Tate bound for BU
Cushing Academy's Daman Tate was one of the biggest stock-risers in New England this year in a revitalization of sorts for a player who was once one of New England's most celebrated underclassmen.
Tate, the younger brother of URI freshman Dana Tate, was equally, if not more, celebrated as the two started their career together at St. Sebastian's School.
Dana was the bigger and stronger of the brothers but Daman was more agile and athletic with the foundation to become a big guard.
The 2017-18 season was a frustrating one for the younger Tate brother though, both in the prep and grassroots ranks.
He learned firsthand how meaningless early scholarship offers can be and when he returned to Cushing Academy for his senior season, he was essentially restarting his recruitment from square one.
What happened this season though was more than just a stock-riser, it was a story of recommitment. There will be narratives about college coaches finally paying attention, but that doesn't give Tate the credit he deserves for going through adversity and showing tremendous maturation because of it.
His tools were never in doubt - he's got good perimeter size, athleticism, playmaking ability, and a charismatic energy that comes through on and off the court. But this year, he applied himself like never before. He competed defensively, attacked offensively, never took plays off, and led by example.
As a result, he led the Penguins to another successful season his recruitment once again surged and presented him with a number of options at the division I level.
In Boston University, he found not only a great combination of athletics and academics, but also a program that was in desperate need of an athletic playmaker on the perimeter. With numerous other pieces already in place, the hope is that Tate can be just that and help propel the Terriers back to the top of the Patriot League next season.
Reality is wrong, dreams are real! REAL NEIGHBORHOOD HERO⚪️ pic.twitter.com/ZzyfoZRqkm
— Dame Tate▶️ (@daman11tate) April 1, 2019