By Shane Donaldson
Associate Athletic Director, Communication and New Media

KINGSTON, R.I. - Ask any coach in any sport about team chemistry, and you will hear about how important it is to success. Teammates who truly know and care about each other are more likely to push and fight for each other, too.

Chemistry can't be taught. It takes effort and varying levels of interpersonal connection.

Given the transient nature of college athletic rosters, the challenges are greater than ever. Teams have less time to get to know each. Heading into the 2026-27 season, Rhode Island's men's basketball roster has 14 players, seven of whom were not on the team a year ago.

So who are the newest Rams connecting with? The question was posed to each of the seven newcomers.

JAEN CHATMAN - Freshman Guard
"Early on in the recruiting process, I got to speak with Barrett Loer and Jalen Harper a lot. I knew both of them previously. I played against Jalen in high school. Jahmere Tripp is someone I knew from watching him play when I was younger.

"I felt like I was more comfortable already with a number of guys on the team. Once I got to campus, the entire team treated me like family. Barrett and Jalen. Javon Perry too. He's a good character who I definitely connected with right away. Steven Sherman is my roommate. I hang out with him and Tim Martin. We have a lot of good conversations. Jason (Fontenet), D-Will (Dylan Williamson) and I are all new, so we talk a lot too.

"I do a lot of individual work with (graduate assistant) R.J. Johnson. I talk with him a lot about my plan and what he can help me out with. We put in extra work in the gym together. With him being able to hop in some reps in practice, it gives me a better visual to learn from. He's a guy who already knows the system, so I really pay attention to what he's doing when he's on the court."

MATAS DENIUSAS - Sophomore Forward
"Of course it is really great to have someone from back home here. I can talk to Nedas (Raupelis) in Lithuanian in the locker room. We can also curse in Lithuanian (laughs). It is a good feeling to have a Lithuanian by my side. When you have someone else who knows where you are from, knows your home country, you feel more comfortable. You feel more at home.

"Last year (at UT Martin) was the first time I had American teammates. Back home, it was always playing with and against Europeans. It's a little bit different, but I adapted. The guys on the team here are great guys. They are all really nice. No bullies, no egos. These guys work. In the locker room, everything is fine. The guys have taken me around to different places, shown me the area so I can get to know where I am."

JASON FONTENET II - Redshirt Junior Guard/Forward
"I have gravitated a lot to the returners, especially Jonah Hinton and Jahmere Tripp. The guys who have been here are really familiar with what we do. Obviously, they tell you things about how a place will work while they recruit you, but you really learn how things work when you get here. The guys who have been here are the guys I have learned from and watched. I've spent a lot of time around them."

TIM MARTIN - Freshman Forward
"Matas (Deniusas) is pretty cool off the court. Getting a chance to play with a foreign player, it's really cool to learn a little bit about his culture. The first person I met here was R.J. (Johnson), who is a graduate assistant with the team now. He has been cool. Fun fact, my dad actually loves his music. He has R.J. on his playlist, so we've been listening whenever we are on road trips. I'll break out my headphones and have RJ's music playing.

"All the bigs I have been working out with, Javon Perry, Nedas Raupelis, Matas, Mo (Mouhamed Sow) and sometimes (Jahmere) Tripp, they have all been cool. Barrett Loer really got me introduced to the team. He got me into the group chat, which was nice. They all really work to make you feel welcome."

NEDAS RAUPELIS - Sophomore Forward
"Matas (Deniusas) really helped a lot when I first got here. He was the main person showing me around and teaching me things. It made me feel more comfortable, which was really, really good.
"Tim Martin is one person. He's the youngest guy on the team, but I have been talking to him the most. It's hard to single out guys because everyone has been very nice. Everyone has been trying to talk to me and get to know me. They have worked to make me more comfortable."

STEVEN SHERMAN - Freshman Guard
"Jahmere Tripp, Barrett Loer and Jalen Harper are guys I talk with a lot. Jalen and I went fishing together the other day (they caught six fish). He's the one who got me on my food plan and has been showing me a lot of different things.

"As a freshman, I need to be a sponge for knowledge. I am new to the game. I need to be learning every day. Even if it's a day I'm not getting as many reps, I need to be paying attention and soaking it all in. By the time those reps come, my knowledge of the game is going to be so much further along because I am watching what the older guys are doing."

DYLAN WILLIAMSON - Graduate Student Guard
"In terms of the other guys on the team, I feel like I have been bonding with everybody. I can go to anybody and ask them anything. We have a fairly new team, so we are all still learning about each other. For me specifically, it has been a quick bond. When I first got here, we were all hanging out off the court right away. Team chemistry is the most important thing you can have, and it feels like all the guys understand that. In order for us to grow on the court, we have to bond and trust each other off the court."


SUMMER SERIES
July 14 - Preparation Has Led to Success for Williamson
July 9 - Fontenet Ready To Make Big Impact
July 7 - Hometown Bond Helps Deniusas, Raupelis Adjust