Massive Boost as UTSA Men’s Basketball First-Year Head Coach Announcement On 12 New Additions

SAN ANTONIO – UTSA’s first-year head coach, Austin Claunch, revealed on Tuesday the arrival of 12 new additions who will complete the inaugural roster for the upcoming era of Roadrunners basketball. All members of this group are transfers, bringing a diverse blend of skills, size, and athleticism that will enable the revamped Roadrunners to deploy players in various roles within Claunch’s fast-paced playing style. The incoming players consist of six pure guards, four versatile post players, and two athletes capable of contributing in multiple positions across the frontcourt and backcourt. These recruits represent eight different states, with the inclusion of two international players.

During the previous season, this new wave of Roadrunners collectively achieved a 42.8 percent field goal shooting average, with individual averages of 7.7 points per game, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.5 assists, all within an average playing time of 20.5 minutes per game. Together, they contributed an average of 86.9 points, 35.3 rebounds, 15.1 assists, and 8.7 steals per game. Furthermore, the combined roster additions managed to make an average of 10.3 three-pointers per game.

In addition to the 12 newcomers, returning sophomore Nazar Mahmoud, who appeared in 14 games for UTSA as a rookie, remains part of the team.

2024-25 UTSA Men’s Basketball Roster Additions
Name	Pos	Ht	Wt	Hometown/Last School
Zach Gonsoulin	G	6-1	175	Houston, Texas/TCU
David Hermes	F/C	6-10	225	Stockholm, Sweden/Indian Hills CC
Raekwon Horton	F/G	6-6	215	Santee, S.C./James Madison
Tai’Reon “Scootah” Joseph	SG	6-3	180	Baton Rouge, La./Southern
Paul Lewis	CG	6-2	180	Woodbridge, Va./Vanderbilt
Jesús Carralero Martin	F/C	6-7	225	Málaga, Spain/Missouri
Marcus “Smurf” Millender	PG	5-11	180	Houston, Texas/South Alabama
Damari Monsanto	SG	6-6	225	Pembroke Pines, Fla./Wake Forest
Jaquan Scott	F/C	6-8	230	Dallas, Texas/Mississippi State
Jonnivius Smith	F/C	6-9	200	Selma, Ala./Buffalo
Primo Spears	CG	6-3	185	Hartford, Conn./Florida State
Skylar Wicks	G/F	6-6	190	Jersey City, N.J./Incarnate Word

Head Coach Austin Claunch on the Incoming 2024-25 Roadrunners

“I couldn’t be more thrilled with our inaugural class at UTSA. My staff did an excellent job of identifying players who align with our style of play and will elevate UTSA basketball. Signing an entire team is never an easy task, but we managed to assemble a group with both talent and a winning mindset. I’m eager to start working with this team.”

Zach Gonsoulin

A 6-foot-1, 175-pound guard from Houston, Gonsoulin has spent the last two seasons at TCU. Before his college career, he attended IMG Academy in Florida, playing on the IMG Post-Graduate National Academic Team and helping them achieve a 30-6 record. Gonsoulin averaged 12.1 points, 3.3 assists, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game, shooting 45.3 percent from the field, 50 percent from three, and 100 percent at the free-throw line. During his high school years at Ridge Point in southwest Houston, he shot 64.2 percent from the field and 57.1 percent from three-point range as a senior, with averages of 12.2 points, 3.1 assists, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.4 steals per game, leading his team to the fourth round of the playoffs. He also played AAU for former Texas star TJ Ford, where he averaged 29.8 points, 6.1 assists, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.2 steals, shooting 57.6 percent from the field and 55.2 percent from three-point range.

David Hermes

A 6-foot-10, 225-pound hybrid forward from Stockholm, Sweden, Hermes joins UTSA after two years at Indian Hills Community College in Iowa. He helped the Warriors achieve a 29-6 record, winning the NJCAA D1 Region XI and NJCAA D1 North Central District Championships, and reaching the Final Four in the 2023-24 NJCAA DI Men’s Basketball Championship. Born in Syria, Hermes is an all-around player with great footwork, capable of scoring both with his back to the basket and from the perimeter. Last season, he shot 47.6 percent from the field and 39.3 percent from beyond the arc, averaging 6.1 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. Hermes also played for the Syrian National Team in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup Asian Qualifiers and the 2023 FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament. Previously, he played for Ciudad de Huelva Baloncesto in Spanish Liga EBA (2022) and graduated from Central Pointe Christian Academy in Kissimmee, Florida, where he helped the team achieve a 30-5 record and a Sunshine Independent Athletic Association playoff appearance.

