If you have been following the Cincinnati Bearcats since the end of the 2018-19 season you can say the word of the off season is “change”. First program staple head coach Mick Cronin bolted for UCLA, then John Brannen crossed the Ohio River to become the new head coach. UC went from playing at Northern Kentucky to getting their coach.
Now that we’ve gotten the coaches out of the way let’s go through the process on how he current roster has gotten to this point.
Senior point guards Justin Jenifer and Cane Broome graduated. Highly touted guard Samari Curtis decommitted and went to Nebraska. Jarron Cumberland put his name in the hat to be evaluated by NBA scouts. Yes, the Bearcats had a shot to lose the American Athletic Conference Player of the Year with a year of eligibility left. Center Nysier Brooks transferred to Miami (FL), forward Rashawn Fredricks transferred to UAB, center Eliel Nsoseme transferred to Georgia State, guard Logan Johnson transferred to Saint Mary’s and forward LaQuill Hardnett transferred to Buffalo. They lost five players who still had eligibility left with a big possibility to lose six if Cumberland stayed in the NBA Draft.
Brannen worked quick to reshape the roster he got guard Chris McNeal and center Jaume “Jay” Sorolla to transfer in as graduates. Center Chris Vogt transferred in from Northern Kentucky, Brannen’s old school, Vogt will probably have to sit out a year. He got commits from combo guard Mika Adams-Woods (previously committed to Nebraska) and swingman Jeremiah Davenport (Moeller HS). After the new players were in place the huge news that Cumberland was coming back for his senior year. Soon after that his cousin guard Jaevin Cumberland (Oakland) transferred in as a graduate reuniting the two. The icing on the cake was adding Top 50 recruit Zach Harvey completing the roster. They added both Cumberland’s and Harvey super late in the process to complete the additions to the 2019-20 roster.
Players that stayed besides Jarron:
Forward Trevon Scott, guard Keith Williams, guard/forward Trevor Moore, forward Mamoudou Diarra and forward Prince Gillam
