Recruiting: Quinnipiac Men Fill On-Court Needs

Here's another in the series looking at players joining conference programs for the coming season.

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QUINNIPIAC MEN

- Umar Shannon, a 5-11, 185-pound senior guard: He joins Quinnipiac as a grad student eligible for this coming season after playing three seasons for Saint Francis. He sat out his junior year there with a a knee injury. He came back last year to average 11.2 points, 3.3 assists and 2.3 rebounds per game. Prior to his injury he averaged 15.8 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game as a sophomore. "Umar brings a wealth of experience and talent to our backcourt," said coach Tom Moore, in a release issued by the school. We are obviously very familiar with his game ... He is a strong, talented combo guard who has proven he can score and distribute the ball very well at this level."

- Kasim Chandler, a 5-10, 160-pound freshman guard: He averaged 23 points and six assists per game last season at The Robinson School of New Jersey. He had a career high of 31 points in an East Coast Post Grad Tournament contest this past season. Prior to his prep school year he attended Imani Christian Academy in Pittsburgh. There, he averaged 23.2 points and 6.8 assists per game in the 2011-12 season. "He is a talented point guard ... very good with the ball and highly effective in transition," said Moore. "He is a very creative passer who should help us a great deal offensively, both on the fast break and in the half court."

- Aula Sumbry, a 6-8, 240-pound freshman forward: A true post player who played at St. Benedict's Prep School in Newark, N.J. last season where he averaged 16.0 points and 13.0 rebounds per contest. "He is an aggressive power forward who rebounds the ball very well at both ends," said Moore. "(He is also a very good shot blocker and post defender. He has a soft touch and good hands which will help him to contribute offensively right away."

- Alain Chigha, a 6-7, 200-pound freshman forward: He is a native of Cameroon. He averaged 9.6 points and 6.7 rebounds per game over his sophomore and junior seasons at The Rock School in Gainesville, Fla., but no senior statistics are available. He did have a 17-point, 19-rebound performance as a senior in a tournament contest. "He is a terrific small forward who can really defend and shoot the ball well," said Moore. "He is very athletic and works very hard. He will bring an element of size and athleticism to our perimeter."

ANALYSIS: The program needed help at point guard, and brought in two quality candidates in Shannon, a senior transfer, and Chandler, a freshman. It also added strong inside play with Sumbry and an effective, versatile perimeter player in Chigha.