The UNF men’s basketball team added a slew of players from the transfer portal and high school at the beginning of June.
The first player the Ospreys picked up was senior Nestor Dyachok, a transfer from Southern Utah. Dyachok played one season at Southern Utah, averaging 9.3 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. Dyachok, a Moscow native, was a member of the U16 European Championship, playing on the Russian National team.
“Nestor [Dyachok] has so many natural qualities that fit perfectly in our entire system. Nestor has tremendous size and touch to not only knock down threes consistently but deck the ball attacking the rim as well,” head coach Matthew Driscoll said.
“His pedigree and youth European advance training has really elevated his basketball. Nestor brings in a lot of leadership intangibles to his well-rounded person, including an amazing spirit to serve others, making his off-the-court presence powerful as well,” he added.
The second transfer North Florida pulled is forward Liam Murphy, a graduate and former player at Columbia University. In two seasons with Columbia, Murphy averaged ten points and four rebounds per game while also shooting 34% from three-point land. The Staten Island native will have two years of eligibility left.
Murphy did not play last year due to an injury, but Driscoll said that only helped his appreciation of basketball as a game.
“His passion and toughness, plus his appreciation for the game after being sidelined for over a year, will carry over to the court. Liam has what we say ‘done it when the lights are on,’ averaging 10 PPG and 5 RPG in his first full season of college basketball, including 36% from three-point range,” Driscoll said.
“He competed in the Ivy League, which year after year is one of the most prestigious top-to-bottom college basketball conferences in America, adding to his ability to raise our culture,” he said
The final player who joined the Ospreys is IMG product, Dante Oliver. During his senior high school season, Oliver averaged 21 points per game. The Knoxville, Tennessee native shot 37% at IMG Academy and is listed as a guard on the roster.
Murphy, Dyachok and Oliver join fellow junior college transfer Alex Vargo and high school signee Josh Harris as the Ospreys 2024 recruiting class grows. Vargo averaged over 26 points at Garrett College and made 36 three-pointers in conference play.
The Ospreys now have three new guards and two new forwards on the 2024-2025 team roster.
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