Gumbs breaking out

2009 post player Erique Gumbs rose out of obscurity with his strong play at the Bay Ball Classic this season. The 6-foot-9, 225-pound Gumbs helped his Bear (Del.) Caravel Academy reach the finals and colleges are taking notice.

Averaging a double-double for the season, Gumbs put up double-double numbers during the Bay Ball Classic as well.

Low to mid-major schools have already offered, but if Gumbs continues to progress at his present rate, high major offers could be on the horizon. To date Delaware, Towson, George Washington, Marist and LaSalle have offered while George Mason, Pittsburgh, Virginia and Rutgers are closely tracking Gumbs' development.

"Erique has really improved since last year," said Gumbs' travel team coach Duane Coverdale of the Delaware Sharpshooters. "In the past two years he has grown five inches in the past two years. He is a work in progress because he is continually catching up to his body when he hits growth spurts. He is a back to the basket player, but he can also step out and hit the 18-footer."

In fact Gumbs, whose father is 6-foot-9 and played at Delaware, might not be done growing. According to Coach Coverdale, he is expected to top out at somewhere between 6-foot-10 and 7-foot-1.