On the heels of a 25-win season, its second highest total in program history and arguably Fordham’s best season since 1971, first-year head coach Keith Urgo earned a contract extension through the 2027-28 season, which according to the New York Post’s Zach Braziller, will earn Urgo $1 million per year, before incentives.
As an associate head coach alongside former head coach Kyle Neptune, who will start his second season at Villanova, Urgo was essential in laying the foundation to what Fordham has become today: a two-year transformation from an after-thought to “Rose Thrill”, with its sold out games and so-insane-it-makes-you-feel-good student section.
Four of the Rams’ six minutes leaders will return next season, two of which for their extra year of eligibility. Entering his fifth season with Fordham, Kyle Rose enters next season as arguably the team’s best defender (he was named to the A-10 All-Defensive team) and emotional leader.
Under Urgo, Rose has excelled: “He's playing with much more passion and purpose. He wants to win as badly as the coach does,” reflects Rose’s mother, Mika Johnson, “He's become a true believer. He believes this team can beat any team that they play and he goes into every game with that mindset.”
A true team-first player who is a major X-factor whether he will start or come off the bench, Rose is a rare commodity nowadays not only because he has stayed committed to one program for five years, but he did so under three different head coaches.
Along with Rose, Antrell Charlton will return to Fordham for his extra year of eligibility. The 6’5 205 big guard provides value in a variety of ways: in addition to being Fordham’s de facto point guard, Charlton is a physical and versatile defender who is also the team’s second best steal generator, which helps the Rams’ transition offensive attack.
Transferring over along with Keith Urgo from Penn State, senior big Abdou Tsimbila is expected to start for the Rams after sharing the starting load last season with fifth-year senior Rostyslav Notvitskyi, who was recently denied a waiver to earn a final year of eligibility.
Last season, the 6’9 245 Tsimbila achieved career highs in points, rebounds, blocks, field goal percentage and free throw percentage. On paper, his totals appear modest, but Tsimbila finished last season with the best offensive rebounding and block rate in the A-10, ranking within the top-75 nationally in both metrics, as well as defensive rebounding rate.
The beauty of Tsimbila is simple: surrounded by talented guards and forwards, Tsimbila provides second chance opportunities on offense and is a secure last line of defense in the low-post.
Starting fifteen of the last sixteen games of this season, sophomore guard Will Richardson is poised for a major breakout. Entering last year as the second highest ranked recruit in program history, most of Richardson’s offensive output was on the perimeter (about 60% of his shot attempts were from three and he connected at an impressive 41.9%) but the dynamic guard has latent three-level scoring ability that is primed to shine after stud guard Darius Quisenberry’s graduation will open up plenty of touches on the backcourt for Richardson.
While it is safe to assume that Richardson’s usage should balloon following Quisenberry’s graduation, Fordham’s first addition in the transfer portal, grad transfer guard Japhet Medor, will also be a key contributor to the backcourt.
In his first season of D1 basketball, Medor was instantly an impact guard for UTSA, averaging 13.7 points, 3.8 assists 1.5 steals and an eye-popping 6.5 free throw attempts per game, earning Medor the 27th highest free throw rate and 20th highest fouls drawn per 40 (6.6) in the nation. Playing last season in the Conference USA, a comparable conference to the A-10 in terms of talent, bodes well for Medor’s transition to Fordham.
Whether he starts or plays off the bench, Medor is the final puzzle piece in Urgo’s key backcourt rotations with Medor, Richardson, Rose and Charlton getting most of the minutes. There’s a synergy amongst that group: Richardson’s offensive versatility, Rose’s defense, Medor’s ability to dish and create offense and Charlton’s two-way mismatch potential.
Just one day after adding Medor, Fordham added sophomore forward Josh Rivera, a high-upside, high-tempo forward from New Brunswick, NJ who played last season at Lafayette College. A three-star recruit who played high school ball at basketball powerhouses Putnam Science Academy and St. Thomas Aquinas, the 6’6 215 Rivera earned a selection to the Patriot League All-Rookie team after averaging 10.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists and finishing the year with 48.5 2p% and 32.8 3p%.
