Without further ado, let’s get right into the breakdown.

Player Bio:

Before transferring to UNC Asheville, Tylon Chatman spent his first 3 seasons at Lee University at the D2 level.

2023-24 (Freshman Season):

• Chatman appeared in 8 games, averaging 1.6 PPG, 0.1 RPG, and 0.1 APG.

2024-25 (Sophomore Season):

• Chatman had a breakout, appearing in 27 games, 18 being starts, averaging 10.4 PPG, 2.4 APG, and 2.1 RPG.

• Chatman began and ended the season hot with 3 double-digit games to begin the season, then 3 20+ Point performances in his last 6 games of the season.

2025-26 (Junior Season):

• Appeared in 28 games, starting 27, averaging 14.1 PPG, 3.1 RPG, and 3.7 APG while shooting 37% from 3.

• Chatman led the Flames in scoring and was 2nd in Assists on the team.

Film Review:

Film from HawksEliteAAU on X:

Scoring Skill:

The first thing that becomes clear on Tylon Chatman’s film is his ability to create space and score. Last season in the Gulf South Conference, among players with 400 minutes played, Tylon Chatman ranked 8th in ORAPM and 17th in PPG while shooting in the Top 1/3rd of all guards in D2 in 2PT Percentage, 3PT Percentage, and Effective FG Percentage, with the only shooting zone where Chatman was below D2 averages was “Above the Break” 3 pointers, where he ranked in the 49th percentile.

In the past two seasons in the Big South, two players have been 6’ or shorter and averaged 50% from 2 and 35% from 3: Charleston Southern’s Luke Williams and High Point’s Bobby Pettiford. Tylon is truly a mix of both guards. For scoring, I think Tylon has a lot of Williams’ abilities, both coming from the D2 level with similar shooting profiles, especially compared to Pettiford.

UNC Asheville had a similar guard this past season, Justin Wright, who was only 2 inches taller. The season before, another very similar guard, Jordan Marsh, shot 49.5% from 2 and 31.5% 3. Both of which are viewed as some of the best guards in the Big South in recent history, with massive success in Mike Morrell’s system. Tylon Chatman could be the next guard to follow in their success.

Big Playmaker:

The other really shining part of Tylon Chatman’s game is his ability to play make and create for others. Tylon Chatman ranks in the 82nd percentile for D2 guards in Assist Percentage and the 85th percentile in Assist/TOV Ratio. The play-making ability becomes clearer in times when Tylon Chatman was the sole ball-handling point guard. Lee had an Offensive Rating of 116, a 12.3% Turnover Percentage that ranked in the 95th percentile, and a team Effective Field Goal Percentage of 59.6%, ranking in the 96th percentile.

Last season in the Big South, 6 players played over 400 minutes and had Assist Percentages between 17% and 22%, with Turnover Percentages below 15%. Once again, former UNC Asheville guard Justin Wright appears with Wright having a 19.3% Assist Percentage compared to 19.8% for Chatman, but Chatman excels in Assist to Turnover with 1.9x compared to Wright’s 1.2x. Both guards are used to being pivotal pieces to their offensive systems.

The Fit:

Truly, the biggest thing I love about this addition is the fit with Mike Morrell and what he has done well. In Mike Morrell’s tenure at Asheville, his best seasons have been when he has a strong playmaking guard surrounded by good shooters and an elite big man. Tylon Chatman will fit right into that strong playmaking point guard. He isn’t the playmaker that Burgess was in 22-23 and 23-24, but he also provides a stronger offensive upside than Burgess did.

In both 2022-23 and 2023-24, Burgess was surrounded by shooters and elite big men. While I don’t see any game-changing big men, Morrell did surround Chatman with 3 very good 3-point shooters, much like what Chatman had at Lee and what Burgess had at Asheville. The recipe is for Chatman to follow in the footsteps of the 3 Asheville PG’s before in Wright, Marsh, and Burgess and stamp his name in Asheville history.

Defensive Liability:

The biggest flaw in Tylon Chatman’s game comes on the defensive end, where Chatman, unlike on the offensive end, is not a net positive to his team. Last season at Lee, Tylon Chatman had both a negative DRAPM of -0.3 and a DWS/40 below the 50th percentile at 0.03, ranking in the 31st percentile. When Tylon Chatman was on the floor last season, Lee’s saw a 4.3-point slide in Defensive Rating, which placed him in the 24th percentile in On-Off Defensive Rating. That defensive rating jump put their defensive rating to 110.4, which places them in the 40th percentile when he is on the court, compared to the 65th percentile when he is off the court.

One reason I see upside on the defensive side is that last season Chatman played primarily shooting guard, compared to his ALL-sophomore season, when he played point guard. In 24-25’ Chatman played PG and had a 0.8 DRPAM, placing him in the 73rd percentile with a slightly improved 108.2 Defensive Rating and only a 1.1 Defensive Rating drop when he is on the court compared to off the court. Comparing his 24-25 season On/Off’s to his 25-26 On/Off’s, Lee was better with him on the court defensively in the 24-25 season compared to 25-26, except for Block Percentage and Blocks/PF.

Another reason I think the defensive concerns could be overblown is what Mike Morrell did with Justin Wright. Justin Wright, in 2023-24 at LMU before transferring to Asheville, had a DPRAM on -1.4 and a 0.03 DWS/40 with a 9.3 Defensive Rating drop, putting him in the 7th percentile. In 2025-26, Wright had a 0.7 DRPAM ranking 2nd in Asheville and in the 68th percentile, along with a 0.04 DWS/40, with Asheville in the 55th percentile of Defensive Rating when Wright is on court. It is very possible that Morrell can get a similar jump from a very similar guard.

