Welcome to A10 Talk’s Top Pre-Season Top 25 Player Countdown for the 2017-18 season. Each day, we’ll be publishing a new article counting down our best 25 players for the coming season. Today, we feature #7 Jared Terrell, from Rhode Island.
Our Top 25 Player Countdown is a compiled list based on voting from our staff and writers from across the league. Thanks to the following for helping configure this year’s Top 25 Atlantic 10 Player Countdown:
Grant Labedz (@GrantLabedz), Mat Shelton-Eide (@MatSheltonEide), Grant Kelly (@GrantKelly07), Andrew Phung (@LoveRI401), By George (@ByGeorgeGMU), Davidson Recruiting (@DavidsonMBBRecr), Steve DiMiceli (@SteveDiMiceli), Rhody Rampage (@RhodyRampage), UMass Recruiting (@UMassRecruiting), Bona Blog (@BonaBlog), Petey Buckets (@PeteyBuckets), and UMass Ball Report (@theumbr).
What He’s Done
From his first days as a freshman in Kingston, RI, everyone knew that the Rhode Island Rams had something special with #32. Jared Terrell, a SG from Weymouth, MA, is looked at as the bona fide leader of the preseason favorites in the Atlantic 10. Moreover, there is no mistake when it comes to the majority of the URI fan base wanting Terrell to have the basketball in his hands when the game is on the line.
There were multiple times last season when Terrell was the best player on the floor at any given moment. Take his 24 points on 11/16 shooting to outlast a tricky La Salle team on the road. Terrell’s as explosive as they come in the Atlantic 10. His big build allows him to maneuver through the lane with ease; subsequently, he was extremely effective from 2, shooting at a 46.6% clip all of last season: very solid for a guard.
Terrell lived at the free throw line last year, attempting 4.2 per game and knocking down 75%. His ability to drive the lane and power through traffic is crucial. Not only does Terrell draw contact and make his free ones, but he also draws defenders, freeing up shooters on the wing and big men under the basket.
What He’ll Do
#32 has been making winning plays for Dan Hurley’s throughout his three years at URI and he will continue to make more in his senior campaign. E.C. Matthews may be the star of the show, but Terrell is the glue that holds this team together. His contributions thus far have been massive; if the Rams are struggling, you can expect that Terrell’s picking up the slack with a big game. Having #32 on your roster adds so much in so many areas.
With such a loaded backcourt, it will be interesting to see how much time on the court Terrell sees. We saw his playing time dip slightly last season (obviously that’s going to happen when an injured team reloads), but we can expect Terrell to be sharing some minutes with all of Rhode Island’s other guards. Terrell still remains one of Dan Hurley’s go-to guys in crunch time, and if you ask me, he’s the Rams’ toughest competitor. He’s not going to lead the A-10 in scoring this season, but he’ll be a damn good reason why URI gets back to the Big Dance.
Previously: #8 De’Monte Buckingham
Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and check out our forum for more Rhode Island content.
