Maryland Terrapins basketball features old, new, not much in between

When Melo Trimble was first asked to lose weight this summer, the young point guard looked where he often does: at senior guard Dez Wells.

Wells, Trimble said, once had the same level of body fat as he did. He, too, was asked to slim down.

“But he’s worked his way up to have very little body fat and still be as strong as he is and produce the way he is,” Trimble said.

It’s a simple process — freshmen following the lead of seniors, young players looking up to old. But for the Maryland men’s basketball team, which will open its season against Wagner on Friday night, those relationships will be particularly important.

A wave of offseason transfers left the Terrapins with a roster of extremes: four freshmen who are expected to contribute immediately and a strong senior class, led by Wells. Only junior Jake Layman and sophomore Damonte Dodd lie between the two groups, making the team’s ability — or inability — to bridge the gap between youth and experience a focal point.

“I think we have a group of guys coming back that are very determined to be successful. They’ve worked extremely hard,” coach Mark Turgeon said at the team’s media day last month. “And then we have a group of new guys that are good basketball players, but they’re also very humble. I think there’s a respect factor among our team.”

Maryland netted one of its most highly touted recruiting classes in recent history this year, led by Trimble, a McDonald’s All-American from nearby Bishop O’Connell High School. Dion Wiley, another local product from Potomac (Maryland) High School, and New Jersey native Jared Nickens were also among the top recruits in their respective states. Michal Cekovksy, a 7-foot-1 center from Slovakia who has drawn comparisons to Alex Len, rounded out the class.

Among the four, Trimble, and perhaps Cekovsky, will start. Wiley and Nickens will play significant minutes off the bench. It’s a lot to expect from a group that has yet to play a regular-season game in the college ranks, let alone a Big Ten game on the road.

“I think there’s a reason they’re ranked so high,” Turgeon said of his incoming freshmen. “They’re good players, and they can handle it.”

But the Terrapins also trust that their veterans, including Wells, Layman and senior Jon Graham, will do their part to help bring the newcomers along. Wells in particular has stepped into a significant leadership role this year, paying extra attention to the freshmen as they adjust to a higher level of play.

“They just have to be in-game and see how the game flows, because it goes a lot faster than high school. They’ll get adjusted to that on their own,” Wells said. “But as far as keeping their minds and their spirits up and their confidence up, I think I have a good feel for that. When to talk to them, when not to, when to let them learn on their own, when to take them aside and tell them what they did wrong and how to correct their mistakes.”

The freshmen impressed in Maryland’s two exhibition games. Trimble led the team with 19 points in a win over San Francisco State, while Wiley and Nickens finished both games in double figures. Wells, however, said he is more interested in seeing how they perform as the season progresses.

“They have to pick and choose their spots. Right now is a great time for them to do that and see how the game changes, media timeouts, how tired they’re going to be,” Wells said. “They’re really just getting their feet wet and really starting to find out how to judge when to play and how to play.”

Wells is doing his part to help ease that transition, and the freshmen have taken notice. Most speak about Wells, Layman, Graham and the other upperclassmen in an almost reverent tone.

“They’ve been great examples, on and off the court,” Nickens said. “Through play, leadership, talking — whatever it is. I can always count on them.”