Final Thoughts:

I think Tylon Chatman is the prototypical guard that Mike Morrell always gets the most out of. A guard that is on the smaller side, with very good control of his body and the court, and is a top-level offensive threat. Chatman reminds me of a more well-rounded Justin Wright. Both had similar shooting percentages as lead pieces in their offense, with similar playmaking attributes. Tylon is the better playmaker of the two, but Wright is the better scorer by about the same margin, in my opinion.

The comparisons to Wright don’t just stop there at playstyle. I think Chatman will have a similar role to Wright, as Asheville’s other guards don’t have the playmaking skill and overall threat of Chatman. I think Chatman will get the majority of the PG minutes and solid success while doing it. While I don’t think Chatman gets any all-league mentions at season’s end but still has a productive season as a focal point of Asheville’s offense.

Without further ado, let’s get right into the breakdown.

Player Bio:

Before transferring to Radford, Ja’Corey Robinson spent one season at Austin Peay after being a 3-star with offers from Missouri State and Murray State.

2025-26 (Freshman Season):

• During his true freshman season at Austin Peay, Robinson averaged 6.6 PPG, 2.9 RPG, and 2 APG across 30 games.

• Finished 2nd on the team in Blocks.

• 6th in Minutes Per Game on the ASun Regular Season Champions.

Pre-College:

• Ranked #6 Prospect in KS on 247Sports Consensus, 459th overall recruit.

• Won 2023-24 Kansas MaxPreps Player of the Year.

Film Review:

Film from Arman Jovic/PDT Scouting on X:

Defensive Prowess:

The first thing that stands out on film for Ja’Corey Robinson is his defensive ability. Ja’Corey Robinson’s size makes him an anomaly when combined with his athleticism, and that is evident on defense. Last season, 14 total freshmen had a Defensive Rebounding Percentage of 10%+, a Steal and Block Percentage of 2%+, and a DBPM of 1+. Of those 14 freshmen, 4 are listed as “Wing Guard” by BartTorvik: Darryn Peterson, Braylen Mullins, Ace Flagg, and Ja’Corey Robinson.

Last season, Radford was not a good defensive team, ranking 42nd percentile in Defensive Rating. That defensive rating would have been worse if it were not for Tyson Brown and Dennis Parker Jr. When Dennis Parker Jr is on the floor, Radford has a defensive rating in the 49th percentile; with Parker off the floor, that rating drops to the 23rd percentile. Furthermore, when Tyson Brown is on the floor, Radford’s defensive rating moves to the 59th percentile, but drops to the 13th percentile when he is off the floor.

Sadly for Radford, Parker went to Kansas via the transfer portal, and Tyson Brown graduated, leaving Radford with no positive analytical defenders. Zach Chu immediately targeted that by getting Ja’Corey Robinson, an analytically better defender than any Radford Highlander last season. I don’t think Robinson will maintain that same level of defending, but I believe him, along with all the other additions, will be an improvement defensively over last year’s team.

Rim Threat:

Last season against D1 opponents, Ja’Corey Robinson took a total of 135 shot attempts. Of those 135 attempts, a total of 18 shots were not “In the Paint” or “At the Rim” with Robinson going 2-9 from mid ranges and 3-9 from 3 in the other 18 attempts. Robinson ranked in the 82nd percentile for Rim Attempts/40 and in the 96th percentile for Paint Attempts/40 with nearly 10 attempts per 40 minutes across the two zones.

The ultimate reason Robinson takes so many shots at the rim and in the paint is his ability to make those shots. Last season, Robinson shot 52.4% from 2PT, placing him in the 72nd percentile while also ranking in the 71st percentile for True Shooting, with a 56.7%. Another reason Robinson takes so many shots inside the paint is his ability on the fast break. Robinson ranked in the 90th percentile for Percentage of Points from Fast Break and 87th percentile for Fast Break Points/40.

Robinson will be an almost seamless fit into Radford’s offensive scheme. Last season, the Highlanders ranked in the 90th percentile for Rim Attacks plays, with their 2nd-most-common play, Transition, in the 87th percentile there. Robinson’s ability to consistently finish those shots should provide a pleasant boost to their sub-50 % PPP on both plays, given his above-average rim and Paint shooting.

Playmaking:

The most underrated aspect of Ja’Corey Robinson’s game is his ability to create for his teammates at 6’6. Last season, 5 freshmen between the heights of 6’5” and 6’7” had an Assist Percentage of 20%+, a Usage of 20%, and an Assist/TOV Ratio of 1.5 or more. Those freshmen were: Keaton Wagler (Illinois), Mikel Brown Jr (Louisville), Jordan Watford (Queens, NC), Connor Igoe (Columbia), and Ja’Corey Robinson (Austin Peay). All 5 players were a part of some kind of success, with all but Ja’Corey Robinson earning All-Rookie or Rookie of the Year honors in their league.

Last season in the Big South, 14 players had an Assist Percentage of 18-22%. Of those 14 players, only 2 were above 6’3”: Kameron Taylor from UNC Asheville and Brycen Blaine of Charleston Southern. Both players were viewed as among the best playmaking non-PGs in the Big South, leading to moves up in competition: Blaine to ECU and Taylor to Florida State.

The even more promising fact for Radford about Ja’Corey is that, analytically, he is a better playmaker than both Blaine and Taylor, and the difference is a pretty wide margin. Ja’Corey had a 20.6% Assist Percentage compared to 19.0% by Taylor and 19.6% by Blaine. Ja’Corey also bested Blaine and Taylor in Assist Ratio, with Robinson at 21.5%, with Taylor and Blaine both around 12%, and in Assist/TOV, where Robinson had a 1.4, with Taylor having 1.12, and Blaine having a 0.82.

