The University of Minnesota Crookston men’s basketball team announced the signing of NCAA Division I transfer Georges Darwiche (G, 6-1 188, Bucharest, Romania/Siena College), and Morgan Carter (F/C, 6-7 215, Porthcawl, Wales/Hillsborough C.C.) to the 2020-21 signing class. Darwiche played for 2019-20 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Champion Siena as a freshman and sophomore.
Georges Darwiche (G, 6-1 188, Bucharest, Romania/Siena College)
Darwiche transfers to the University of Minnesota Crookston from NCAA Division I Siena College in Albany, N.Y. Darwiche played two seasons for the Saints. Darwiche appeared in four games during the 2019-20 season, as Siena claimed the 2019-20 MAAC Championship and earned a bid to the NCAA Division I National Tournament. He was named to the 2019-20 MAAC All-Academic Team. Darwiche played a larger role for the 2018-19 squad under Head Coach Jamion Christian before the coach moved on to The George Washington University. Darwiche played in 19 games and started 10 for the Saints, playing 14.2 minutes per game. He tallied 1.9 points and dished out 17 assists during his freshman season. He notched a season-high nine points in a win at Marist. Darwiche was an 83.3 percent shooter from the charity stripe during his freshman season. Prior to Siena College, Darwiche competed for Romania’s Senior National Team beginning in 2017, where he averaged 3.7 points and dished out 1.7 assists per game over 18.9 minutes of action in three games at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 European Qualifiers. He helped lead Romania to the U20 European Championship B Division Crown, while tallying 7.0 points per tilt and shooting 42 percent from three-point range over seven tournament contests. In 2016, he helped guide the U18 squad to a Romanian League Championship while earning Tournament MVP honors. Darwiche played four seasons for Steaua CSM EximBank Bucuresti in Romania’s top league. During the 2017-18 season, he played in 44 games for the squad and started 38, while averaging 3.0 points and 1.5 assists and posting a 2.37-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio and shooting 40 percent from behind the three-point line.
“As soon as coach Weisse reached out to me I knew I was going to be happy moving here. I think we clicked from the start and I really wanted to join a competitive program where I could contribute on the court and help the team and my teammates achieve something in the future. Minnesota Crookston is a great fit for me both academically and on the basketball court,” said Darwiche. “I consider myself a player with a good basketball IQ, so I want to be a guy that helps his teammates and organizes the offense accordingly. I am a pass-first guy with a good shot. I think that a combination of these three elements, alongside with good defense makes me a good fit for Coach Weisse’s system.”
Darwiche is the son of Pierre and Mihaela Darwiche. He plans to major in business at UMC.
Morgan Carter (F/C, 6-7 215, Porthcawl, Wales)
Carter comes to Minnesota Crookston from Hillsborough Community College, a NJCAA Division I junior college located in Tampa, Fla. Carter averaged 6.3 points and 3.5 rebounds per game for the Hawks as a sophomore. He played 27 games and earned 21 starts as a sophomore at Hillsborough Community College. Carter was an 88.9 percent free-throw shooter and he shot nearly 30 percent from beyond the arc as a sophomore. He added 1.3 assists per game. Carter had a season-high 20 points on 8-of-14 from the field and 4-of-7 from beyond the arc at Florida Southwestern College. He notched 15 points against Polk State College on 6-of-9 from the field. Carter tallied a season-high 11 rebounds to complete a double-double against Polk State. He notched a season-high four assists in a win over Gordon State College. Carter started his career out at the University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg, Ky., an NAIA school. As a freshman, he was on a squad that won 21 games. Carter appeared in four games for the Patriots. Prior to coming to the United States, Carter attended Charnwood College as a prep in Leicester, England. He also competed for the Wales U18 squad. He earned Player of the Year, Best Improved Player and Best Defensive Player for his team back home in Wales. Carter won a Bronze Medal at the European Championships for Wales in 2014 and also again in 2015.
“Morgan may be a little undersized but watching him play, his effort really allows him to play bigger,” Weisse said. “He can really shoot it and stretch the floor and is able to use a shot fake and put the ball on the floor. He can also defend and guard a ball screen. I am very excited to welcome Morgan to the Golden Eagle basketball family.”
He is the son of Susan and Jonathan Saunders of Porthcawl, Wales. Carter was born Nov. 23, 1998. He is undecided on a major at UMC.
“Most importantly, Morgan will bring a great person to campus,” said Carter’s coach at Hillsborough Community College Tommy Jones. “He is a solid individual that works well with others, and is all in, as far as being a team player. Morgan is a high IQ guy that can do a little bit of everything from several positions. He played some big guard (3) when we were against bigger teams. He understands the game, and is totally committed to winning, whether he makes the shot or the pass. Morgan made coaching easy. He is a good athlete, rebounds well in his area, shoots it extremely well, and understands spacing. When you put in your system, he will know where everyone is supposed to be. He will know where to get his looks, and where he should be getting someone else their look.”
Carter moved to England to play basketball at age 16 to continue his dream to play basketball in the U.S. He moved to the United States in 2018 to realize his dream of playing basketball in the U.S. Carter has played for his country since he was young.
UMC has received several other signings and they will be releasing them over the next week.
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