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Men's Basketball

SVSU Men’s Basketball Announces 2024 Recruiting Class

SVSU Men’s Basketball Announces 2024 Recruiting Class
Posted: Jul 26, 2024

UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. — Saginaw Valley State University Coach Randy Baruth enters his 13th season in 2024-25 at the helm of the Cardinal men's basketball program with eight new additions to his roster.

"We are pleased with the commitments we've received from our new recruits who are all excited to join our basketball program at SVSU," Baruth said. "These eight new players have experience winning at a high level and possess the qualities that are necessary to be successful academically and athletically. They fit the culture of our program and join the seven returning players to help us compete for conference and post-season championships."

The new eight-member recruiting class includes:

Will Fowler is the son of Layne and Missy Fowler. The 6'2 point guard from Byrnes High School (South Carolina) averaged 18.6 points, 3 assists, and 4 rebounds his senior year. He is a 1,000-point scorer and broke the single-game scoring record at Byrnes with 41 points. In his senior season, Fowler led his team to a state championship runner-up finish, earning him Region 2-5A Player of the Year, as well as all-state and all-region accolades. Fowler was also selected to the Carolinas Classic all-star game for Team South Carolina.

"I chose SVSU because of the family vibe I got when I visited Saginaw," Fowler said. "It is a place I can see myself playing and creating great relationships that will last a lifetime. I plan to study sports management."

"Will is a tough, high-IQ point guard," Baruth said. "He is a coach's son and a gym rat who brings leadership, toughness, and a high motor to our program. He also has a knack for scoring the ball from all three levels."

Bryson Huckeby is the son of Barry and Jen Huckeby. The 6-5 wing is transferring to SVSU after playing his first two years of college basketball at Anderson University (Ind.) where he was a First Team all-conference selection in 2023-24 and Honorable Mention pick in 2022-23. He was twice chosen as HCAC (Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference) Athlete-of-the-Week in the 2023-24 season while averaging 13.9 points (10th in HCAC), 2.2 3-pointers made (3rd in HCAC), 6.2 rebounds (10th in HCAC), and 2.2 assists (15th in HCAC).

"I had an amazing experience at Anderson University, but I felt I needed to make a change," said Huckeby, who prepped at Freeland High School. "At first, I wasn't sure about coming back home, but now it works for me so I can be close to my family again and watch my brother play high school basketball. After I finish college, I'd love to play professional basketball, but I'm planning for a career in education and because I love the game, I want to one day get into coaching."

"Bryson is a high-IQ leader from a great family," Baruth said. "We expect him to immediately impact our program with his shooting and passing ability. He had two highly productive years at Anderson, putting up great numbers and leading his team to consecutive winning seasons."

Elijah Mattingly, a 6'7 wing from Beech Grove, Indiana, is the son of Jeremiah and Jennifer Mattingly. Mattingly prepped at Central Christian Academy in Indianapolis and, like his Anderson University teammate Bryson Huckeby, has opted to play his final two years at SVSU. At Anderson, Mattingly in 2023-24 was named HCAC (Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference) Defensive Player of the Year and was a Second Team all-conference selection. As a sophomore, he was a two-time HCAC Athlete-of-the-Week award recipient while averaging 11.5 points (14th in HCAC), 2.9 blocks (1st in HCAC), 9.5 Rebounds (3rd in HCAC), and 2.4 assists (14th in HCAC). He recorded 21 rebounds in a game against Trine University, setting the HCAC single-game record, and has 115 career blocks (1st in Anderson D-III history). His 65 blocks in 2023-24 rank 4th in school history.

"I felt by entering the transfer portal I could move up to a higher level of competition that matches my ability," Mattingly said. "It was fortunate that my teammate and good friend Bryson (Huckeby) was also interested in transferring to an NCAA Division 2 program, and after meeting the coaches and visiting the campus, we both knew SVSU would be a good destination for us. I feel my leadership ability and past experience winning championships in college will help my new teammates come together to win more titles for SVSU. 