Non Shooter:

The biggest flaw in Ja’Corey Robinson’s game comes from his being a complete non-shooter during his time at Austin Peay. In the “Rim Threat” section, I mentioned that Robinson only took 18 shots against D1 teams from outside of the paint. What I didn’t mention is that besides not taking those shots, he also isn’t exceptionally good at shooting them, only going 5-18, with Robinson only shooting above D1 average in one spot, that being “Above the Break 3’s,” where Robinson shot 2-5 on the season.

The thing that gives me hope is that Robinson has shot more volume in the past, and that players have been able to develop that ability over the course of their careers. Robinson hit 22 three pointers en route to his many accolades, which isn’t a ton, but compared to .3 3PA Per Game last season, even at 100% shooting, would be nearly double his .3. In recent seasons, we have seen Yaxel Lendeborg, Ali Dibba, and Cameron Hildreth all become higher volume shooters on decent figures. Will that happen for Robinson? Only time can tell.

Final Thoughts:

I have gone back and forth on Robinson a ton since this addition was on my radar, but ultimately, I do like the addition. Ultimately, what gives me hesitation about the addition is Robinson’s ability to play on an island. His lack of ability to space so far in his D1 career, I think, has limited his game, and without that ability, it limits when he can be played and how he is used, but I believe Coach Chu and his staff can at least alleviate some of those spacing concerns with finding Robinson open and their lineup construction.

Robinson reminds me a ton of Dennis Parker Jr in a way, both came from successful programs with clear defensive ability and offensive promise. Parker was more of a shooter than Robinson, but what Robinson lacks in shooting, he makes up for with better playmaking, defense, and athleticism. With Radford taking a dip in their supporting cast, I do see a performance drop compared to Parker, but overall, both should have similar profiles. In the end, I think Robinson will end up on the All-Conference Honorable Mention list at season’s end.

Without further ado, let’s get right into the breakdown.

Player Bio:

Before transferring to Presbyterian, EJ Smith spent his first two college seasons at D2 Lincoln Memorial.

2024-25 (Freshman Season):

• In his true freshman season, EJ Smith appeared in 31 games for the Railsplitters, averaging 8.6 PPG, 2.6 APG, and 2.1 RPG playing 26.9 MPG.

• EJ Smith earned SAC All-Freshman Team Honors.

• EJ Smith helped the Railsplitters to a 25-6 record and an NCAA Tournament Berth before losing in the First Round to UNC Pembroke.

2025-26 (Sophomore Season)

• Despite an offseason coaching change, EJ Smith returned to LMU.

• In 31 games, EJ Smith averaged 10.3 PPG, 2.5 APG, and 1.9 RPG across 21.5 MPG.

• LMU once again made the NCAA Tournament before falling to D2 Runner Up Lander in the First Round.

Film Review:

Film from EJ Smith on X:

True PG:

The biggest pro for Presbyterian getting EJ Smith is something that you don’t even need to tape for, EJ Smith is the definition of a True PG. EJ Smith almost always brings the ball up for LMU and is the conductor of the offseason. Last season, when EJ Smith was on the floor without Drew Lewis (LMU’s main PG), LMU had a Net Rating of +13.2, with an Offensive Rating of 118.4, and a Defensive Rating of 105.3. When Drew Lewis was on the floor without EJ Smith, that Net Rating fell to -1.9, Offensive Rating fell to 110.2, and Defensive Rating fell to 112.1.

Last season, Presbyterian played 15 lineups that qualified for percentile rankings on CBB Analytics. Of those 15 lineups, 4 featured separate PGs; only one other Big South team had that many PGs in its Top 15 lineup: Charleston Southern. CSU played 4 because they had 3 elite PG’s with over 20% Assist Percentage: Luke Williams, A’lahn Sumler, and Jaquias Franklin. Presbyterian had only one PG with an Assist Percentage above 20%, Erik Taylor, who was injured in Game 5 of the season. JD Bowden was the next highest at 19% as a True Freshman.

Having multiple true stand-alone PGs is very important; having one with winning experience like EJ Smith is an absolute game-changer. When EJ Smith is on the floor, he’s vocal, he’s always involved in the play, and is usually the one IN THE PLAY. Now with a healthy Erik Taylor and 2nd year JD Bowden, along with Chaise Smith and now EJ Smith. Presbyterian has one of the best PG rooms.

Jack of All Trades:

One of the best things for Presbyterian with EJ Smith’s game is that he has no glaring flaws in his game. Out of the 19 stats on CBB Analytics’ Player Stat Overview, Smith ranks in the bottom 25th percentile in ZERO statistical category and only ranked below the 50th percentile in 4 total categories. The 4 categories below the 50th percentile are ORB%, DRB%, FT Attempt Rate, and 3PT Attempt Rate. Of those 4 categories, only two are true detriments to a PG: FT Attempt Rate and 3PT Attempt Rate.

Of the 2 below-average categories below, neither is a major need for a Presbyterian PG. Last season, as a team, Presbyterian was in the 2nd percentile for 3PT Attempt Rate, with only 3 players attempting more than 50 3-pointers. For the Free Throw Attempt Rate, LMU as a whole was in the 31st percentile, with EJ ranked 4th on his team with a 65th percentile Shooting Foul Draw Per 40 Minutes. A system that feeds the paint will create chances for EJ to get the line, a place where he shot 80.6% from last season.

Defensive Strengths:

The part that I think has gone underrated in EJ Smith’s game is his ability to guard some of the best guards and give them trouble. The three games I watched, EJ Smith’s main matchups were against a D2 All-American guard, a MM D1 transfer guard who made the D2 Final 4, and a MM D1 transfer guard who averaged 7.7 PPG last season. EJ Smith held the D2 All American to 12 points on 3-12 shooting, including 0-5 from 3. The D2 Final 4 guard scored 11 points with one of his least efficient games of the season, and the MM D1 transfer scored 4 points, shooting 2-7 from the field.

