tweeted about the offer from Rutgers on Tuesday night. It is his first offer from a Big Ten program for a recruitment that has been picking up dramatically in recent weeks.

 

Wol runs the floor well. He has a nice outside shot, can step back and shoot from behind the arc, rebounds well and is strong vertically. He is a good defender with length.

Rutgers had a solid 2022 recruiting class that included three-star power forward Antwone Woolfolk and three-star guard Derek Simpson.

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