Big East commit leads Harcum in year two

Harcum College fielded a basketball team for the first time ever last season. Drew Kelly's team went 21-and-10 in its debut season. Shooting guard Ryan Bogan and forward Tyriek Belcher are back to lead Harcum to even better things in year two.

"Ryan and Tyriek really are the cornerstones of that group and really deserve a lot of credit for getting us off on the right foot," Kelly said.

"We're just a second year program and we're trying to build something here," said Harcum assistant Diallo Daniels. "Ryan and Tyriek are kind of sleeper kids. Not a lot of people know about them because we are a new program, but the people that have been in to see them have all been real impressed."

To that nucleus, Harcum has added a solid freshman class and sophomore transfer Augustine Okusun, who recently made a verbal commitment to Seton Hall.

"He verballed there about three weeks ago and I expect him to sign in November," Kelly said. "I can definitely see what Seton Hall sees in him. Once he gets about ten to 15 games under his belt this year, I think you might really see him blossom into something special."

Okusun is a native of Nigeria and transferred from Georgetown (KY) after last season. He is a defensive presence and Kelly says he is coming along well offensively also.

"From an athletic standpoint, he has been impressive. If you lined our team up for 100 yard dash, he might win at 6-10 and 240," Kelly said. "I first saw him in the summertime, I expected a player that was very raw offensively and had a ways to go but he can do some things on offense. He's not as raw as I thought he'd be, he works hard and he has gotten a lot better."

Okusun has played only two or three years of competitive basketball, but is already bound for the Big East. Daniels said he should graduate without issue.

As far as Bogan and Belcher, they are also being heavily recruited, though not at the high major level. Bogan has an official visit set with Longwood University on the first weekend in October and already has an offer from the Virginia school.

"He is a real solid player," Kelly said. "He's kind of an underrated player, I think he could play at a higher level. Super kid, real good student, he has well over a 3.0 GPA."

Bogan was first-team all region 19 last season as a freshman.

Belcher averaged 17 points and 11 rebounds last season and actually played center for Harcum. This year, he will move to his more natural position of small forward.

"He's just got a tremendous upside," Kelly said. "He is a real versatile kid. He can play inside and out, block shots and a lot of schools really like his versatility."

Daniel said Belcher has a solid shot out to about 18 feet. So far, he is being recruited by the likes of St. Peter's, Radford, New Orleans, Coppin State, Wright State and Central Connecticut State. He took an unofficial visit to St. Peter's last weekend, but Kelly said Belcher is likely to wait until the spring to sign.

Harcum will play next month at a jamboree at St. Peter's in Octber. The team will also play at Cecil Community College's tournament on December 22nd and 23rd with a field that includes Mott Community College and Monroe (NY) Community College.