Furman waited 43 years between NCAA Tournament appearances when it reached the Big Dance in 2023, but now the Paladins hope to make a return to March Madness in a much shorter turnaround, and I think they’ll have a great shot to do so. If continuity, development and retention have anything to do with the equation, the Paladins should be dancing once again in 2025-26.
It will take some time for the eight veterans to mix with the five newcomers, including three of which that are expected to crack Furman’s 10-man rotation this season. However, with a tough non-conference slate, you can expect the Paladins to take some lumps and encounter a fair share of adversity. You can also expect Furman’s pedigree to show when the stakes are at their highest in late February and early March.
Furman has a recent history of turning heartbreak into triumph. After losing the SoCon title game on a buzzer-beater by Chattanooga’s David Jean-Baptiste in 2022, the Paladins responded by returning to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 43 years after defeating the Mocs a year later in the title game.
The Paladins saw their NCAA Tournament hopes ended by Wofford in an epic title tilt last March, as the Terriers claimed the program’s sixth tournament crown with a 92-85 win over the Paladins.
After head coach Bob Richey’s club posted a somewhat surprising 95-78 margin of victory over No. 4 Samford in the quarterfinals of the SoCon Tournament last March, he gave us this gem on how he views the NIL era and how it’s important to manage the money you have to get a player or players to fit your culture. At the same time, the importance of having the most money isn’t as important is knowing how to spend it on the right fit. The key is that you could have culture and NIL, and Furman’s balancing of the two, at least so far under Richey, is something for future programs to consider studying.
”One thing I told myself during the off-season was I want to adapt but I never want to abandon,” he said. “I never want to abandon what I believe in as the core values as a head coach and we’ve done to win. My challenge is I am always looking for purpose in this business. We coach players that we ask them to go make plays and we ask them to win games so the light shines good on us and sometimes it can be one of those situations like you can make it about you.
”Sometimes in coaching right now, it’s like, ‘Man, I’ve got to make sure I have all this money.’ Well, the most money didn’t win this tournament this year, and it’s probably not going to keep winning this tournament. That’s not going to guarantee you that the most money is going to give you the most wins, and that’s been proven in a short time in this era.”
Richey heads into his ninth season as the head coach and 15th overall as a part of the Furman basketball program as an assistant or head coach, and has posted a 181-82 record overall, including a 99-42 mark in SoCon games. All told, Richey has been a part of 308 wins for Furman’s program since joining Jeff Jackson’s staff prior to the 2011-12 season.
Under Richey’s leadership, Furman has valued its culture and retention rate and figuring out how to keep those two staples as valued character traits of the program’s overall culture in a world of college basketball that currently features a mid-major environment, which revolves around temptation to go to the portal for more NIL money or perceived major role at a power four program, remain a constant challenge.
Three Starters Must Be Replaced
Leading guards Nick Anderson (14.6 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 96 3PT FGs) and PJay Smith Jr. (17.6 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 111 3PT FGs), who accounted for 207 of the team’s 380 3-point field goals last season, have both moved on. Big man Garrett Hien (7.5 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 27 3PT FGs), who was a 1,000-point scorer in his career for the Paladins, has also moved on.
The other piece that brought a defensive presence and mature leadership off the bench for Furman a year ago was Tyrese Hughey (1.7 PPG, 1.3 RPG), as Furman is down to only a couple of remaining players that were a part of its 2023 championship team of three years ago. Wing forward Tommy Humphries (0.7 PPG, 0.3 RPG) struggled to find his way into Furman’s rotation and opted to transfer back to his home state to play for Summit League power St. Thomas.
Many believed that selecting a point guard was the intended strategy during the off-season, and at first, Richey also expressed agreement on Furman’s postgame show after the Paladins’ 75-64 first-round defeat to North Texas. He would obviously change his thinking over the course of about a month.
