Recruiting: Transfer Pankey Big Addition For Jaspers

Here's another in the series looking at players joining conference teams for the upcoming season.

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MANHATTAN MEN

- Rich Williams, a 6-foot-5, 190-pound freshman swingman: Williams played at the prep school level at Vermont Academy last season, and averaged 15 points and 8 rebounds per game. He is reported to be very athletic and with shooting range out beyond the three-point line. "We are very excited to have Rich join our Jasper family," said Masiello, in a statement released by the school. "He is an explosive wing who can play multiple positions in our style of play and provides us with another long-range scoring threat."

- Carlton Allen, a 6-10, 240-pound freshman center: He averaged 7.0 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.1 blocks per game playing at Life Center Academy in Burlington, N.J., last season. "We are so happy to sign Carlton ... a piece we haven't really had in this program, being a 6-10 wide-bodied player with great hands who runs the floor well," said Masiello. We feel our front line will be one of the better ones, then you add a guy like Carlton ... you have some serious bodies up front."

- Tyler Wilson, a 6-0, 175-pound freshman point guard: He averaged 12 points and 7 assists per game as a junior, but no senior season statistics are available. He helped lead his former high school, Cardinal Hayes, to the Catholic H.S. Athletic Association's Class AA intersectional semifinals as a junior. "Tyler is a winner ... a hard-nosed guard who is a terrific on-the-ball defender," said Manhattan coach Steve Masiello, in a statement released by the school. "He is another local product from the Bronx who we are excited to be a Jasper."

- Ashton Pankey, a 6-10, 225-pound sophomore center: He is a transfer from Maryland of the ACC who sat out last season at Manhattan and is eligible to play this year. At Maryland in 2011-12, he averaged 4.7 points and 4.9 rebounds in 20.3 minutes per game.

ANALYSIS: Manhattan returns four of last season's four starters, and would most certainly appear to have the fifth spot filled with returnee George Beamon, a senior swingman who led the MAAC in scoring in 2011-12 and, then, redshirted last season with foot and ankle issues. Pankey could be a real key for the Jaspers, although Manhttan will need to adjust to having two true post players (returning senior Rhamel Brown is the other) on the court at the same time. Allen, Williams and Wilson should get some time, and the luxury of getting acclimated to the college game while playing behind established upperclassmen this season.