UMass Lowell Adds Duo
Less than one month after being named the new head men’s basketball coach at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, Greg Herenda has received two commitments.
Two NEPSAC products in South Kent’s Kyle Mayers and Winchendon’s Justin Graham will both be Riverhawks next season. Mayers has accepted a scholarship offer from the school while Graham will be a recruited walk-on next year.
The commitments are important for several reasons. First, a lot of the credit belongs to Assistant Coach Marc Kuntz, who was retained by Herenda after serving under former Head Coach Ken Barer. Kuntz did an admirable job of bridging the gap between staffs and obviously had recruits waiting in the wings once Herenda came on board.
Second, Mayers is a division I level player who should be able to make an immediate contribution next season. While he is naturally a small forward, his size, athleticism, and strong body will allow him to play the four spot for the Riverhawks next year. That should be a major asset in a league that is comprised mostly of teams who play four people on the perimeter.
Third, with only ten scholarships available on the division II level, as opposed to 13 on the division I level, finding quality recruited walk-ons is crucial to any good program. UMass Lowell has certainly done that with Graham. He is a player with good size, athleticism, and an obvious upside. He is the ideal 11th man as he should be able to push the starters in practice, challenge for minutes off the bench, and eventually develop into a rotation player.
Overall, it is a good start for Coach Herenda.
Justin Graham
Kyle Mayers