Last year, Presbyterian had two guards in the 50th percentile in DWS, with Carl Parrish at the 67th percentile and Triston Wilson at the 73rd percentile. EJ Smith at LMU last season was in the 71st percentile, and during his freshman season was in the 82nd percentile. Presbyterian has the chance to have one of the best defensive starting 5’s in the Big South if they desire.

Playing Time:

The one concern for me is EJ Smith’s limited playing time compared to what Presbyterian usually asks of its point guards. In EJ Smith’s two seasons so far, he has averaged 26.9 MPG and 21.7 MPG, which is nothing to slouch at, especially as a Junior. Since the 2019-20 season, Presbyterian’s feature PG has averaged 30 MPG or more, with the lowest being Marquis Bennett at 31.5 and 31.7 MPG in 22-23 and 23-24, respectively.

EJ Smith does have the ability to play longer periods throughout the season. We saw that with him playing over 30 minutes in 16 of the games during his freshman season, while competing for minutes against stars like Wes Enis and Elyjah Freeman. Another way I think this can be alleviated comes from the Presbyterian amazing condition program. Carl Parrish spoke about how those offseason workouts have prepared him to play 40-45 minutes if needed.

Final Thoughts:

Presbyterian entered the portal with only one glaring need, and this addition addressed it with EJ Smith. The limit of a true PG is what, at times, held Presbyterian back last season. Last season, Presbyterian ranked 322nd in Turnover Percentage, its lowest in 2021 and tied for the 3rd-lowest since moving to D1. Having a PG that you can trust with the ball should return the turnovers to their normal levels, if not better than those levels.

For Presbyterian, if you can get exactly what EJ did at LMU, I think you are a fan of the addition. EJ Smith might not have the upside of other available guards in the portal, but he might provide some of the flash of other players. The portal is a lot like the NFL draft. If you are in WIN NOW, you fill your biggest need with the most ready player available, and that’s what I think Presbyterian with EJ Smith.

Without further ado, let’s get right into the breakdown.

Player Bio:

Before coming to Longwood, Jorke Aav had extensive basketball experience in Germany’s professional leagues, as well as multiple seasons of competition in Estonia’s U-18 and U-20 competitions.

2021-22 (Team Ehingen Urspring)

• At 16 years old, Jorke Aav made his debut against Baskets Paderborn, scoring 5 points, having 1 assist, and 1 steal in 20 minutes.

• In the 2021-22 season, Aav averaged 2.4 PPG, 0.5 RPG, and 0.5 APG in 10.9 MPG across 17 games.

• In his 2 starts, Jorke reached a career high of 10 points in one game. In another, he had 7 points and a career high 4 rebounds.

2022-23 (Team Ehingen Urspring, Estonia U18)

• Early in 2022, Jorke Aav made his first appearances for Estonia in the U18 Baltic Cup, averaging 3 PPG, 2 APG, and 1.5 SPG, helping Estonia earn a Silver Medal.

• In his 2nd year of pro competition, Jorke saw his stats jump to 5 PPG, 1.6 APG, and 1.3 RPG in 15.7 MPG.

2023-24 (Team Ehingen Urspring, Estonia U18)

• In the Summer of 2023, Jorke Aav in the Euro U18 B averaged 11.6 PPG, 5.4 RPG, and 5.2 APG, helping earn a 13th-place finish for Estonia.

• In his 3rd season at Ehingen, Aav improved again, averaging 6 PPG, 2 RPG, and 2.7 APG in 19.2 MPG.

2024-25 (Team Ehingen Urspring, Estonia U20)

• In the Summer of 2024, Aav made 3 appearances on the Estonian U20 team, averaging 4.3 PPG, 3.7 RPG, and 3 APG.

• Jorke Aav had a breakout in Year 4 at Ehingen. Aav averaged 13.4 PPG, 4.9 APG, and 3.3 RPG in 31.1 MPG.

• Aav had one double-double with assists on Oct 20th, 2024, against Orange Academy with 17 points and 11 assists.

2025-26 (VET-Concept Gladiators Trier, Estonia U20)

• Jorke Aav once again appeared for Estonia U20’s roster in the Summer of 2025, averaging 12 PPG, 3.2 RPG, and 4.5 APG.

• Jorke also made 2 appearances in the BBL this past season, tallying 2 points, 1 rebound, and 2 assists against FC Bayern Munich Basketball.

Film Review:

Film from Arman Jovic on X:

Passing Ability:

The first thing I took away from the film I watched of Jorke Aav is that Jorke might immediately be one of the best and flashiest passers in the Big South Conference. Every pass Jorke throws has something flashy about it. Does this sometimes get him in trouble? Yes. But even when he gets himself in trouble passing the ball, one thing stands out: speed. The ball flies out of Jorke’s hand, and that speed alone will catch Big South defenders sleeping.

In Jorke Aav’s career in Germany, he had a 1.18 Assist/TOV Ratio, which on its own is very nice. What makes it better is that Jorke Aav has consistently improved, going from a negative ratio in his first two seasons to a 1.12 AST/TOV in 23-24. After breaking into a positive AST/TOV Ratio in 23-24, Jorke broke out with a 1.48 in 24-25 and a 1.77 AST/TOV Ratio in the Bundesliga Regionalliga. In that most recent 1.77 AST/TOV ratio season, Jorke Aav had an Assist Ratio of 23.39, which would have been in the Top 20% last season in the Big South.

