Photo courtesy Quinnipiac Athletics
By Dylan Fearon
Since the beginning of the 2010-11 season, 13 players have transferred from the Quinnipiac men’s basketball program.
AJ Sumbry has become number 14.
According to Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports, Sumbry, a 6-8 220 pound big man, has committed to Wagner College and will have two years of eligibility remaining.
Sumbry’s two-year career in Hamden was a rocky one. In his first career college basketball game, Sumbry scored 10 points on a perfect four-for-four from the field in a victory over Hartford. But after that, the New Jersey native never scored more than four points in a game and never corralled more than three rebounds in his freshman campaign, averaging just 9.1 minutes per game in 29 games. Injuries sidelined the former Bobcat in his sophomore season, in which he eventually red-shirted.
“Quinnipiac was fun, I enjoyed my time, but the basketball piece kind of didn’t fit as far as the play style,” Sumbry said.
Sumbry says he was considering Wagner and Tampa, but chose the Seahawks for several reasons, including location and coaching.
“Mainly [because of] the coaching staff, all New York, New Jersey guys and [they] are pretty tight knit,” Sumbry said. “Not to mention one of them was a former AAU coach of mine.”
Sumbry will have to sit out the 2015-16 season, but says it will give him plenty of time to get used to the Seahawks playing style.
“The main thing will definitely be a lot of skill work in all areas,” Sumbry noted. “I think being an all around player and hard worker, plus having the year to do a lot of skill work in their play style, puts both the school and I in a great position to succeed.”
Wagner finished their 2014-15 campaign with a 10-20 record, which was good for just seventh in the Northeast Conference. The Seahawks lost to Robert Morris in the NEC Quarterfinals. Starting in the front court next season for Wagner will most likely be 6-8 senior Mike Aaman, who averaged 10.4 points and 9.3 rebounds per game as a junior, and 6-10 junior Nolan Long.
Quinnipiac loses Ousmane Drame and Justin Harris to graduation, which leaves Chaise Daniels, Samuel Dingba and Alain Chigha, along with incoming freshman Abdulai Bundu, as the big men on the Bobcats roster this upcoming season.
