2018-19 MBB Preview: Newcomers
HUNTSVILLE – Gearing up for the start of the 2018-19 season, seven newcomers to the Sam Houston State men’s basketball team look to make an immediate impact on the court.
The Bearkats welcome in four transfers and three true freshmen to the 2018-19 squad – each possessing an impressive set of skills to push Sam Houston through a strong schedule. Junior transfers include Kai Mitchell, Chad Bowie
“The new guys have all done really well adjusting,” head coach Jason Hooten said. “There’s a lot that goes into stepping into a new program – everything from learning a new defense to learning a new offense and adjusting to classes and workouts. I think collectively the new guys will bring a little more scoring punch than what we’ve had in the past.”
GUARDS
Coming to Sam Houston from Kilgore College, Bowie was a key part of the Ranger attack the past two seasons, including scoring a team-high 18 points for KC in the championship of the Region XIV tournament in 2017-18. The 6-2 guard averaged 13.3 points, 4.7 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game in his second year with the program.
“Even though we lost John Dewey III, who averaged 10 points a game, we have a little bigger guy in that spot now with Chad,” Hooten explained. “Chad is more of a natural scorer than John was. He can get his shot off a little better and can really drive into the lane. He’s a little more athletic and dynamic and he’s got the size. I’m really excited about what he brings to the table.”
Another experienced junior joining the squad, Matthews looks to make his presence known after stops at Chattanooga and Cape Fear Community College. At Cape Fear, he was named a first team all-conference player and the team MVP for the 2017-18 season. At 6-4, 185 pounds, he averaged 14.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and shot 42.8 percent from the field for the Sea Devils a year ago.
“Zaqwaun is a bigger guy who can really shoot the ball,” Hooten said. “He has a great presence on the floor and he is a player who I am really excited about.”
One of two freshman guards, Bryant adds high basketball IQ and great energy to the
“I feel like Xavier is going to be a really good player for us,” Hooten said. “He’s probably picked up some things a little quicker than the rest of the new guys. Xavier is going to be a guy that’s going to push everybody every day. I’m really excited about what he’s going to accomplish here.”
The final guard to join the Bearkats, Nutall comes to Sam Houston after a stellar campaign at Bryan High School. The 6-3 guard averaged 18 points and six rebounds as a sophomore and improved upon that as a junior when he averaged 22 points and five rebounds per game.
“Zach could arguably be one of the better freshmen we’ve had in my time here,” Hooten added. “He’s a guy that just keeps getting better every day but he’s still trying to figure out some things out in the process. We are expecting really big things from him.”
He was named the District 18-5A Offensive MVP after averaging 21 points, seven rebounds and 1.8 steals a game as a senior. Along the way, he was named to the TABC all-region and all-state teams, as well as being named academic all-state. Nutall earned the MVP award at the Eric Medina Under Armour Tournament as a junior and then also took part in the HABCA all-star game following his senior campaign.
FORWARDS
Providing a strong presence for the Kats inside the paint, Mitchell comes to Sam Houston after two seasons at Hutchinson CC where he helped lead his team to a 61-12 record and the 2017 NJCAA national title.
“We never really had a presence inside last season and we feel like Kai will help fill that void,” Hooten explained. “In our first scrimmage against Louisiana, Kai went and scored 12 points and had 13 rebounds so I think we’ll be better in that area.”
While at Hutchinson, he helped the Blue Dragons claim a No. 11 seed in the NJCAA Tournament, advancing to the Sweet 16 with Mitchell averaging 6.2 points and a team-high 6.5 rebounds per game. He also added 2.7 assists, a team-best 1.3 blocks and 1.2 steals per game to his line.
Smith, another all-around weapon for the Bearkats, has shown standout energy and effort since stepping onto campus. After redshirting at Oral Roberts, he transferred to Butler Community College where he averaged 13.7 points and 7.5 rebounds to earn second team all-league honors. A versatile forward, Smith had six double-doubles at Butler CC, including a 23-point, 20-rebound night against Pratt CC while also turning in a season-high of 24 points against Allen County CC.
“I think RJ will do very well at the power forward spot,” Hooten said. “He’s a really talented young man and he’s got a lot of upside to him. He’s got three years to play and he’s got a chance to be a really good player. There are a lot of things to learn right now, but the talent is there.”
The final forward joining the squad, Johnson will step onto the court as a freshman after graduating from Culver City High School. Coming in at 6-foot-5, the 220-pound forward earned first-team All-Ocean League and All-CIF Division 2AA honors after averaging 11.3 points and seven rebounds per game at Culver City High School. In addition to 15 blocks, Johnson racked up 259 points and 156 rebounds in his senior season.
“Cyrus is a tough-minded player who will fall into the power forward mix,” Hooten said. “He has a great work ethic and that will help him become a really good player in our system.”
Hooten on the newcomers
“I don’t think people really know what we have after bringing in seven new guys,” Hooten explained. “I think we have some talent but we still have to put it all together. These guys have got to mesh and we have to be able to handle adversity.
“Every year is exciting in its own way and I’m very ready for this season to start. As a coach, you start watching a lot of film before and after games to get ready for your opponents and those things are what keeps us going. It’s always a process and the fun part is being able to put everything together and see what it looks like in the end.”
The Bearkats are set to begin their season on Tuesday, Nov. 6 with a 6:30 p.m. contest against East Texas Baptist at Johnson Coliseum. For all the latest information on the Sam Houston State men’s basketball team, visit gobearkats.com or follow @BearkatsMBB on Twitter.