Jorke Aav will make an immediate impact on this team compared to last year, given how many Longwood players had a ratio above 1.1 AST/TOV. The answer is 2. Jacoi Hutchinson and Elijah Jones were the only players above 1.1, and Jones was in the 35th percentile of guards. Longwood now has 3 with greater than 1.1 in their most recent season, with all 3 having massive scoring and schematic upsides. Jorke Aav will be the oldest of the 3 PG’s for Longwood at 21 years old, with 4 years of National Team and Professional Experience, which alone makes him a massive contender for PG 1.

Tough Shots:

Another thing clear from Jorke Aav’s film was his ability to hit tough shots. He finishes layups through contact, takes midrange floaters, and makes step-back 3s with the shot clock expiring—he makes it look pure. Also, Jorke Aav often creates his own shots in isolation, using dribble moves, a screen, or simply beating his man on the first step.

I think making tough shots will matter at Longwood because of Redd Thompson Jr.’s role last season in Farmville. Jorke Aav had a 3PAr of 64.8% last season and 62.3% for his career. Redd Thompson Jr. posted a 55.7% 3PAr last season at Longwood and 55.3% over his career. Last season, Redd shot 32.4% from three, and Jorke shot 31.5% in Germany Pro B (24-25), with similar 3PT shot choices. Their percentages differed by less than 1%.

2PT Woes:

One of the biggest hurdles for Aav at this level will be finishing at the rim and in the paint. This hurdle is not new for Jorke Aav. He is a career 43% 2PT shooter. Unlike his AST/TOV ratio, this stat has not improved with time. In his most recent season in Germany’s Pro B, Aav averaged 38% from 2-point range. Aav’s best games were with

As much of a hurdle as this has been for Aav, Longwood could be a place to alleviate that struggle. Last season, no Longwood Lancer guard shot less than 46% from 2PT land, and no guard has shot worse than 38% since Jesper Grunlund in 23-24, with a 28.6% on 56 total attempts. Even if Aav doesn’t go past his career average of 43%, Longwood has had success with similarly high percentage guards like Wayln Napper, who averaged 43.7% from 2PT in 22-23.

Final Thoughts:

Jorke Aav might be one of the most intriguing prospects in the Big South. Aav immediately enters as a likely Top 10 passer with, I believe, similar offensive scoring upside if consistency can be found. The clearest play comparison I have for Aav is a player I mentioned earlier in Redd Thompson Jr. Both are average-sized point guards that have incredible scoring potential but lack true consistency, but Aav stands out more than Thompson because of how good a playmaker he is.

A lot of Aav’s role will depend on the many years he will be granted by the NCAA. For this preview, I will give him 1 season just as a simple baseline. For it to be a successful one-season for Jorke, he needs to break into the rotation, something that I believe he will be able to do. All 3 guards at Longwood share the same flaws and strengths: strong playmakers who lack shooting consistency. I think Jorke Aav’s experience in Professional leagues for 4 seasons makes him most prepared for this moment, but I believe he will end up in a Redd Thompson 1st guard off the bench role more than a starting PG.

Without further ado, let’s get right into the breakdown.

Player Bio:

Before transferring to High Point, CJ Brown began his career as a 4-star recruit at South Florida, spending two seasons there under Ben Fletcher and Bryan Hodgson.

2024-25 (Freshman Season):

• During his freshman season at South Florida, Brown averaged 7.2 PPG, 2.5 APG, and 2.3 RPG.

• Joined the Top 10 Freshmen in USF history for Steals (8th), Free Throw Percentage (9th), Free Throws Made (T10), and Assists (10th).

• Earned All AAC Freshman Team Honors and 3 Freshman of the Week Awards.

• Was coached by now HPU Assistant Ben Fletcher after the passing of USF Coach Amir Abdur-Rahim.

2025-26 (Sophomore Season):

• Stayed at USF after entering the transfer portal, returning to play for Bryan Hodgson, who has been hired from Arkansas State.

• During Brown’s sophomore season, Brown averaged 10.9 PPG, 4.7 APG, and 3.9 RPG.

• Brown helped lead USF to the NCAA Tournament, earning an 11 Seed before falling to Louisville in the Round of 64.

Film Review:

Film for GreenLight Media on X:

Playmaking:

The best strength of CJ Brown’s game lies in an area of emphasis for Flynn Clayman and his staff: good playmaking guards who don’t turn the ball over. Last season at USF, CJ Brown had an Assist Percentage of 29.7%, putting him in the 97th percentile, and, even more importantly, an Assist to Turnover Ratio of 2.27, which placed him in the 92nd percentile.

Last season, High Point’s backcourt, with Conrad Martinez and Rob Martin, was very similar in that regard, both when they entered and during their seasons at High Point. In his first two seasons at Arizona, Conrad Martinez had a 28.2% Assist Percentage, and at High Point last season, Conrad had a 23.2% Assist Percentage. In Rob Martin’s 3 seasons at Indiana State and SEMO, Rob Martin had a 27.5% Assist Percentage. During his senior season at High Point, Rob Martin had a 25.6% Assist Percentage. CJ Brown will fit right in an elite playmaking backcourt with Conrad Martinez, and Peach Jam Assist Single Game Record leader Trey Pearson.

Play Style:

One more thing that makes CJ Brown an almost seamless fit into the High Point system is that he already comes from a similar system. Last season at South Florida, 55.4% of plays involving CJ Brown featured a rim attack, both of which were in the 90th percentile in frequency. His 3rd-most-frequent offensive plays were in transition. Two of those 3 were also positive efficiency to the D1 average, those being Attack and Kick and Plays in Transition, with Attack and Kick being 75th percentile in Points Per Play.

