Drew Bessette commits to the hometown Cats

Vermont has added another piece to their 2024 recruiting class in local Rice basketball star Drew Bessette. Bessette is a 6'8 forward who looks to be the next hometown star for the Cats. The coaching staff has always done a good job of prioritizing the top local talent and laying out a developmental path for them to reach their full potential. I got a chance to watch Bessette in the post camp scrimmage earlier in the summer and the thing that jumps out is his size. He is a a big, strong kid that goes after rebounds and can play above the rim. He did not look physically out of place playing against the rest of the Cats. He has nice touch around the rim and good rebounding instincts. Bessette has nice shooting form and looks like someone who could grow into a stretch forward role. As with past Vermont players, he may need some time to get used to and comfortable with the speed of the college game but his familiarity with the program is going to give him a leg up. I like his potential and think that he will have a significant impact at some point in his career. I really give credit to Becker and his coaching staff for taking the time and energy to invest in giving local players a chance to come in, work hard, and play for their hometown team. The proof is in the pudding as local stars like Matt Glass, Clancy Rugg, Pat Bergman, Candon Rusin, Nate Rohrer, and Ben Shungu all developed into into key players during Becker's tenure. 

The. Season. Is. Almost. Here.