In just four seasons, Jared Grasso has helped build up the Bryant program from a perennial loser (a combined 23-81 record in the three seasons previous to Grasso’s hire), to the team with the quirky recruiting strategy of “offer to every recruit ever” to Northeast Conference Champions.
Considered as one of the more sought after coaches prior to the offseason, Jared Grasso’s hard work was rewarded after receiving a contract extension with Bryant, keeping him in Smithtown, RI through the 2026-2027 season.
Last season, the face of the Bryant Bulldogs was Peter Kiss, the spirited guard who led the nation in scoring (25.2 ppg) and whose unyielding confidence regularly walked the line of cocky. To put it simply, he was a guy you hate to play against but love to have on your own team. In addition to Kiss, five rotation players who averaged at least 19 mpg last season have either graduated (Adham Eleeda, Hall Elisias, Greg Calixte) or transferred (Luis Hurtado and Chris Childs), allowing Grasso to do what he does best: hunt far and wide for new talent.
However, entering the offseason, the cupboard is far from bare, thanks to Charles Pride returning for his senior season. In each of his three seasons at Bryant, Pride has steadily improved, finishing last season averaging 17.7 points, 8.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.6 steals and solid efficiency with just 1.7 turnovers per game and a 53.5 2p% (a career best), 32.6 3p% and a 76.7 ft%. For a team that loves to run (according to KenPom, the Bulldogs ranked fourth nationally in overall tempo) and score (they ranked 28th nationally with 78 points per game), Pride will be hands down the leader and engine of the 2022-2023 roster.
Two other key returnees are guards Tyler Brelsford and Erickson Bans. Transferring over from George Washington last offseason, Brelsford is a 6’4 junior point guard with great length but he needs to work on his shooting in order to play more than a backup role next season (career 41.3 2p%, 26.8 3p%). However, his career 75.0 ft% hints towards potential in his development as a shooter. Growing up just ten miles away from campus in Pawtucket, RI, Erickson Bans is a smaller point guard who is a pesky defender (1.9 steals per 40 minutes) and showed enough potential as a shooter in his freshman season (50.0 2p%, 42.1 3p%, 75.0 ft%) to help file last season as a blip best to forget (29.3 2p%, 25.4 3p%, 52.9 ft% last season). With so many guards joining from the transfer portal, Bans will have to work hard to continue his rotational role from the last two seasons.
While Charles Pride is the unquestioned leader of the Bulldogs, much of their rotations will feature the eight-man transfer haul. Former top-40 recruit from Miami and incoming Memphis transfer Earl Timberlake is poised to make the most immediate impact. The 6’6 220 lefty power wing originally out of powerhouse high school program DeMatha Catholic, Timberlake is a versatile defender who will likely play the 4 at Bryant. In 36 career games, Timberlake is already a physical load inside the arc (48.3 2p%) and a willing passer (3.7 assists per 40), but will need to work on his outside shot (18.2 3p%) and limiting turnovers (3.9 per 40) in order to help reach his immense potential.
A grad transfer out of former NEC mates St. Francis (NY), Chauncey Hawkins will be counted on to pick up some of the scoring left behind from Peter Kiss. Sitting out last season, the 5’8 172 Hawkins was one of the best guards in the NEC, averaging 16.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.6 steals, 4.4 assists and just 2.3 turnovers per game with impressive shooting efficiency: 50.4 2p%, 37.5 3p% and 73.5 ft%. A true three-level scorer, Hawkins was one of the nation’s best rim attackers, ranking top-100 nationally with 5.2 free throw attempts per game.
Originally a three-star recruit for Georgetown, Antwan Walker spent the last three seasons as a part-time starting forward at Rhode Island. Entering his fifth season projected to start at the 5, Walker was a good rebounder and shooter for the Rams, averaging 7.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, 0.6 steals and 0.6 blocks with 63.6 2p% and 33.3 3p% (just 1.1 attempts per game).
Originally a three-star recruit for La Salle, the 6’4 230 Sherif Kenney was a steady, versatile wing for the Explorers, averaging 8.7 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists with good enough shooting splits to keep defenses honest at all three levels (43.4 2p%, 31.3 3p%, 67.8 ft%). He’s one of the candidates to earn a starting role in the backcourt along with Hawkins and Pride.
One of the most recognizable faces (the mustache helped, for sure) from last season’s Cinderella Saint Peter’s team that beat Kentucky, Murray State and Purdue to reach the Elite Eight is sharpshooter Doug Edert. The 6’2 185 senior was a steady, efficient scorer and shooter for the Peacocks, averaging a career 8.4 points per game (each season ranged between 7.7 ppg and 9.5 ppg) and shooting 45.4% from inside the arc, 39.2% from three and 84.9% from the charity stripe. Either as a starter or a microwave shooter off the bench, Edert will play big minutes for the Bulldogs whose ice in his veins shooting and mostly mistake-free play (just 1.6 turnovers per 40) will be super valuable in late game situations.
One of Bryant’s more intriguing multi-year eligible transfers is East Carolina forward Tay Mosher. The 6’7 215 sophomore played just four games in his freshman season, but he was 247’s 83th rated small forward in the Class of 2021 with eight total Division 1 offers. Projected to play backup minutes at the 4 and the 5, Mosher showed a three-level scoring ability in prep school and will look to parlay that to a rotation role for the Bulldogs.
Another multi-year eligible transfer is Hofstra junior transfer Kvonn Cramer. The 6’6 205 forward started a total of twenty games over his two seasons at Hofstra, averaging 7.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 0.8 steals and 0.8 blocks with an eye-opening 71.1 2p%. The former three-star recruit held offers from Seton Hall, Rutgers and VCU out of high school, schools that were intrigued with Cramer’s defensive potential thanks to his athleticism, active motor and seven-foot wingspan.
Starting his career as a starter at Stony Brook and then last played the 2020-2021 season at Bucknell, Miles Latimer is the last transfer piece from this offseason. Committing to Bryant back in September and sitting out last season, the 6’4 186 senior is an impressive perimeter shooter shooting 36.5 3p% from beyond the arc in his career.
With so many new pieces added over the offseason, there is certainly a buzz around Bryant joining the America East, but while Vermont is still the cream of the crop in the conference, Bryant has a few non-conference opportunities to impress early: 11/26 @ Syracuse, 12/4 @ Cincinnati and a 12/17 neutral matchup against Liberty in Springfield, MA, just an 80 minute drive from campus.
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