”You get in that portal and it’s like…a little bit of a needle in a haystack and you’ve got to find somebody that fits your place and you’ve got to somebody that fits your program,” Richey said at SoCon Media Day in early October. “You’ve got to find somebody that you feel like is leaving for the right reasons and so you get in there and the funnel gets really tight really quickly and then you have to figure out who you can afford so then you got to say well you’ve probably go best player because there is only so many options and so are you going to take a less talented guy that might not fit you as well to get the quote unquote position you need and when we had the opportunity to get Asa [Thomas] it was just one of those situations where you know coming from Clemson… Brad [Brownell] and I have some similar values and we’re good friends.
”We recruited Asa in high school, and he can really shoot it and knows how to cut and knows how to play and then you have to ask yourself do we need a point or do we need to replace shooting…point guard in today’s game. We’re playing 94-feet offense and we’re just trying to get the ball out of the net and go play…So we’ve taken two two-guards and turned them into all-conference point guards.”
Richey’s Offensive Innovation
Though Furman won 25 games last season, it still finished fifth in SoCon and did hit a lull in the middle portion of conference play. While Furman’s offense and shooters against uncommon opponents was something it had great success with, racing to a 13-1 start, including a 12-1 non-conference record, when the Paladins got in league against the good coaches that make up the league, there was a game-plan that seemed to work early on.
Part of Furman’s philosophy under Richey has been trying to always have five perimeter threats on the floor, and in most seasons, that has not necessarily always been easy, but it’s always made Furman so hard to account for defensively.
Aside from their offensive actions, which seem like QB progressions with each action having four or five options, the Paladins have shot the ball maybe as well as it ever has from three over the past eight seasons under Richey. That includes setting a single-season SoCon record with 401 triples in the 2021-22 campaign. All told, Furman has connected on 2,690-of-7,162 attempts from 3-point range over the past eight seasons, which computes to an impressive 37.5% shooting clip.
While Furman had two of its best shooters from three in eight seasons under Richey, in Smith and Anderson, it also had guys like Cooper Bowser, Ben Vander Wal and Garrett Hien who were basically minimal perimeter threats at best. Only Hien really factored in as a potential long-range threat, and outside of his sophomore season, he struggled to hit from long-range with great efficiency.
So the strategy from the opposition in the SoCon was to play off Furman shooters by a process known as “painting,” which meant it could more closely keep tabs on Anderson and Smith at all times with the luxury of an extra defender by playing off Furman’s non-shooters.
Richey’s innovative offensive strategy that used Vander Wal as the quarterback and free screener for both Anderson and Smith down the stretch was nothing short of brilliant because it didn’t allow teams to just play off Vander Wal like they had done when Furman took a bit of a tumble in the standings. It forced the opposition to have get out and engage Vander Wal in some manner with a defender. It was a move that kept teams from essentially having an extra player defensively as it had off-set the balance by making it a 4 vs. 5 game before when playing off Vander Wal
Those changes led to a major turnaround for Furman basketball during the 2024-25, as the Paladins won six straight games, which included the very team they would lose to in the championship–the Wofford Terriers–to reach the championship game.
Eight letterwinners, including a pair of starters, in Vander Wal (5.7 PPG, 5.5 RPG) and Bowser (8.3 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 57 BLKs), have built of plenty of equity playing for the Paladins, and the duo enters the season as Furman’s two most veteran players. Vander Wal is the last remaining holdover from the team that won the 2022-23 SoCon crown and has played in 100 games for the Paladins heading into his final season, as well as logging 34 starts.
If there were an award for the league’s best “glue guy” heading into the season, it would likely go to Vander Wal, as he does all the little things right for the Paladins.
Bowser is a player that seems primed for a breakout season. The junior is coming off a season where he started to emerge as a more consistent scoring threat around the basket, and at 6-foot-11 with great length, as well as being a freak athlete, he is Furman’s leading returning scorer from a year ago. His length and athleticism started to become a problem for the opposition last season, so expect him to make a huge leap.
