Greenville, S.C. – Furman men's basketball added two players during the November signing period, it was announced on Wednesday by Paladin head coach Bob Richey.
Prep standouts Ben VanderWal of Elmurst, Ill., and Davis Molnar of Fayetteville, N.C., are slated to join the Paladins for the 2022-23 season.
"We're really excited to announce the signings of Davis Molnar and Ben VanderWal into our program," said Richey. "Both players represent everything we want in a Furman student-athlete: great character, great students, great support systems, and also really, really good players. I couldn't be more pleased to be adding both of them to our program and team. We love versatility in our program, and you can see that in both players' games."
A 6-7 forward, VanderWal is ranked No. 8 among his recruiting class in Illinois by the Chicago Sun Times entering the 2021-22 season and rated the No. 21 prospect in Illinois by Prep Hoops.
"Ben is somebody who is going to come in as a player and play a variety of positions," Richey said. "He plays the game extremely hard, is ultra-competitive, and is somebody who is going to be a great ambassador of our program. He has an unbelievable personality, and we're really looking forward to having him here."
VanderWal averaged 17.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.1 steals, and 1.5 assists per game as a junior while shooting 39% from 3-point range and leading Timothy Christian to a conference title. He was named to the Class 2A All-Metro Suburban Conference team as a junior. VanderWal played his AAU basketball for Breakaway Basketball.
"Furman landed a gem out of Illinois in Ben VanderWal, who was one of the biggest breakout players in the state over the past year and is now a top 10 player in Illinois," said Joe Henricksen of the Chicago Sun Times. "He brings a blend of toughness, rebounding, and shooting at his size and position that is coveted in today's college game and can be utilized in a wide range of roles."
Molnar, a 6-foot-7 forward, led the Terry Sanford Bulldogs to a 3A All-American Conference championship as a junior while averaging 16.8 points, 10.8 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 2.4 steals ,and 1.6 blocks per game.
"I believe Davis is going to be able to play three positions for us, which I am pretty excited about," added Richey. "He takes his academics very seriously and the opportunity to get a Furman degree was something that stood out to him and also to his family. He's got high character, an unbelievable family, and his support system is fantastic. He is somebody who is going to bring a level of toughness that will be really good for our program."
Molnar shot 57% from the field and 39% from behind the arc for the 2020-21 season and tallied 38 points, 15 rebounds, and seven assists in a game versus South View High. Molnar has averaged 12.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.7 steals per game in his first three high school seasons. He earned All-American Conference Offensive Player of the Year honors in soccer after leading Terry Sanford to a conference title and state playoff appearance this fall. Molnar netted a Cumberland County-leading 37 goals and added 15 assists for the Bulldog soccer program, which posted a 16-3-0 record in 2021. He played his AAU basketball for Team Wall.
"Davis is such a unique player," said Tyler Lewis of Phenom Hoops Report. "He is able to impact the game in a variety of ways. He has an exceptional basketball IQ and sees plays before they happen. He has great court vision in which he is able to make the game easier for his teammates. At his size, he is able to push the ball in transition off the defensive rebound. The most important attribute about Davis that stands out is his toughness. He plays with a lot of energy and passion. He will be a great attribute to the program in his four years with the Paladins."