"Elijah is a long, athletic, and versatile player," Baruth said. "He can defend multiple positions and was the Defensive Player of the Year this past season at Anderson University. On offense, Elijah is well-rounded with his ability to rebound, handle the ball, stretch the defense, and attack off the dribble."

Richmond Mawutor is the son of Charles Mawutor and Leticia Owusu. Mawutor will transfer to SVSU after playing in 2023-24 at Mineral Area College in Park Hills, Missouri. There he averaged 2.5 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. In 2022-23, Mawutor played one season at Jacksonville Community College, where he finished the season ranked in the top 4 in rebounding among junior colleges in the state of Texas. Mawutor played his pre-collegiate basketball in Great Britain at Haringey Sixth Form College.

"I appreciated the hospitality when I visited SVSU," Mawutor said. "Everyone was very welcoming and showed they really valued me as a person and a student-athlete. The athletic facilities, food options, and the campus stood out to me. I plan to study mechanical engineering, and the faculty who I met with showed me how I can achieve my academic goals at SVSU."

"Richmond answers the need we had for inside players to join Kevonne Taylor (Detroit) in the paint for us," Baruth said. "He brings physicality and an elite motor after honing his athleticism at the junior college level. His aggressive, defensive-first mentality perfectly fits what we were seeking in a post player to add to our roster."

Niko Newsome is the son of Corie and Craig Newsome Sr. He will be listed on SVSU's roster as a 6'6" combo guard. During his senior season, the Bloomington native averaged 13 points and 5 rebounds per game. In the Illinois high school tournament this season, Newsome was a big factor when his NCHS Ironmen won a sectional championship on March 1.

Newsome's play during the spring/summer off-season drew recruiters to his games. Playing for MidPro Academy, he earned First Team honors on the NY2LA Association and was selected as Defensive MVP. For his senior year, he opted to play at Normal Community High. As a junior at Bloomington High School, he was named to the Illinois Associated Press Class 3A All-State (Honorable Mention) boys' basketball team (as voted on by a statewide panel of newspaper sports writers/editors and TV/radio broadcasters) and was a member of the All-Tournament teams (honorable mention) when he competed in the 2021 and 2022 Pontiac (Illinois) Holiday tournaments. Newsome is a 1,000-point career scorer and was a First Team pick by the Big 12 Conference in 2022 and 2023.

SVSU emerged as Newsome's top choice over several other NCAA D1 and D2 schools that also pursued him. "The main things about SVSU that I like are the coaching staff, athletic facilities, and campus. The basketball arena, weight room, and players' locker room are beautiful, and the campus has everything you need. I heard from the players that the SVSU coaching staff makes sure you stay on task in class, and most importantly will be there for me when I need to talk to them – not just about basketball, but also anything outside of athletics and school. Saginaw Valley runs a fluid offense and plays tough man-to-man defense, and those are systems that I can thrive in."

"We see Niko making an immediate impact because he is a two-way player who can score at the rim as well as shoot from the arc, and he loves the challenge of being a disruptor at the defensive end of the court," Baruth said. "He is unselfish and blends his talents into the team concept, and when necessary, he has the skill and athletic ability to make a key play that will help his team win."

Dontez Scott II is the son of Leslie and Dontez Scott Sr. At 6' and 180 pounds, Scott is a scoring point guard from Summit Academy North High. As a junior, he averaged 20.0 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists per game.

"I feel great to be a Cardinal," Scott said. "SVSU felt like home to me, and I feel the coaches and my future teammates will help me become a better player. I wanted to play for a coach in college who I could develop a good relationship with, and I had a strong interest in going to a school that has a nice campus – and SVSU offers both of those. The opportunity to continue my basketball career at the college level was important, but I wanted to go where I would graduate with a degree in engineering."

