Northern Kentucky University’s men’s basketball program is entering a period of transition after losing its top five scorers from the previous season. The roster now reflects a truly international mix, with athletes hailing from Madagascar, Australia, Spain, Lithuania and Estonia.
A Global Overhaul for the Norse
Head coach Darrin Horn has said the team will lean on added positional size and physical strength, using the summer practice window to let the new faces gel while instilling the fast‑paced offense and aggressive defense that define his system.
Sophomore point guard Ethan Elliott remains the only returning starter, having posted 5.1 points and 4.6 assists per game last year while sinking 40 three‑pointers. He will be joined by junior Bryce Darbyshire and sophomore Ryan Tolliver, each of whom averaged roughly seven points per game off the bench.
Seniors Noah Pagotto and junior Will Shortt add experience as transfers from Division I programs, while veteran guard J.J. Apathjang, a former Southern Methodist University player, contributes backcourt depth. Freshman guard Willie Foster, a two‑time Ohio Division II first‑team all‑state selection, arrives with a reputation for scoring over 15 points per game in high school.
The international contingent includes Donovan Rakotonanahary, a redshirt sophomore from Madagascar who recently represented his country in a tournament in Senegal, averaging three points in 12 minutes per game against professional‑level opposition. Also joining the squad are freshmen Juanma Ruiz of Spain, Gabrielius Jokubauskas of Lithuania and Patrick Otto Mae of Estonia, alongside guard B.J. Davis‑Ray, who logged seven minutes per game for SMU last season, and Eric Acker, who previously played for Long Island and La Salle in the Atlantic 10, averaging six points per game for the Explorers.
Coach Horn notes that this is the most new faces the program has ever assembled, and he is using the summer workouts to foster chemistry while preaching the fast‑paced offense and aggressive defense that will define the team’s identity.