Last season, High Point ran most of its offense in transition, ranking 98th percentile in the CBB with a 1.25 PPP, similar to CJ Brown’s 1.23 PPP. High Point does run fewer attack plays, but they are way more efficient and were able to boost Rob Martin’s PPP at the rim by over .1 PPP on more plays. Playing in an offense like High Point should really uncap CJ’s potential offensively, especially with his unreal explosiveness.

CJ Brown should fit seamlessly into the system defensively as well. Last season, while at USF, Brown had a steal percentage of 2%. Rob Martin entered High Point coming off a 1.8% Steal Percentage season and ended up having a 3% Steal Percentage season. Conrad Martinez was 3.1% Steal Percentage player at Arizona and was a 3.6% Steal Percentage player on more minutes at High Point. High Point also had a higher steal rate than South Florida. I would expect CJ Brown to be around 2% at least next season as a Panther.

Explosiveness:

The final part of CJ Brown’s game that just pops off the tape is his probably most glaring attribute, his athleticism. The term “Walking Highlight Tape” gets used a lot in College Basketball. CJ Brown is the true definition of “Walking Highlight Tape”. CJ Brown, since being at Kell High School, has been known for his bounce, with BallisLife among others coming to his games to watch him and his former teammate, Peyton Marshall, tear it up at Kell.

The athleticism isn’t only seen during his high school career. Last season in College Basketball, CJ Brown had a 50% FG on Dunk, 10%+ DRB, 1%+ Block Percentage, with an additional filter of 25% Assist Percentage at a height of 6’2” or less. The only other player to have those same stats is Josiah Lake II at Oregon State. In the past 3 seasons, notable players with the same stat profile are Javon Small from West Virginia, Shadada Wells at McNeese, Devion Smith from Utah,, and, most notably, Jordan Marsh from UNC Asheville.

Shooting Percentages:

The one glaring issue with CJ Brown is his shooting percentages and the pure volume of shots. Last season at USF, Brown was in the 85th percentile for FGA Per 40 Minutes but ranked in the 11th percentile for True Shooting Percentage, the 6th percentile for 2PT Percentage,, and the 24th percentile for 3PT Percentage. Even during his freshman season at USF, despite being a better shooter, he was only a 47% true shooter, shooting 26% from behind the arc.

CJ Brown doesn’t need to be an elite shooter for High Point to succeed; his playmaking alone makes him an amazing addition. With that being said, if CJ can find a more efficient offensive output, even to an average D1 shooting level, CJ Brown immediately becomes one of the best true PG’s in College Basketball.

Final Thoughts:

I am very excited to see what CJ Brown can do in the Big South, especially in Flynn Clayman’s system. Both of High Point’s main point guards last season (Conrad Martinez and Rob Martin) had been superb playmakers in their previous stops and continued to flourish on that end, but both guards took strides as scorers, especially seen in Rob’s late-season resurgence. If Flynn can get CJ Brown open shots and open lanes, and that same jump happens for an uber-athletic guard, it could be a complete game-changer for High Point.

I already think CJ Brown has a very good chance to be on one of the All-Conference lists at season’s end, just based on his last season at USF. Now, CJ reunites with Ben Fletcher, the coach who had CJ shooting at 45.5% from the field and an offensive system that will feed into CJ’s style in transition. If High Point can play as much in transition next season as they did last season, they will get the absolute most from CJ Brown. That most likely ends with CJ Brown earning 1st Team All Big South Honors at season’s end and potentially National Award Watch List attention.

Without further ado, let’s get right into the breakdown.

Player Bio:

Before transferring to Gardner-Webb, DJ Daniel spent 2 seasons at Frostburg State, redshirting as a true freshman before playing as an RS freshman this past season.

2025-26 (RS Freshman Season):

• During Daniel’s RS Freshman season, he started in 23 of the 29 games he played in, averaging 16.7 PPG, 5.9 RPG, and 3.1 APG, shooting 38% from behind the arc.

• DJ Daniel earned 2nd Team All-MEC Honors.

DJ Daniel also had the 10th most steals in a single season in Frostburg State history with 59 steals.

Film Review:

Film for DJ Daniel on X:

Offensive Power:

The truly most impressive part about DJ Daniel’s game is how much of an offensive workhorse he was at the Division 2 level. For almost every shooting stat outside of Free Throw Percentage and 3 Point Attempt Rate, Daniel ranked in the 80th percentile or higher in all of Division 2. This includes being in the 90th percentile across all “Ball Handling” attributes, except Turnover Percentage, where he ranks in the 88th percentile.

Daniel truly only takes two kinds of shots: at the rim and above-the-break 3-pointers, ranking in the 94th percentile in At The Rim and 3 Point shots, with over 11 attempts per 40 minutes. There is a reason he takes those shots; he makes them. At the rim last season, Daniel shot 74.8%, putting him in the 88th percentile, with no real drop from the left or right, consistently 10 to 15% above the Division 2 average. That same story comes up with Above the Break 3-pointers, where DJ Daniel shot 39.4%, putting him in the 83rd percentile and near or above D2 averages from both the left and right sides of the court.

If you look at Gardner-Webb’s shooting percentages as a team last year, almost everything was below the league average. The two shots Gardner Webb took the most of were at the Rim and above the Break 3’s. Gardner Webb ranked in the 94th percentile of shots at the Rim with over 21 Attempts Per Game. In Above the Break 3’s Gardner Webb ranked in the 51st percentile, but when you combined the Above the Break 3’s and At the Rim shot numbers, Gardner Webb ranked in the 78th percentile in Attempts Per Game. Adding a player like Daniel should at least slightly bolster those putrid shooting numbers from last season.

