NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The college basketball transfer portal’s never been busier. It’s transformed the landscape of the sport.
While the lack of roster continuity can be frustrating for some coaches and universities, Tennessee State’s Brian “Penny” Collins has embraced the portal.
“You try to get these guys together that have been all over the place,” Collins said. “Once they start believing in each other and their talents start to shine through, then special things can happen.”
Eleven of TSU’s 16 players on this year’s team started their college careers elsewhere. That includes six players that transferred in last summer for this season.
“This summer we spent a lot of time together,” said transfer forward Michael Shanks. “All day practices getting to know each other, and I think throughout the season it’s grown even more. We’re close now.”
It’s worked out pretty well. The Tigers sit at 8-6 in the Ohio Valley Conference and in a battle for a first round bye in next month’s conference tournament.
“Coach Penny’s definitely done a good job of bringing the right guys in,” said transfer guard E.J. Bellinger. “(He’s kept) everybody hungry. Keeping everyone together.”
Bellinger and Shanks were priority targets for TSU in the portal. Like Collins, they’re both Belmont graduates.
With one year of eligibility remaining, both leaped at the chance to transfer across town for the opportunity to get more time on the floor.
“My last year, having fun, bigger role being more of a leader,” Shanks said. “And I really like that leadership role.”
Bellinger has also grown as a leader and as a player on the floor.
He’s averaging a career-high 11.7 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. Both totals rank second on the team.
“I felt like it was coaching staff that really believed in me,” Bellinger said. “They loved me. They really wanted me to be here. That meant a lot. More so than even playing a lot more.”
Both guys have played huge roles for the Tigers, which is not a surprise to Collins who calls their recruitment a no brainer.
Bellinger and Shanks were quality players that had experience playing in a Belmont program that’s one of college basketball’s most consistent winners.
“We don’t just recruit anybody,” Collins said. “We want to recruit programs that are winning programs as well. What better program to recruit than my alma mater? Being a Bruin, I always watched them and loved those two guys, so when they went in the portal it was one of those things where Coach Rick Byrd even called me and said, ‘hey, get these guys if you can.’ I wanted them from day one and it was a match made in heaven.”
The two Bruins turned Tigers are enjoying their new home. Bellinger’s second on the team in scoring and rebounding and Shanks is averaging a career-high in points.
They’ve led TSU to a 15-and-12 record and have the Tigers on pace for the best season of Collins’ six seasons of coach. And this group of transfers believe they can unite to take the school to its first NCAA Tournament since 1994.
Collins saying simply, “They have all the ingredients to do something special that hasn’t been done here in a long time.”
Fostering Hope provides Christmas for kids in foster care. I'm delighted to see Fostering Hope expand this year to expand their reach to now include kids in Foster care in metro AND foster kids in East TN hard hit by Helene.
-Bree Smith