Rivera, who is more athletic than most of his former Patriot League counterparts, was able to showcase his transition abilities in spite of Lafayette’s methodical half-court offense. It will be huge shoes to fill, but Rivera has as good of a shot as anyone to earn a spot as the starting power forward after A-10 All-Conference Third Team selection Khalid Moore graduated.
Committing to Fordham in late July, Binghamton grad transfer Ogheneyole Akuwovo helped solidify the team's center depth with Rostyslav Novitskyi graduating in May. A 6'9 220 Akuwovo is a rim-running, high motor big who keeps the game simple on offense whose best asset is his offensive rebounding and ability to score efficiently inside the paint (career 55.8 FG%).
Averaging about fourteen minutes-per-game throughout his three seasons at Binghamton seems like a fair ceiling for Akuwovo as the main backup behind Tsimbila.
Most of the remainder of the rotation looks to be filled by the vaunted recruiting class of 2022. Outside of Richardson, forward Elijah Gray is expected to back up both frontcourt positions, most frequently at the 4, where most of Gray’s minutes from last year were played.
Ranked as 247’s 79th best small forward from the 2022 class, Gray picked Fordham over fourteen other schools including UMass, Murray State and others. With a legit seven-foot wingspan and a frame that has filled out to 6’8 220, Gray brings a versatile two-way style that emphasizes athleticism and pace. His comfort shooting from the perimeter and ability as a secondary ball handler allows Urgo to play more five out sets and also profiles Gray with an enticing pro-level ceiling.
Another second-year Ram poised for a breakout is 6’6 228 forward Angel Montas. While a knee injury forced Montas out for most of last season, Rams fans are salivating for Montas’ potential after his season debut against VMI when he scored nine points in just thirteen minutes of action. In that time, Montas showcased his downhill scoring ability thanks to his size, balance, agility and ability to finish at the rim with both hands.
According to 247, Montas is Fordham’s 5th highest ranked prospect in program history, committing to Fordham before previously being offered from Illinois, Tennessee, Dayton and others. For a team that likes to run, athletic pieces with size, like Rivera, Montas and Gray, project an exciting transition offense next season after finishing last year with the 53rd quickest tempo in the nation. Best predictions point to either Rivera or Montas earning the starting nod out of camp and it would not be surprising if both players share the starting role throughout the season.
Playing every game last season in a limited role, Romad Dean has now gained twenty-five pounds since first signing with Fordham, now clocking in at 6’7 210. Originally from The Bahamas, Dean picked Fordham over twelve other schools, including high-major offers from USC, Arizona State, Minnesota, Ole Miss, Seton Hall and Butler.
An assertive rebounder with a motor on the defensive end and a willingness to stretch the floor, Dean will look to continue to expand his glue guy potential as a combo forward off the bench and a darkhorse candidate to start for the Rams.
Combo guard Noah Best (7th highest ranked prospect in program history) and incoming freshman wing Jahmere Tripp (6th highest ranked prospect) are two more examples of the exceptional recruiting the program has built under Urgo.
The Bronx native Noah Best was redshirted last season to help add muscle to his wiry, athletic frame. Currently listed at 6’5 175, Best is known as a catch-and-shoot scorer whose handle and vision gives him three-level scoring potential. Best will be competing with incoming junior Zach Riley for backup guard minutes and that role will likely be earned by whichever guard shows more consistency in their ability to allow spacing on offense and dedication on defense.
Tripp, Fordham’s sole class of 2023 commit, provides intriguing mismatch and positionless potential. Listed at 6’6 230, Tripp is a Brooklyn-bred point guard by trade, whose explosive athleticism, shooting range and defensive versatility will excite Rams fans on his potential, but as of April it’s anyone’s guess how much impact Tripp will have on next year’s roster, no discredit to him but more of a testament to the Rams’ depth.
Overall, the core of the backcourt looks fairly certain and Tsimbila looks to start every game at the five, but outside of this, there is the type of open competition that good programs tend to have each season.
In the wide open A-10, Fordham has the talent and depth to do the unthinkable just a few seasons ago: win their first conference championship.