Raekwon Horton

A 6-foot-6, 215-pound hybrid forward known for finishing above the rim through contact, Horton is a proven defensive disruptor and has been part of multiple NCAA tournament teams. Originally from Santee, South Carolina, he played in 35 games last season at James Madison, contributing to the Dukes’ 35-4 record, a Sun Belt Conference title, and an NCAA first-round upset of fifth-seeded Wisconsin, in which he scored eight points with seven rebounds. Horton also started the season strong by hitting the game-winning three in overtime to upset No. 4 Michigan State in the season opener. He averaged 21.8 minutes per game, scoring 6.9 points on 54.2 percent shooting, with 4.3 rebounds, 1.4 steals, and 1.1 assists per game. Horton played two seasons at College of Charleston before joining JMU, making 66 appearances and helping the Cougars transition from a mid-tier team to conference champions and an NCAA tournament appearance. During his time at CofC, he averaged 5.3 points and 3.5 rebounds in under 20 minutes per game. Horton also played a post-graduate year at the prestigious Vermont Academy and attended W.J. Keenan High School in Columbia, South Carolina, where he holds the single-game scoring record with 52 points. Over his final two high school seasons, he led Keenan to a 55-7 record and back-to-back AAA State Championships. He is a two-time South Carolina 3A Player of the Year and two-time Region Player of the Year, averaging 19.03 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.3 steals, and 1.9 assists across his junior and senior seasons. Rated a three-star prospect by Rivals, Horton was a 2020 McDonald’s All-America nominee.

Tai’Reon Joseph

Tai’Reon Joseph, a four-star shooting guard transfer (Rivals), is joining UTSA after a season at Southern. Originally from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the 6-foot-3, 180-pound Joseph is a fast and dynamic scorer with the ball in his hands. Nicknamed “Scootah,” he played in 19 games for the Jaguars, starting in 16, during the 2023-24 season. He scored in double figures in 18 games, including 11 performances with over 20 points. Joseph led the Southwestern Athletic Conference in scoring with an average of 20.5 points per game, shooting 43.8 percent from the field. He also contributed 3.1 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. However, his season was cut short by injury. Before Southern, Joseph played 29 games at Radford and 27 games as a freshman at Austin Peay. In high school, he played alongside Javonte Smart (LSU) and Reece Beekman (Virginia) at Scotlandville Magnet School, leading the team to four consecutive state championships and a No. 12 ranking in the 2019-20 ESPN High School Top 25. As a senior, he averaged 18.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.9 assists, earning Louisiana Sports Writers Association All-State honors after two straight All-State Honorable Mention seasons.

Paul Lewis

Paul Lewis, a 6-foot-2, 180-pound combo guard from Woodbridge, Virginia, is joining UTSA after two seasons at Vanderbilt. He appeared in 56 games for the Commodores, averaging 4.4 points, 1.2 assists, and 1.1 rebounds in 31 games last season. Known as a three-level scorer, Lewis posted a career-high 18 points against Georgia and helped Vanderbilt reach the 2023 SEC Tournament semifinal. A three-star rated transfer (247Sports), Lewis was a standout at Bishop O’Connell High School in Arlington, Virginia. He earned VISAA Division I All-State first team and All-WCAC honors, and was named the Sun Gazette 2021-22 Player of the Year. During his high school career, he averaged 14 points, four assists, and five rebounds per game. On the AAU circuit, he played for DC Premier. His brother, Matt, was selected in the 2024 NBA G League Expansion Draft after a standout career at James Madison.

Jesús Carralero Martin

Jesús Carralero Martin, a 6-foot-7, 225-pound hybrid post player from Málaga, Spain, joins UTSA after playing 25 games with four starts last season at Missouri. He averaged 2.1 points and 2.0 rebounds, along with 39 assists in 12.9 minutes per game. Carralero Martin is known for his high-level passing and finishing around the rim, as well as his patience and ability to read defenses. Before Missouri, he played in 78 games at Campbell, with averages of 7.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.8 assists. His final season at Campbell was cut short by injury, but he was the only 2021-22 Big South player to rank in the top 10 in rebounding, assists, steals, and blocks, with averages of 9.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.9 blocks per game. Before college, he attended Link Year Prep in Missouri, where he averaged 11.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game. He also played for Club Baloncesto Málaga juniors, advancing to the senior team over two years.

Marcus Millender

Marcus Millender, a 5-foot-11, 180-pound true point guard from the Houston area, is joining UTSA after a rookie season at South Alabama. Known as “Smurf,” Millender was rated the No. 32 Texas prospect by 247Sports and was ranked 54th nationally among point guards coming out of high school. A hard-nosed defender and competitor, he led the Jaguars in three-point percentage (43.8 percent) and recorded the second-most freshman assists in school history with 107 dimes. He made 32 appearances with 15 starts, averaging 9.7 points, 3.3 assists, and 2.7 rebounds. In high school at Clear Brook, he was named First Team All-District 24-6A as a junior, averaging 16.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.0 assists, leading his team to a 28-8 record and a District 24-6A Semifinal appearance. He finished his high school career with over 1,500 points.