Maryland Basketball Scoop: Rounding into a form and a recruit change of heart?
Maryland men's basketball is enjoying a few days of holiday rest before returning to the court on Sunday against Alcorn State. It's the final tune-up for the Big Ten basketball schedule, which begins for the Terps next Wednesday against Ohio State. Here's the latest on the Terps on the court and the recruiting trail.
Maryland men's basketball is enjoying a few days of holiday rest before returning to the court on Sunday against Alcorn State. It's the final tune-up for the Big Ten basketball schedule, which begins for the Terps next Wednesday against visiting Ohio State. Here's the latest on the Terps on the court and the recruiting trail.
I asked a couple of sources who know about Chance Mallory's thought process about Maryland's chances with the Virginia de-commit. It sounds like they have a more legitimate shot than it previously seemed. Mallory, I'm told, now doesn't mind the idea of coming in and apprenticing behind Ja'Kobi Gillespie for a year. Earlier, it sounded like that could be a dealbreaker.
Miami, which has already hosted him on a visit, could be the biggest threat. Virginia Tech came in with a big NIL offer and NIL will be part of the equation, of course, but it seems unlikely he'll head to Blacksburg. I was told he's still entertaining Tennessee, but one source said they're probably on the same level as the Hokies.
Kevin Willard hasn't been one to spend big NIL money on high school recruits, but Mallory also has been one of his favorite recruits during his three years at Maryland. The roster might become overstocked with guards barring any unexpected departures, though, and it remains to be seen if Maryland's NIL offering competes with his higher offers.
On the court, the team is showing some dynamic traits it's lacked in most recent years. Kevin Willard has more quality depth than he's had, by a wide margin. Willard has 10 players averaging at least 12 minutes per game, compared to seven last year. Rather than relying on Geronimo, Jamie Kaiser, Jahari Long and Noah Batchelor, Willard's getting better bench play from Tafara Gapare, DeShawn Harris-Smith, Jay Young and Malachi Palmer.
That's not a slight toward those three (Long should a solid role player next year if fully recovered) but the Terps have higher-quality players coming off the bench this year. Gapare, who was overshadowed by the bigger-name transfers in the backcourt, could become the sort of wildcard that can help turn a good team into something better. The No. 69 player and No. 9 power forward in the country as a senior, Gapare was touted for his athleticism and skill at 6-9. He showed flashes at UMass and Georgia Tech, but didn't live up to that billing consistently. But his potential is more apparent than ever after a starring performance against Bucknell, 19 points and six rebounds in 22 minutes.
Gapare, a New Zealand native who played his high school ball in Maryland, visited Maryland and nearly picked the Terps during his high school recruitment in 2022, but the second time might be the charm. We'll see if he's capable of consistently playing like that, but he's 11 of 18 on the season and 4 for 7 from three. More important, he has an unusual blend of athleticism, ballhandling and defense at 6-9.
He's shown the ability to clamp guards on the perimeter and his size and footspeed make him a great fit in Willard's press, which has helped the Terps rank 17th nationally in turnovers forced. There was buzz during the offseason about Gapare's athleticism and shooting, and it looks like the light is turning on. The Derik Queen-Julian Reese duo is becoming more fluid and if that continues, a blossoming frontcourt player of the bench could give opponents less of a rest. He's also versatile, making him able to log minutes at multiple positions, which could earn him some of Harris-Smith's minutes, not to mention Geronimo's when he returns from injury.
I wouldn't be surprised if he becomes their most impactful bench player.
The obvious caveats: they've only played two teams with pulses, Villanova and Marquette. For Gapare, it's just one game. And the team's three-point shooting (32 percent) still isn't good. But between the balanced offense featuring four players averaging at least 12 points per game, the promising full-court press and second unit that can defend and has some scoring ability, you can see the makings of an exciting team as long as they continue to grow.
