Morgan State University’s men’s basketball team recently beefed up its roster by signing three newcomers to national letters of intent. The team finished with its worst record in six years last season, but the new additions should help the team return as a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC)favorite.
MSU Media Relations announced May 29 that Maryland natives Donte Pretlow, Cedric Blossom and Daryl Traynham, will play basketball for the Bears during the 2012-’13 year.
Pretlow, 6-foot, 185-pound guard out of Dunbar High School in Baltimore, Md., will add depth to Morgan State’s point guard position. He ran point for Dunbar under head coach Cyrus Jones, helping the Poets win the 2011 and 2012 Maryland state championships. He averaged 10 points, eight assists, five rebounds and two steals as a senior.
“Donte is a tough hard-nosed guard in the tradition of a long list of Dunbar-Baltimore point guards,” said MSU head coach Todd Bozeman. “He brings that Baltimore inner-city toughness to the program. He can really run a team, can defend, has tremendous poise and can make the open shot. He’s certainly going to give us added depth in the backcourt.”
Morgan State will also use Traynham at point guard. The 5-foot-9, 180-pound Upper Marlboro, Md. native transferred from Palm Beach State, one of the most famous junior college basketball programs in the nation. He averaged 10.8 points per game, 5.7 assists and 2.5 steals last season, helping Palm State finish with a 26-5 record and the FCSAA/District 8 State Semifinals.
“He’s a general,” Bozeman said of Traynham. “He can really run a team and create for others. He started his career at , before transferring to junior college. I’ve been knowing him ever since he was a young kid.”
As for the 6-foot-6, 225-pound Blossom, he’s expected to contribute to the forward position. The Columbia, Md. native played for Montrose Christian Academy, starting in just about every game during the past two seasons. Blossom was named co-captain of a squad that featured several superior high school players, such as Tyrone Johnson (Villanova committed), Tyler Hubbard (Loyola committed) and Justin Anderson (Virginia committed).
“He comes from Montrose Christian, a perennial basketball powerhouse, and has played with great players and knows what it takes to win,” Bozeman said.
“Cedric is a young man that is a 6-foot-6 versatile player who will allow us to play in different ways,” Bozeman said. “He can play on the perimeter or in the post, in terms of the wing or the four… He is a good rebounder with a great nose for the ball, as well as a great defender and is extremely athletic. He’s going to add depth to our team for sure.”