As a new season of college hoops approaches, Furman is not only seeing a brand-new version of Timmons Arena but also several new faces on the court.
A mixture of freshmen and transfers are new to the team this season. However, there are also key returnees to the squad.
New Faces
Asa Thomas | Redshirt Sophomore
Thomas is a 6’7 wing who is a product of Lake Forest, Ill. He transferred to Furman from Clemson and has three years of eligibility remaining. He played at Clemson for two years. During his freshman year, the 2023-24 season, he sat out while recovering from a shoulder surgery. In the 2024-25 season, Thomas appeared in 12 games and shot 50% from three. During his high school career, Thomas was an All-State selection twice and was rated a three-star prospect by 247 Sports. Thomas could be slotted perfectly into the “three and D” type of player that often finds success at Furman.
Abijah Franklin | Freshman
Franklin is a graduate of Wren High School in nearby Piedmont, S.C. Franklin, a 6’5 guard,played for legendary coach Fran Campbell while at Wren. He was named AAAA All-State and High School Sports Report Mr. Basketball for the state of South Carolina. Franklin averaged 31.4 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.9 steals per game during his senior season. During his junior year, Franklin was tabbed as the AAA Player of the Year for South Carolina.
Cole Bowser | Freshman
Bowser’s name should ring familiar to Furman basketball fans. He is the younger brother of junior forward Cooper Bowser. The younger Bowser is listed as a 6’6 guard. He played high school basketball in Maryland at DeMatha Catholic High School, which has produced several NBA-level talents. Bowser contributed to DeMatha’s 23-7 record his senior year. As a junior, he averaged 6.8 points per game when DeMatha was nationally-ranked.
Collin O’Neal | Freshman
O’Neal, a 6’4 guard, is from Nashville, Tenn. He was named Tennessee Sports Writer’s Association DII-AA All-State and was awarded DII-AA All-Region as a senior. He averaged 13.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game whilst earning the team MVP award. O’Neal also scored 22 points in 23 minutes in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League Session 2.
Alex Wilkins | Freshman
Wilkins is a 6’5 guard who is a native of Mattapan, Mass. and a product of the Brooks School. He was ranked as the No. 3 player in the 2025 class by New England Recruiting Report. When he was a senior, he helped Brooks win the Class B state title and was awarded the NEPSAC Class B Player of the Year. He averaged 25.1 points per game as a senior. As a junior, he shot almost 40% from the three-point line.
Owen Ritger | Freshman
Ritger, a 6’9 forward, is from Atlanta, Ga. and a graduate of the Marist School. He was named first team all-region. During his senior year at Marist, Ritger averaged 15.9 points and 1.4 blocks per game. Prior to his senior year, he was ranked the No. 4 power forward in the state of Georgia by Prep Hoops.
Key Returnees
Ben Vander Wal | Senior
Vander Wal started thirty games in a Furman uniform last year and has played key minutes for Furman. Vander Wal is a defensive pest for other teams to deal with. He had a career high 16 points last season against Montreat and paced the team with 5.5 rebounds per game.
Ed Bronson | Redshirt Sophomore
Bronson redshirted his true freshman season and saw playing time last year. He started three games and played in all 35 games. Bronson led the team with 15 points in their National Invitational Tournament game against North Texas University. He will be key for the Dins this season as they look to improve guard play after the graduation of PJay Smith Jr.
Tom House | Senior
House transferred to Furman last season from Florida State and played in 34 games. He shot 40.6% from beyond the arc and attempted 133 three-pointers. House averaged 7.1 points per game and scored in double digits nine times last season. Furman head coach Bob Richey’s scheme seems to live and die by the three-pointer. House continuing his excellent shooting will be important to the 2025-26 Paladin campaign.
Cooper Bowser | Junior
Bowser played in every game, started in 34 games and was tabbed to the All-Southern Conference defensive team last season. He had a 17-point, 12-rebound double-double against Seattle University and led Furman in blocks last season with 57. The further development of Bowser into an elite player in the Southern Conference helped Furman become a defensive challenge for other teams. Bowser is poised to be a possible candidate for Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year in the upcoming season.