Bowser was one of two Paladins selected to the preseason all-conference team alongside sharp-shooting Tom House (7.1 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 54 3PT FGs). House is a microwave perimeter shooter, meaning that if he gets hot, he can string together points in a hurry. He put up 21 points in Furman’s first tournament win over Samford and scored a season-high of 26 points in a mid-February win over Mercer. House’s 54 3-point field goals last season rank as the most returning 3-pointers on the club. He shot a blistering 40.6% (54-of-133) from long-range. Interestingly, House shot 56% from three and averaged over 11 PPG in Furman’s final seven games of the season.
One of the more intriguing players on Furman’s roster last season was Charles Johnston (5.3 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 33 3PT FGs), and his progression over the course of the off-season has been notable, according to Richey, especially as a true post player. Johnston spent most of his first season with the ’Dins as a primary perimeter threat, but now he’s put on some more muscle and dedicated the off-season to becoming more of a low-post threat. Also, Johnston is a sneaky good post defender, and that will be another aspect of his game to watch this season.
More importantly, having both Bowser and Johnston in the lineup at the same time, will allow the Paladins to go with two 6-11 guys on the court at the same time. Johnston shot 38.8% (33-of-85) from 3-point range last season, and it’s almost impossible to think that the big man from Australia has played only six years of organized basketball.
Finally, guys like Davis Molnar (3.5 PPG, 2.7 RPG) and Mason Smith (2.9 PPG, 1.7 RPG) are a couple of guys who Richey hopes to see continued progression with this season. Molnar started to be a difference maker in some games, with Furman’s home win over Samford in the first of three meetings between the two coming to mind, providing a crucial inbounds pass to Bowser late in the game, which was not an easy pass against heavy pressure. Molnar saw action in 33 games last season, averaging almost 11 minutes per game.
The real x-factor for the Paladins this season might be Clemson transfer Asa Thomas (Clemson/Lake Forest, Ill.) who red-shirted his freshman season and then battled injuries throughout the 2024-25 season while with the Tigers and didn’t see much action. When he entered the portal, the Paladins went after him, forgoing their initial plans to get a point guard. Thomas was available and too talented to pass up. His ability as a shooter will complement the skill-set Vander Wal already brings to the position. His shooting ability just makes Furman different on the wing than they were last year, and more like they have been in past seasons with guys like Noah Gurley (2018-21) and Daniel Fowler (2014-18) in terms of having that type of scoring versatility.
While the frontcourt is much more the settled piece of the team, the backcourt is somewhat of a concern or maybe a question mark might be the better way of putting it.
Eddrin Bronson (5.6 PPG, 1.6 RPG) is the latest two-guard to make the move to the point guard spot under Richey, joining both Smith and Pegues in that regard. Bronson was already one of the best defensive players on the team last season, and if his offensive game has progressed in the off-season like most believe that it has, it could be case of Furman turning a potential question mark into an advantage much the same way it did when it moved both JP Pegues and PJay Smith Jr. from the two-guard spot. They turned in all-conference campaigns after the move. He showed glimpses of what he could do as a shooter, leading Furman with 14 points in the road loss to then-No. 1 Kansas, while topping that previous career-high by posting 15 points in the Paladins’ opening round NIT loss at North Texas. He went a combined 7-of-13 (53.8%) from three in those two games.
Bronson is being pushed this preseason by as four-star recruit and 6-foot-5-point guard Alex Wilkins (Brooks School/Mattapan, Mass.). Wilkins’ game is unlike any Furman has had at any point under Richey or even his predecessor at the quarterback of Furman’s diverse offensive scheme, and that is having a player that is a smooth ball-handler and elite passer on the offensive end combined with the length and athleticism to be a real asset on the defensive end. Wilkins will play a lot and may even end up being the starter for Furman. That’s not to diminish Bronson in any way, who will be playing a new position this season and is a dynamic player in his own right, but rather a testament to just how talented Wilkins is. Adding credibility to that claim is the fact that Wilkins received 33 offers from Division-I programs before settling upon Furman.
