May 8, 2009

Scotty Tavares-Taylor, a freshman from Boston, MA, has signed a national letter of intent to play basketball at UMass Lowell next season, Head Coach Greg Herenda announced Friday.

Herenda has also announced the addition of freshman swingman Romeo Diaz, a former Methuen H.S. standout.

A point guard, Tavares-Taylor was a four-year player at Lexington H.S. and attended the Tilton School for a postgraduate year in 2008-09. He joins a River Hawk squad which went 21-8 last season (up from a 12-17 finish the year prior) and advanced to the NCAA Tournament.

Along the way, the River Hawks posted a 16-6 clip in Northeast-10 Conference play, where it tied for second place and received the No. 2 seed for the NE-10 Tournament.

All 11 players return for the 2009-10 season.

"We are very excited about Scotty coming to UMass Lowell," said Herenda. "Not only is he a very good point guard with tremendous ability, but he stands for everything that our program is about. On the court he will make us that much quicker and deeper at the guard position. Defensively, he has the ability to take our team to another level."

Tavares-Taylor helped guide the Tilton School to a school-record 29-2 record which included the 2009 National Prep Championship as well as the New England Prep School Athletic Conference (NEPSAC) Class `B' title.

"I feel great signing with UMass Lowell," Tavares-Taylor said. "I think I can bring a lot to the program. Whether it is in the classroom or on the court, I think I can make a difference by coming to UMass Lowell."

He put together averages of 11.0 points, 5.0 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game while shooting .360 from 3-point rage and .850 from the free throw line. Among his teammates were University of Connecticut signees Alex Oriakhi and Jamal Coombs-McDaniel.

"Getting a student-athlete from the Tilton School is very important to me," Herenda noted. "Being coached by Marcus O'Neil and playing with high-level Division I players around him adds to Scotty's total package."

Diaz comes to UMass Lowell following a stellar three-year career at Methuen H.S., where he posted senior year averages of 26.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 3.0 steals en route to Merrimack Valley Conference all-star honors.

"Romeo is exactly the kind of student-athlete I want to represent our program," Herenda said. "He is a local product with a huge upside. He is very athletic and can score the ball. On top of that, he's a great kid.

"Romeo is one of the first recruits that I met when I got the job here, and I am very happy that everything worked out," Herenda added. "He will fit right into our pressing and running system exceptionally well."

Among his many highlights, Diaz once compiled 51 points, 17 rebounds and 11 assists in a 98-96 triple overtime win over Dracut.

"I feel very good because UMass Lowell is close to home and my family and friends can see me play," said Diaz. "It is a very good school that has an excellent business program that will help me get a degree.

"UMass Lowell is a pressing and running team and that style is the way I wanted to play in college," he added. "I feel it is a perfect fit for my game."

The River Hawks open the season Wednesday, Nov. 18 at Saint Michael's.