Former Saint Mary's All-America guard Raheem Anthony, one of the most exciting college basketball players in Minnesota last season, made his jump from Division III to Division I official after signing Tuesday with St. Thomas.
The 6-4, 220-pound Chicago native was named MIAC offensive player of the year last season and was a candidate for Division III national player of the year. He averaged 24.6 points (third nationally), 9.2 rebounds and 4.6 assists for Saint Mary's University in Winona.
"I probably had 40 schools who offered or were interested," Anthony said about when he entered the transfer portal. "The biggest thing for me was relationships. I had a relationship with [St. Thomas coach Johnny] Tauer since I was a freshman. I knew what I was getting into with St. Thomas. And after I visited in April, I knew that was where I wanted to be."
Anthony, who scored 1,408 points in his four years in the MIAC, scored 20 points or more 18 times last season, which included two 41-point performances and six games with at least 30 points. He also recorded 12 double-doubles in points and rebounds in 2022-23.
"We are thrilled to have Raheem Anthony join St. Thomas basketball for the 2023-24 season," Tauer said in a statement. "Raheem is a veteran and versatile player who adds passing, scoring, and rebounding at the guard position to our 11 returning players who are coming off a 19-win season."
Three years ago, Anthony played against the Tommies when they were still a D-III program and a member of the MIAC. Tauer's program went from a 10-20 record playing in their first season in Division I two years ago to 19-14 overall and 9-9 in the Summit League last season.
"It's actually amazing to me," Anthony said. "Seeing them jump from Division III to Division I and still be able to win games like they were [in the MIAC] is something cool."
A big blow to St. Thomas was leading scorer and Summit League freshman of the year Andrew Rohde transferring to Virginia. Rohde averaged 17.1 points and a team-high 3.6 assists as a freshman. Anthony said Tauer wants him to have a similar role for the Tommies.
"They lost a good player in the portal, obviously," Anthony said. "So they need someone who can facilitate, score, rebound and fill in all those boxes that he did."
Tauer had the Summit League's No. 1 recruiting class last year with Rohde. St. Thomas still returns a few members from its heralded 2022 class, including big man Ahjany Lee, guard Kendall Blue and forward Carter Bjerke.
Anthony joins a couple Minnesota natives in St. Thomas' 2023 high school recruiting class with Cretin-Derham Hall's Adam Tauer (a preferred walk-on) and Wayzata's Hayden Tibbits for the 2023-24 season.
For the second consecutive season, the MIAC's leading scorer transferred from to a Division I school. Last season, Augsburg guard Joe Palmer went to Colorado State. He averaged 3.2 points in 12.5 minutes per game.
Anthony hopes to follow his new path to greater heights, including professional basketball.
"I've done a lot of research on guys who went from Division III and transferred out to DII or DI who eventually got to the NBA or G League," Anthony said. "Kind of seeing guys who had success and translated their game to the [higher levels] is something I want to be a part of."
