Report: Transfer forward has Terps among his finalists

Maryland emerged as a potential destination for Hampton forward Ben Stanley almost immediately after he entered his name into the NCAA transfer portal last week.

Maryland is one of six schools in the running for Hampton transfer Ben Stanley, The Stadium’s Jeff Goodman reported Monday. The Terps were joined on Stanley’s list by Illinois, Oregon, Dayton and Xavier. He's also open to returning to the Pirates, where he’d likely begin next season as the favorite to win Big South Player of the Year.

Maryland emerged as a potential destination for Stanley almost immediately after he entered his name into the NCAA transfer portal last week given its location and need for frontcourt depth. The 6-foot-7 forward is a Baltimore native and could potentially be granted immediate eligibility by the NCAA if he transfers closer to home, but there’s no way of guaranteeing that happens before he makes his decision and the Terps could choose to pass if he has to sit out a year.

Maryland has been linked to several frontcourt options over the last few months but they’ve all fallen through for various reasons. Manhattan graduate transfer Pauly Paulicap was another option that emerged recently but he announced a top-five that included Memphis, DePaul, St. Bonaventure, Florida International and Southern Illinois earlier this week.

Stanley averaged 22 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game this past season while shooting 57.4 percent from the floor, which was good enough for him to finish third in the conference’s player of the year voting behind Carlik Jones, who recently transferred to Louisville, and teammate Jermaine Marrow. He joined Marrow to form college basketball’s highest scoring duo, but it’s his toughness and athleticism that could translate the most at the Power Conference level. He will have two years of eligibility remaining wherever he ends up.