Wilkins isn’t the only freshman that the Paladins added either, as Furman found its next big-time 6-foot-5 backcourt talent from much closer to home. South Carolina “Mr. Basketball” and state leading scorer (35.1 PPG), in Abijah Franklin (Wren HS/Greenville, S.C.) comes to Greenville. While his status for playing this season—whether he redshirts or plays—remains up in the air, one thing is undeniable, and that is his raw ability as a scorer at all three levels.
With players like Devin Sibley (Karns HS/Knoxville, Tenn.), Pegues (Hillsborough HS/Nashville Tenn.) and most recently Smith Jr. (LaVergne, TN/Lee University/Goodpasture Christian School) all hailing from Tennessee, the next potentially special talent with a link to Volunteer State is 6-foot-3 guard Collin O’Neal (Montgomery Bell Academy/Nashville, Tenn.) out of Montgomery Bell Academy, where he established himself as a three-star prospect according 247 and Rivals. He earned all-state and all-region honors as a senior. O’Neal is a player that should see some time this season, as Richey mentioned that three of Furman’s five starters would be featured in the rotation this season. He is one of the best athletes on the roster, and his elite skill level and defensive tenacity should be reasons as to why he will see the floor rather than redshirting this season for the Paladins.
The final two additions to the latest recruiting class for Furman are 6-foot-6 wing Cole Bowser (DeMatha Catholic, Bowie Md.) and 6-foot-9 power forward Owen Ritger (Marist School/Atlanta, Ga.), that will give the front court some added depth.
It’s my prediction that one of these two players stands the most likely chance to redshirt from this class, but both come into the Furman program with an eye on playing right away and will have the opportunity to do so. In fact, there’s also the chance that all five could play as soon as the 2025-26 season.
Cole Bowser is Cooper Bowser’s little brother, and he comes to Furman from DeMatha Catholic, as he will unite with his brother. Both will look to join some other great brother tandems to have starred in the league in its rich history, including guys like identical twins Ramon and Damon Williams in the late 1980s at VMI.
Bowser chose Furman among eight offers from others like Bryant, Norfolk State, Old Dominion, Towson and George Washington to name a few of those. The 6-foot-6 small forward is athletic and an outstanding defender, which will give him a chance to play this coming season. He’s also versatile but excels as a long-range threat.
Ritger is another player that is versatile, and the 6-foot-9 power forward gives Furman a true four in the paint, rather than having to develop a five into four, which the Paladins have had to do in recent seasons. His ability as a rebounder as well as a shooter from beyond the arc will give the Paladins plenty of ability to stretch the floor when he’s in the lineup.
The final addition is 5-foot-10 point guard Gunnar Lewis (Christ Presbyterian Academy/Nashville, Tenn.), who is a great shooter and joined the program as a point guard out of Christ Presbyterian Academy in Nashville. His ability as a shooter makes him a unique add for the Paladins as a walk-on, which also means he could see time in the Furman backcourt at some point in his career.
What’s striking about the Paladins this season is they are a big team, and one of the bigger teams in the SoCon. It will be interesting to see what the change to a pack line defense will look like and how much the Paladins will use it this season, as that was one of the main reasons new assistant coach Joe Pierre III was brought in from Ritchie McKay’s staff at Liberty. Furman playing the pack line with Johnston and Bowser on the floor at the same time and with their length, as well as being in a mid-major league that features smaller, quicker guards, it all makes a lot of sense.
“This is the most returning plus new I’ve had since I’ve been here as the head coach,” Richey said. “Six new players…I’ve never had that…but also a good clump of returners back and so really getting the young and the old assimilated quickly you know I think that’s going to be a big challenge for us and getting the point guard spot figured out…We’ve got talent there but it’s going to be young talent…We are going to have a new point guard and I can guarantee you this…the 40 point guard minutes this year will all be all guys that have never played point guard before in a college game.”
Be sure to check back soon for more coverage of SoCon media day soon, as I detail Chattanooga’s outlook for the upcoming 2025-26 season after having caught up with Mocs head coach Dan Earl to discuss the upcoming season and look back to the Mocs’ amazing run to NIT glory last March.
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