BRONX, N.Y. - The Fordham men's basketball team held its first official practice of the 2024-25 season on Wednesday afternoon inside the Rose Hill Gym.
Entering their third season under the direction of Head Coach Keith Urgo, the Rams welcome back more than 60 percent of their scoring from last year's squad. Senior Japhet Medor and junior Will Richardson each return to Rose Hill after averaging 9.8 points per game in 2023-24. The backcourt duo also led the team in free throw attempts while combining for a 1.45-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio.
The Rams also return fifth-year senior Abdou Tsimbila, who ranked second in the A-10 and 18th in the nation a year ago with 2.3 blocks per game while leading the team with 6.3 rebounds per contest. Tsimbila spent his summer with the Cameroon national team in preparation for Olympic qualifying.
Joshua Rivera returns for his second season at Rose Hill after averaging 7.7 points in 18.9 minutes per game as a sophomore in 2023-24.Â
Rounding out the Rams' contingent of returning scholarship players are junior Romad Dean, senior Zach Riley and sophomore Jahmere Tripp.
The Rams welcome five scholarship newcomers to the roster in 2024-25, including a pair of seasoned Division I transfers in Matt Zona (Notre Dame) and Jackie Johnson III (UNLV, Duquesne). Four scholarship freshmen will look to form a young core for the Rams, highlighted by four-star recruit Jaden Smith out of Chicago, Ryan Pettis from the Bay Area, Aleksander Pachucki from Toronto via Hoosac School and Kingston Price from Severn School in Bowie, Md.
The Rams will officially kick off the 2024-25 season on Monday, Nov. 4, with a trip to Queens to take on St. John's. The team's home opener will be on Tuesday, Nov. 12, when the Rams host Binghamton at the Rose Hill Gym.
