Regis Men’s Hoop to Welcome Six Incoming Freshmen
WESTON, Mass. – Nate Hager, head coach of the Regis College men's basketball team, has announced that six incoming freshmen have committed to joining the Pride program starting in the 2019-20 academic year by making a deposit with the school.
Demitri Barbosa played for Josh Odugbela at Coyle & Cassidy High School in Taunton, Mass. The 5-9 guard averaged 23 points, four rebounds, and two steals per game, plus he shot 83 percent from the free throw line. A nominee for the Dave Cowens Achievement Award, Barbosa earned All-Star honors from the Eastern Athletic Conference and All-Scholastic recognition from the Taunton Daily Gazette.
"Demitri brings a needed level of toughness to the Pride. We saw him take four charges in a camp game, along with knocking down multiple three-pointers, and knew he'd be a great addition to our program. He can really score it in multiple ways and is a great teammate. We anticipate Demetri to compete like crazy to contribute at our guard position," Hager said.
Justin Evelyn is a six-foot guard from Uniondale, N.Y., who played for Tom Diana at Uniondale High School, helping his team to a 20-4 record and its second consecutive Nassau Class AA championship. An All-Nassau County selection, he averaged 11 points, seven assists, and six rebounds per game.
"Justin is a winner. He led Uniondale to consecutive Nassau championships and that's a huge deal. Winning breeds winning and Justin is the type of gym rat competitor that will keep our culture heading in the right direction," said Hager. "Not only does Justin make his teammates better, he can stretch the floor as well as score at the rim. As a high basketball IQ player and tenacious defender, we expect Justin to contribute immediately."
John "Jack" Greene is a 6-5 forward who played for Ryan Olsen at Holy Cross High School in Waterbury, Conn. He earned All-Brass Division honors out of the Naugatuck Valley League after averaging 10 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game.
"Jack's best days on the basketball court are in front of him. He possesses a very high basketball IQ and is a tremendous passer. He is a fearless competitor who comes from a great basketball pedigree. Jack loves the gym and has a tremendous work ethic. With that hard work, we see Jack becoming a complete player who will compete immediately for minutes at our forward spot," said Hager.
Zak Latifi played for Jamie Sullivan at Worcester Academy in Worcester, Mass., helping his team post a 20-7 record and qualify for the NEPSAC Class AA playoffs. The 6-3 forward from Holliston, Mass., shot 51 percent from behind the three-point line as he averaged eight points, 4.4 assists, and two rebounds per game.
"Zak can flat out shoot it. We are excited to add another three-point threat to the program," said Hager. "He is working hard to expand his game, and his prep year experience of competing against high level competition day in and day out will pay dividends in that process. We are very excited to see that hard work play out here at Regis. We expect him to be an impact at the wing position."
Jackson Swihart, a 5-11 guard, became the first player in the history of TERRA Environmental Research Institute in Miami, Fla., to score at least 1,000 career points. Playing under head coach Adam Graham, he averaged 22 points, four rebounds, and three steals per game as he earned honorable mention All-Dade County honors from the Miami Herald.
"Jackson is an absolute competitor and an elite scorer. He plays with a chip on his shoulder, and we expect him to bring that toughness each day to practice. He is a very high IQ player who has the ability to make his teammates better and create his own offense," Hager said. "If he finds that balance of high level offensive and defensive play, there is no telling how good he can be. We expect him to contribute at the guard position immediately."
Cam Wilkins is a 6-1 guard originally from Taunton, Mass., who played for Mike Hart at St. Andrew's School in Barrington, R.I. He helped the team to a 27-5 record and the 2019 NEPSAC Class AA championship. A two-time All-New England honoree, he scored 1,067 points during his prep career, averaging 12.2 points, 4.3 assists, and three rebounds per game.
"Cam is one of the most selfless teammates we've ever recruited. Seeing him at St. Andrew's do whatever the team needed to win a NEPSAC championship (take charges, grab rebounds, and run the show) told us that we were getting a special player whose best days are in front of him. Cam has played against elite competition his whole career, and we are excited to see him blossom into a dominant guard here at Regis," Hager said.
Hager, the only head coach in the history of the Regis College men's basketball program, is entering his 13th season at the helm. The team aims to improve from a nine-win campaign in 2018-19 and qualify for the GNAC Tournament for the second time in three seasons.