PITTSBURGH –.News and notes throughout the ACC were at a premium Monday with no shortage of information becoming available. Miami, Georgia Tech, Duke, NC State, Wake Forest, Florida State, and Virginia all define the day of conference content.
Miami Guard Harlond Beverly Enters Transfer Portal
Fourth-year junior Harlond Beverly is entering the transfer portal, per Verbal Commits. A 6-foot-6 guard from Detroit, Michigan, Beverly appeared in 37 games for Miami during its run to the Final Four, averaging 3.5 points per game. He shot 47% from the floor and made 13 threes during his fourth year playing for the Hurricanes. The grad transfer had his most successful season in 2020-21 – 6.7 points – and only played in three games the year after.
Beverly scored a combined eight points against Pitt in two matchups and totaled a season-high 16 points hosting Syracuse on Jan. 16. Miami exhibited its best season in program history through the NCAA Tournament, reaching the Final Four for the first time. Veteran Hurricane forward Anthony Walker entered the portal less than a week ago as the Hurricanes also lose fifth-year senior Jordan Miller after using all of his collegiate eligibility.
Georgia Tech in Washington State Transfer TJ Bamba’s Final Two Schools
Washington State transfer TJ Bamba is deciding between Georgia Tech and Villanova to play his senior season, according to multiple reports. An official decision is expected Friday. Bamba, a 6-foot-5 junior, averaged 15.8 points and 3.7 rebounds while starting all 31 games for the Cougars in exactly 1,000 minutes of action. He had a career season, averaging over 32 minutes per game while shooting 42.6% from the floor and 37.2% behind the three-point arc. He scored a season-best 32 points at Washington near the end of the season, making 13 field goals.
Georgia Tech looks to begin a new era under freshly hired Damon Stoudamire. The team fired Josh Pastner after a 15-18 campaign and a 6-14 conference mark. The Yellow Jackets fell to Pitt in the ACC Tournament to end their 2022-23 disappointing season.
CAA Player of the Year Aaron Estrada Cuts List to Four
The CAA Player of the Year has cut his list of preferred teams to four. Hofstra’s Aaron Estrada was unanimously named the conference’s top performer for the second-consecutive season as has Florida State, Alabama, Cincinnati, and Kansas State on his radar. He averaged 20.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.4 steals for Hofstra this year to win the award.
Estrada previously played for St. Peter’s and Oregon before landing at Hofstra. The redshirt senior guard is looking to make an impact on a major program during his final season of eligibility. Florida State finished 9-23 overall but won most of its games in ACC competition (7-13) before losing to Georgia Tech to begin the conference tournament.
Virginia Transfer Francisco Caffaro Commits to Santa Clara
Virginia redshirt senior center Francisco Caffaro has officially committed to Santa Clara, he announced on Twitter Monday. Caffaro started three of the 20 games he appeared in for Tony Bennett this season. He averaged 2.0 points and 1.8 rebounds while shooting 75% (15-for-20) from the field. He also grabbed 16 offensive rebounds. Caffaro started 21 of the 92 games he played while at Virginia including 16 last season.
The Cavaliers lost in the first round of tournament play to Furman and have not won in the big dance since winning the 2019 National Championship. Santa Clara ended the year 23-10 and 11-5 in the West Coast Conference (WCC). The team lost to San Francisco in double overtime to begin their conference tournament and in the first round of the NIT to Sam Houston.
Butler Transfer Jayden Taylor to Decide Between NC State and Arkansas, DJ Horne to Visit
Jayden Taylor will announce by 11 a.m. Tuesday while program he intends to suit up for next season. The decision is between NC State and Arkansas. The 6-foot-4 sophomore guard from Indianapolis led Butler in scoring (12.9) while starting 22 of 32 games. He shot 41% overall and just under 33% from three, grabbing 3.8 rebounds, and dealing out 1.3 assists each game. Taylor started 42 of the 65 games he appeared in as a Bulldog over two seasons at 10.5 points per game.
NC State snuck into the 2023 NCAA Tournament as a No. 11 seed and lost in the first round to Creighton, who advanced to the Elite 8. Arizona State transfer guard DJ Horne will visit NC State to gauge his interest in the Wolfpack, according to CBS Sports insider Jon Rothstein. Horne met with Wake Forest over the weekend. The 6-foot-1 junior from Raleigh, North Carolina started all but one of his 34 games, winning a First Four game in Dayton before falling to TCU in March Madness. Horne averaged 12.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.2 assists through two seasons as a Sun Devil. He previously played at Illinois State before moving to Arizona.
Jeremy Roach Declares for 2023 NBA Draft, Retains Eligibility
Duke veteran guard Jeremy Roach is not calling it quits completely on his plans to return to the Blue Devils but took a major step towards departing Monday. Roach declared for the 2023 NBA Draft while maintaining his collegiate eligibility, he announced on Twitter. He wants to test the draft waters before ultimately deciding on the past best for his future, still keeping the door open to play for Jon Scheyer and the Duke faithful after further examination.
A 6-foot-2 junior, the Duke team captain started 30 of 32 games, averaging a career-best 13.6 points and 2.5 rebounds plus 3.1 assists in over 33 minutes each time on the floor. He is a career 42.7% shooter and 33% from three. Roach was a key part of Duke’s 2022 Final Four team who lost to North Carolina in New Orleans. Tyrese Proctor and Mark Mitchell both announced they will return to the Blue Devils next season, who welcome a rich freshman class for Scheyer’s second season.
When are we going to see some of Pitts potential transfer portal targets visit? Other than the kid from High Point