Athletic Freak:

The only thing that can’t be quantified by analytics or generic stats but becomes very evident when watching film on DJ Daniel is that he is an ATHLETIC FREAK. Whether it is his ability to jump out of the gym, get multiple steps in front of a defender on his first step, or his ability to close a passing lane in a matter of seconds, it is all very evident on film. The only recent Big South player I can think of who is as athletic as DJ Daniel is truly Mister Dean. Even then, Dean still has issues with both stamina and offensive breakaway athleticism, neither of which is an issue for DJ Daniel.

One of the biggest athletic skills I love about Daniel is his stamina. For some of the non D2 sicko’s out there, Frostburg State is in the MEC conference, which, in my opinion, is one of the hardest conferences to play in, in ALL of College Basketball, for one basic thing. PACE.

Last season in the Big South, Charleston Southern had the highest pace in the conference at 71.9; that would have ranked 4th-slowest in the MEC. DJ Daniel played 30.2 MPG in a system where you are constantly at full go, playing a style of basketball that is controlled chaos. I believe Daniel would have zero problems playing the most minutes in Gardner Webb’s system, as he already played nearly 3 MPG more than the highest player for Gardner Webb last season.

Ball Hawk:

One thing I mentioned during the athletics portion was that Daniel can fill passing lines extremely quickly; analytics also agree with that. Last season at Frostburg State, Daniel had a 98th percentile steal percentage of 3.6% and a 99th percentile steal-to-personal foul rate. Those stats become even more evident when you look at On-Off Statistics. When DJ Daniel was on the court, Frostburg State had a Steal Per 40 Minutes of 8.2, and when DJ Daniel was off the court, that Steals Per 40 Minutes dropped to 6.6. The 1.6 Steals Per 40 Minutes drop ranked DJ Daniel in the 89th percentile of On/Off Steals Per 40. Additionally, DJ Daniel boasted an 85th percentile increase in Team Steal Percentage and a 96th percentile increase in Steals to Personal Foul Rate.

Last season, Gardner-Webb ranked in the 39th percentile in Steals Per Game and in the 32nd percentile in Steal Percentage. Additionally, Gardner-Webb has not had a player with a Steal Percentage above 3% since Nate Johnson in the 2019-20 season. Outside of the top 2 teams from last season (Winthrop and High Point), every single Big South team ranked in the bottom 50% of teams in Turnover Percentage, with 4 of those teams being in the bottom 20%. Having a player like DJ Daniel, who will punish any mistakes, is a game-changer in a league as turnover-prone as the Big South.

Play Style:

The one glaring concern for DJ Daniel’s ability to transfer up comes from multiple parts of his game that I will call “Play Style”. The main 2 issues in the “Play Style” are low assist shot rates and Pace Issues. Last season, Frostburg State as a team had an Assist Percentage of 45.3%, ranking in the 21st percentile. DJ Daniel ranked in the 11th percentile for assisted two-point shots and the 4th percentile for assisted 3-point shots. While Gardner Webb also ranked very low in assisted shots last season, ranking in the 3rd and 16th percentiles for 2- and 3-point shots, I think that will need to change for Gardner Webb to become a contender, as most unassisted shots don’t lead to good shots.

The 2nd issue with the Play Style, and the one that I think poses the BIGGEST issue for DJ Daniel’s potential success at the Division 1 level, comes from Pace of Play. Frostburg State plays at a faster pace than anyone at the Division 1 level, in part because the MEC has many teams following the Jim Crutchfield playstyle. Gardner-Webb ranked among the fastest D1 teams, in the 86th percentile, but played a style with 7 fewer possessions per 40 minutes than Frostburg State. That lack of chaos and high-speed basketball could throw Daniel for a whirl, as it did for former MEC Coach and Crutchfield Disciple Ben Howlett at IU Indy last season.

Final Thoughts:

This might be one of the favorite additions in the conference. DJ Daniel was a complete highlight reel in a very fun D2 conference and is now making the move to D1. Gardner-Webb last year lacked a star; only two players averaged over 10 PPG, and both were at 10.7 PPG, but it had 8 players with more than 6 PPG. Is DJ Daniel that star? I don’t know, but analytically it’s a very good stab at it. DJ Daniel was the 4th-best offensive Win Shares Per 40 Minutes player in one of the top D2 leagues with some of the craziest athleticism.

In the Top 25 Comps for DJ Daniels 25-26 season on CBBAnalytics, it is littered with D1 or better talents: Dallas Dillard, JJ Harper, MJ Iraldi, Qua Grant, Taelon Peter, Zach Phillipkoski, and Ziare Wells. History seems to be on DJ Daniel’s side, at least to be a CUSA-level player and maybe more. I think Gardner-Webb hit the jackpot with this transfer addition. I likely will have this as a Top 10 transfer when the portal comes to a halt, and I think DJ Daniel earns some honors at season’s end.

The one difference is that it is BIGGER and BETTER.

For those who didn’t read our portal previews from last year, or those wanting a recap of what I will provide:

The Scout

The Scout is our version of offseason previews of select Big South transfers and incoming freshmen.

In these previews, I will watch as much available film as I can tolerate, then provide my thoughts, good and bad, about what I see, along with any analytics that are relevant to what I notice.

Then, finally, I will provide my overall thoughts along with player comparisons and recap what I think you can expect from the player in the next season or many seasons.

Player Bio:

Before transferring to Charleston Southern, Anthony Ruffolo spent the past seasons at D2 Cedarville in Ohio.

2023-24 (Freshman Season)

• During his freshman season, Ruffolo played in all 35 games and started in 17 of those games. Ruffolo averaged 9.9 PPG in his freshman season, ranking 3rd on the entire team, while also averaging 3.7 RPG and 2.3 APG.

• Named to the All-G-MAC Academic Team

• Ruffolo also helped Cedarville earn their first NCCAA Title since 2019 and Third in program history.

