Vermont gets a big commitment from Perry Smith Jr.

Vermont made a huge splash on the recruiting trail getting 6-9 PF Perry Smith Jr. from Greenville, SC. Smith Jr at one time had announced a final eight of Alabama A&M, Hofstra, BC, Alabama, South Carolina, Iona, and Texas A&M. He is a 3 star recruit on Rivals and a 4 star recruit on ESPN. Vermont swooping in a securing this commitment is huge. This to me is one of the effects of the scramble that the transfer portal has created. Much of the narrative was that these new rules would "kill" mid majors. Early returns are that it might actually have the opposite effect. As the High Majors and Power 5 teams load up on transfers and focus less and less on HS recruits, the Mid Major programs can fill the need as a stepping stone for young players to play early in their careers. It is a win win because either those players will stay or you get the first one or two seasons of a big time player instead of the last two. Kind of like a reverse transfer. Smith Jr. is a player who can have an immediate impact for the Catamounts and bring the type of post presence that Mid Majors dream of. He is a big body who works relentlessly under the rim, rebounding at a high rate and finishing through contact. He has the tools to be an impact defender and is working to round out his game by extending his range and improving the quickness of his first step. From what I have read in interviews he was looking for a program that had a family atmosphere with a culture that will push him reach his goals and become the best player he can be. Vermont has certainly proven that they have strong player development in the program. The trick with big men is how quickly they can adjust to the speed of the college game and Vermont's complicated defensive system. With TJ Hurley, Jorge Ochoa, and now Perry Smith Jr., this year's freshman class is another one filled with guys who could develop into all league caliber performers. The Vermont program has had an very strong recruiting cycle and will bring a roster loaded with talent into next season. 

Vermont adds Matt Veretto

Tonight Adam Finkelstein reported on twitter that Matt Veretto, a 6-7 F from Manchester, CT has joined the Catamounts. He last played at Delaware when he was a freshman during the 2018-2019 season. He left after that season to go to school closer to home and focus on academics. This is an interesting and creative addition by the coaching staff. It looks like he has just completed a finance degree at UConn and must be enrolling in graduate school at Vermont. He may have 2 years of eligibility remaining depending on how the NCAA views his 3 year hiatus according to Finklestein. He had a strong freshman season at Delaware where he appeared in 33 games including 12 starts. Veretto averaged 6.4 points per game and knocked down 36 threes at a 39% clip. Coming out of powerhouse East Catholic High School in CT, he was viewed as relentless on the boards and a strong offensive player. There are also several clips of him posterizing opponents with pretty vicious dunks as well. It will be interesting to see what he can bring after so much time off. The reason I like this move is that Vermont needed another frontcourt player but it is hard to fill out the last few spots on a roster without a lot of guaranteed playing time.  It is very hard to find players who are willing to go somewhere without guaranteed playing time in the current recruiting atmosphere. Especially with how valuable post players were in this recruiting cycle. This is a perfect way to fill out those rotation slots with someone who has experience. At the low end he will push guys in practice and at the high end find productive minutes in the rotation. Veretto is a big question mark but has a high ceiling. I believe this leaves one more scholarship for the upcoming season.