Additions and Subtractions is the latest A10Talk series taking a look at new and departing players in each of the Atlantic 10 programs. Today we start by examining the roster change-ups for the Fordham Rams.
Key Additions
Freshmen
This year, the Fordham Rams have added 5 new players to their roster. However, only two will be joining the team as freshmen. Chuba Ohams, a 6-7 forward from the Bronx, is looking to make an immediate impact on this team. Ohams committed to the Rams after turning down offers from Providence, Rutgers, DePaul, and A-10 rival VCU. Ohams, who averaged 21 points a game during his senior campaign, looks to be the third consecutive A-10 ROY wearing maroon and white. This sharpshooter has a very complete skillset and should be making a splash for Fordham in the years to come. Big Papa Ndiaye is the other freshman joining the team. The 6-9 forward looks to clog the hole left by graduating senior Ryan Rhoomes. Denying offers from the Oklahoma Sooners, and Florida State Seminoles, it’s only a matter of time before he’s denying opposing players in the Rose Hill Gymnasium. These freshmen should be big contributors next year and in the years following.
Transfers
Jeff Neubauer and his staff were very active in the transfer recruiting market this offseason. The Rams managed to receive commitments from 3 transfers. 6-5 JaVontae Hawkins, from University of South Florida, looks to fill the hole left by Mandell Thomas and Jon Severe. Hawkins, will have one year of eligibility remaining as he joins the team as a graduate transfer. The Rams also added JUCO stud Perris Hicks. Like Hawkins, he will also aid filling the hole left by Severe and Thomas. The 6-1 guard may be undersized, but his abilities are not. Averaging 17 plus points per game in Junior College, Hicks should be an immediate impact player moving forward. If the transfer commitments weren’t big enough, Prokop Slanina just made them ever bigger. Literally. The 6-10 Junior was a late addition to the Rams roster, but certainly a big one. With the departure of Ryan Rhoomes, Slanina is going to see big minutes. His size will be greatly valued as the rest of the team is relatively small.
Key Subtractions
Mandell Thomas will be one of the biggest losses for the Rams. Thomas, who consistently carded 14 points and 4 assists per game, was the facilitator of the offense. His ability to pass and shoot was a huge contributing factor to the Rams’ success this year. While Fordham has recruited two guards for next year, Thomas is by no means replaceable.
Ryan Rhoomes will also be a big loss for the program as he moves on to graduate. Big Ryan Rhoomes was a huge part of the offensive force this season for the Rams. He averaged nearly a double double with 15 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. Known as a defensive presence, Coach Neubauer helped Rhoomes significantly develop his offensive game during his senior year. While it’s sad to see him go, it’s exciting to see if the incoming big men can develop similarly to how Rhoomes did.
Junior Jon Severe was another loss for the Rams this offseason. At the conclusion of the season the 6-2 guard announced that he leave Fordham and join the Iona Gaels. Severe, who averaged 8 points a game, has struggled since his great successes as a freshman. After averaging nearly 18 points per game his rookie year, Severe struggled with the transition to Coach Neubauer’s system. Despite these struggles, Iona is getting a very talented player who is very capable. While it didn’t pan out the way Fordham fans would have hoped, Severe could have a major impact for the Gaels.
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