2024-25 (Sophomore Season)

• During Ruffolo’s sophomore season, he once again ranked 3rd in scoring with 12.3 PPG, but made large leaps in averaging 4.9 RPG and 3 APG.

• Once again named to the All-G-MAC Academic Team, he was also named to the G-MAC All-Tournament Team.

2025-26 (Junior Season)

• During his junior season, Ruffolo led the team in Points Per Game with 16.6 PPG, Steals Per Game with 1.3 SPG, while also averaging 4 RPG and 2.5 APG.

• Named 2nd Team All-G-MAC.

Film Review:

Film from Anthony Ruffolo on X:

Playmaking/Basketball IQ:

Something that becomes evident when you are

watching Anthony Ruffolo on the court is his ability to run an offense. In all 3 seasons at Cedarville, he ranked in the Top 65th percentile or better in Assist Percentage, and during both his freshman and junior seasons, Ruffolo ranked in the 75th percentile or better in turnover percentage.

One of the true areas where Ruffolo excels is in the pick and roll, his ability to find the open man coupled with his ability to finish at the rim but also having the willingness to take 3 point and mid range shots. The combination of those abilities makes it so that you can’t “blitz the ball” on the screen, as he’ll find the screener, you can’t sag off, as he’ll take the 3-pointer or mid-range, and you can’t have a help defender, as he will kick it out to the open shooter.

Last season, all 3 of Charleston Southern’s point guards had an assist rate of 20% or better, and a lot of that was due to Charleston Southern’s offense. Luke Williams is no better example of this. During Luke’s 2 seasons at Maryville, he had assist rates of 12% and 11%, but during his one season at Charleston Southern, he eclipsed 20% for the first time.

Driving Ability:

One of the things I mentioned in the playmaking section was Ruffolo’s ability to drive off the pick-and-roll. The one thing I didn’t mention is that if he doesn’t kick the ball out or pass out of it, Ruffolo is also a very good finisher at the rim. During Ruffolo’s career at Cedarville, he shot over 69% at the rim, which places him in the 81st percentile on over 185 attempts.

During his junior season, Ruffolo really excelled at the rim, shooting 72% at the rim, ranking him in the 87th percentile on relatively average volume, taking around 27% of his shots at the rim, both of which were higher than Charleston Southern’s last season.

Ruffolo should be able to at least slightly affect Charleston Southern’s mediocre shooting percentages at the rim from last season. Last season, Charleston Southern was hovering around D1 average at the rim, shooting around 60%. Ruffolo, during his junior season at Cedarville, shot 72% at the rim. I do believe in seeing something higher than the 60% CSU shot at the rim in 2025-26.

Shot Diet:

One of the most promising things that I liked about Ruffolo, in Charleston Southern’s system, is his shot diet that should transition seamlessly into Coach Nimley’s system. Last season at Cedarville, Ruffolo took 343 shots, 141 of which were above the break three’s, making up 41.1% of his shot diet, and 93 shots at the rim, making up 27.1% of his shot diet. Last season, Charleston Southern as a team took 1835 shots, 688 being above the break 3’s, making up 37.5% of their shot diet, and 510 shots at the rim, making up 27.8% of their diet.

The shot diet numbers at the rim for Charleston Southern come from one big thing: their massive emphasis on playing through their big men. Last year, being Reis Jones and Lase Olalare, along with their cutting guards of A’lahn Sumler and the committee around him. This year, Lase Olalare returns, and once again, Saah Nimley has another committee of guards, including Anthony Ruffolo.

The above-the-break 3-point numbers stem from the same reason as the numbers at the rim. When you play inside the paint, it usually either leads to a shot at the rim, or leads to a double team, which forces a kick-out many times, leading to a 3-pointer above the break in open space. Charleston Southern ranked in the 82nd percentile in Inside Out efficiency, much due to their big men finding open shooters who aren’t afraid to shoot, something Anthony Ruffolo is NOT afraid to do.

Position Size/Athleticism:

The only reason I have concern is his size at the guard position, which comes from his athleticism and size as a guard. Ruffolo is a larger-bodied guard at 6’0 “, 190 lbs, which I think can be a benefit but also a downside in the Big South. I do think his size allows him to guard 1-3 to potentially some 4’s without a massive disadvantage, which is something CSU will need as they won’t have a TON of size like many mid-major teams in this new area. The size also makes him able to play a bit of bully ball against some of the smaller guards in the league, similar to how Colin Hawkins did for Gardner-Webb last season.

The one worry that comes up on film when watching Cedarville and Anthony Ruffolo is that he is not a very fast player. He does have decent quickness, but that top-end speed just is not there on film, and I do think that CAN pose an issue in the Big South against guards like Conrad Martinez and others. The one thing I do think will come to Ruffolo’s benefit is that there aren’t 5 balls on the court, you can place him off-ball on defense, which should lessen those issues.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, I am a very big fan of this addition. I don’t think Ruffolo is going to be some All-Conference Level talent, but that’s not what Charleston Southern needs. Charleston Southern played their best basketball last season when everyone just played their roles, and no one tried to play hero ball. Ruffolo fits a role for CSU. He can hit shots, has a solid knack as a playmaker, and is just overall a very well-rounded guard that should be able to provide decent numbers in the minutes he is on the court.

I really think Ruffolo takes a similar role to Luke Williams’ last season. Both were high-volume D2 guards who transferred to D1 for their final seasons of basketball. Both guards were main scorers on mid-level D2 teams who could score from 3-point range and at the rim, the only real difference being that Luke Williams also had a pretty prolific mid-range game. If Ruffolo fits into that Luke Williams role, I think CSU hit another home run with a D2 transfer up and could be poised to take that next step at CSU in Year 3 of Coach Nimley’s tenure.