A four-year varsity starter and a career 1,000-point scorer, Scott was named to the 2023 BCAM Best All-State Division II team. He was a CSC (Charter School Conference) First Team all-conference selection in both his sophomore and junior seasons. After his sophomore year, the Detroit News named Scott to the All-Metro Second Team (All West). As a freshman, Scott was awarded first-team honors by the News-Herald. Scott carries a 3.5 cumulative grade point average, which has earned him All-Academic honors at Summit Academy North.

"We are very excited to add Dontez to our Cardinal Family," Baruth said. "He is just the kind of prospect we love to recruit; he is a physical, high motor, competitive guard who can play on and off the ball with his ability to score it. He took his Summit Academy high school team all the way to the Final Four last season as a junior and played with The Family in the EYBL AAU circuit, so we know he is battle-tested and a winner.

"Along with his on-court traits, he is a very high-character young man who takes care of his business in the classroom and comes from an outstanding family," Baruth added.

Trenton Taratuta is the son of Jenny and Tom Taratuta. The 2023-24 Hillman (Mich.) High School valedictorian (4.359 GPA) completed an impressive prep career in basketball, averaging 30.2 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists his senior year. He finished 11th all-time in MHSAA history in scoring with 2,366 career points. Taratuta was a First Team all-state selection in his sophomore, junior, and senior seasons, and was named to the Honorable Mention all-state team as a freshman. He led his team to three district championships in his sophomore, junior, and senior seasons, and a regional title in his junior year. An all-around athlete, Taratuta also competed on his prep baseball and football teams, earning Second Team all-state in baseball and all-conference in football.

"I chose SVSU because I knew it would be a place I could thrive academically and athletically," Taratuta said. "The coaches, players, facilities, and campus are all top-notch. I know it is a place where I will continue to grow as a person. I am majoring in exercise science and plan to become a physical therapist."

"Trenton had an outstanding high school career at Hillman where he developed into an elite scorer," said Baruth. "He has good size at 6'5 and, besides being a high-level shooter, he can handle the ball and sees the floor really well."

Nate Washburn is the son of Jeanine and Ed Hayden. The 6'8 postman — with a 6'10 wingspan — in 2023-24 played at PHH Prep National Basketball Academy in Phoenix, Arizona. Prior to that season, Washburn made the 2023 Detroit Free Press "Top 100 in Michigan" list while prepping at Dakota High School in Macomb, Michigan. In 2022-23, he also made the Honorable Mention All-MAC Red team and was an All-Macomb Country Honorable Mention pick.

"I noticed immediately during my visit that SVSU has a home-like feel," Washburn said. "The coaching staff was very upfront with their recruiting process, which I appreciated. And the environment seems to be one I can grow in. The core group of returning players seemed to me to be bought into the system and team culture, so I know I'll feel comfortable being part of the program at SVSU."

"Nate has great size and strength for an incoming freshman," Baruth said. "Combined with his work ethic and determination, we think he has a tremendous upside for our program. He is a strong defender and rebounder who has the ability to develop his offensive skills to become an all-round post presence."

The Cardinals finished the 2023-24 season with a 13-14 overall record and a 6-12 mark in GLIAC play. Four men's basketball players earned league awards with Tre Garrett earning first-team All-GLIAC and All-Defensive team. Juniors Freddie McIntosh and Toodles Seal were named second-team All-GLIAC and Sophomore Kevonne Taylor was an All-Defensive selection. Garrett reached 1,000 career points and 500 career rebounds during the season. Dylan West, McIntosh, and Seal all reached 1,000 career points during the season as well. Taylor led the GLAIC in blocks per game with 2.59 (he was sixth in all of NCAA DII in that category). In addition, SVSU also returns senior Maurice Anderson (Romulus, Mich.), junior Curtis Jackson (Detroit, Mich.), and freshmen Triston Nichols (Shelby Twp., Mich.) and Christian Zielinski (Midland, Mich.).

For more information on SVSU basketball, including the 2024-25 season schedule, go to svsucardinals.com/sports/mbkb.