COLLEGE PARK, MD – Georgia Tech transfer Tafara Gapare (pronounced tuh-FAR-uh guh-PAR-ee) has officially signed with the Maryland men's basketball team as announced by head coach Kevin Willard on Tuesday. The 6-foot-9 sophomore forward joins the Terps after playing in 29 games for the Yellow Jackets last season and is the fourth transfer added to the roster ahead of the 2024-25 campaign.
"Tafara is a long and skilled forward who bolsters our line-up," said Willard. "He adds a different dynamic for us defensively as an athletic rim protector on top of his development the last two seasons offensively."
The Wellington, New Zealand, native averaged 5.1 points and 3.5 rebounds last season at Georgia Tech. He started 15 of the 29 games played averaging a career-high 18.2 minutes per game. Over the last seven games of the season, he saw his output increase to 7.7 points and 6.1 rebounds. He also scored a career-high 20 points with six rebounds in the Yellow Jackets' win over Penn State.
Prior to his time in Atlanta, Gapare began his collegiate career in 2022-23 at the University of Massachusetts where he averaged 3.4 points and 2.1 rebounds in 30 games for the Minutemen.
Gapare ranked as the No. 1 player in Connecticut and No. 10 power forward by 247sports after spending his senior prep year (2021-22) at the South Kent School. He was a four-star recruit and ranked among the Top-50 nationally.
The Terps have also previously announced the additions of transfer guards Rodney Rice (Virginia Tech), Ja'Kobi Gillespie (Belmont), and Selton Miguel (South Florida) as well as the signing of freshmen center Derik Queen (Baltimore, Md.) and guard Malachi Palmer (Harrisburg, Pa.).
"Tafara is a long and skilled forward who bolsters our line-up," said Willard. "He adds a different dynamic for us defensively as an athletic rim protector on top of his development the last two seasons offensively."
The Wellington, New Zealand, native averaged 5.1 points and 3.5 rebounds last season at Georgia Tech. He started 15 of the 29 games played averaging a career-high 18.2 minutes per game. Over the last seven games of the season, he saw his output increase to 7.7 points and 6.1 rebounds. He also scored a career-high 20 points with six rebounds in the Yellow Jackets' win over Penn State.
Prior to his time in Atlanta, Gapare began his collegiate career in 2022-23 at the University of Massachusetts where he averaged 3.4 points and 2.1 rebounds in 30 games for the Minutemen.
Gapare ranked as the No. 1 player in Connecticut and No. 10 power forward by 247sports after spending his senior prep year (2021-22) at the South Kent School. He was a four-star recruit and ranked among the Top-50 nationally.
The Terps have also previously announced the additions of transfer guards Rodney Rice (Virginia Tech), Ja'Kobi Gillespie (Belmont), and Selton Miguel (South Florida) as well as the signing of freshmen center Derik Queen (Baltimore, Md.) and guard Malachi Palmer (Harrisburg, Pa.).
