Christopher Francis
Staff Writer
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic may have cut some seasons short, but the Dons will return in the fall — and alongside our returning athletes will be a class of new recruits.
This week we take a look at the newest members of the men’s basketball team.
Following one of their strongest seasons in decades, the Dons graduated three seniors in Jimbo Lull, Remu Raitanen, and Jordan Ratinho after four strong years of play.
Redshirt junior Charles Minlend departs as well, joining the University of Louisville Cardinals for his final year of NCAA eligibility. With that in mind, the Dons looked to retool moving into the coming season and secured three new players in their 2020 recruitment season.
“My staff and I are genuinely pleased about these three student-athletes joining our program,” said head coach Todd Golden in a statement from USF Athletics. “All three young men are extremely gifted basketball players and will help fill the gaps left behind by our graduating class of seniors.”
Samba Kane, 7’0″ 220 lbs. Center, Indian Hills Community College, University of Illinois
Hailing from Dakar, Senegal, by way of Florida, Kane is a junior transfer joining the Dons after spending a year playing junior college ball at Indian Hills Community College. Kane averaged 5.8 points and 4.7 rebounds per game while playing an average of 13.8 minutes per game. Kane spent his freshman season at the University of Illinois, where he struggled for playing time, averaging 4.8 minutes per game. Golden noted that Kane has the ability to be “one of the best rim protectors in the country. Now, being older, having more experience, and working with Coach [Mamadou] N’Diaye on a daily basis, we believe he has potential to be an impact player in the West Coast Conference.”
Maj Dusanic, 6’7″ 230 lbs. Forward, Dream City Christian School
Joining the Dons from Slovenia by way of Dream City Christian School in Phoenix, Arizona, Dusanic comes with poise and promise. Dusanic played on the Slovenian Under-18 national basketball team at the FIBA’s, basketball’s international governing body, 2019 U-18 European Championship, where he led the squad in PER (Player Efficiency Rating). At the tournament, he averaged 9.1 points per game with 6.7 rebounds per game, complemented nicely by a 63% shooting line from the floor. His style stuck out to Golden, who remarked, “His physicality, aggressiveness, and winning mentality all aligned with our program. We are excited to get him on campus this summer.”
Julian Rishwain, 6’5” 185 lbs. Guard, Notre Dame High School, Boston College
Rishwain joins the Dons following one season of play at Boston College (BC) in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). He played in 30 games for the Eagles last season, including three starts, finishing with a deceptive 4.0 points per game average. In five games, Rishwain finished in double figures, including a 15-point performance against DePaul University on Nov. 23, 2019. According to Golden, “He gained great experience in his time at BC, playing nearly 15 minutes a game as a freshman in the ACC. Julian is an outstanding shot-maker with really good size on the perimeter. He’s a high-achiever and will be a great addition to our program.”
