Summertime, and the livin's easy

Summer has arrived in Vermont and that means it is time for a quick sneak peek of this year's Catamounts. To begin with, it is a small window into next season as several of the international players are still working their way to Catamount country. That means this week there was no Marko Masic, Sublime Gbiegba, or Mario Brunetto. They will trickle in over the summer. Hayden Johns, the transfer from St. Anselm is also still working his way back from last season's injury but is on track for the fall. Now on to the players who I did get to see. Let's begin with the returners. Gus Yalden is poised for a huge season. He is in better shape, in a leadership role, and has the continuity of the same program for the first time in his career. He will likely be in consideration for preseason player of the year and has a chance to do something special. Momo Nkugwa is bigger, stronger and has put in quite a bit of work refining his perimeter shot. He is so smooth on the court and looks ready to build on his strong finish to last season. Noah Barnett is such a perfect complement to Yalden in the frontcourt and is in a great position to continue his rise. His energy and veteran presence as the elder statesman entering his fourth year as a Catamount will be huge with so many new faces. Alright, Alright, I won't bury the lede any further. On to the newcomers! Will Davies is going to be a workhorse and a textbook Catamount. He can do a little bit of everything, has a great attitude, and a drive to win. Get ready to hear "Davies to Yalden" on repeat. He has a great command of the floor, and it is easy to see why he led DII in assists last season. Darrel Yepdo joins Davies in the backcourt and brings a different energy. Yepdo is fast and crafty, getting to the rim and making plays. He too is a workhorse and will stretch the floor with his three point shooting. A great one two punch at the point guard position. John Broom flashed big time in the scrimmages and is oozing with potential. He has great size and length and shot the ball well from three. He showed a great knack for begin in the right place at the right time, deflecting passes, walling up drivers, and grabbing rebounds. Could absolutely explode this season. Kahlil Badru is super athletic and great at getting downhill and crashing the offensive glass. He is still refining his shooting but looks like a high energy, disruptive force who can play multiple roles. Daniil Glazkov is a huge guard and really post player sized for the America East. He is a steady, methodical player who plays good positional defense, is a good rebounder, and crafty with the ball. Cash Chism is a good young guard who plays hard and can score from anywhere on the court. Zach Romich is a hard working guard who will push guys in practice and bring a winning attitude. There you have it! A slice of this year's Catamounts. It will be very exciting to see the full team in the fall and they have some great pieces to build upon. I hope everyone has a wonderful summer!