USF Athletics

Bored on the baseball diamond, Matos found his calling on the hardwood

November 12, 2021

GAMEDAY INFORMATION

USF (1-0) vs. Georgia Southern (0-0)

Saturday, Nov. 13 | 12 p.m.

SERIES: USF leads, 4-1

ARENA: Yuengling Center | Tampa, Fla.

TV: ESPN+

RADIO: iHeart Radio Bulls Unlimited

GAME NOTES: View

TWITTER UPDATES: @USFMBB

TICKETS: Purchase

By Joey Johnston

Bayron Matos, USF's freshman power forward, is a big man, a rock-hard 6-foot-9, 265-pounder. Basketball players might think twice about mixing it up with him.

Just imagine what he was like on the baseball diamond.

It might seem improbable. When the Bulls (1-0) face Georgia Southern (1-0) in Saturday's noon men's basketball game at the Yuengling Center, you'll see the Matos who instinctively grabs rebounds, barges inside for baskets and establishes firm position.

Once, in his homeland of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Matos was one of the best pitchers in the D.R. He threw in the low 90s. He had a fastball, curve, changeup and slider. He also had decent power as an outfielder.

"Oh, I remember him,'' said the Dominican's best player at the time, Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco, who was baseball's No. 1-ranked prospect heading into the 2021 season. "He was a beast.''

Why, then, is Matos playing college basketball?

"Baseball is too boring,'' Matos said. "I like the energy of basketball.''

That's why Matos moved to America to play for Hamilton Heights Christian Academy in Chattanooga, where he led Tennessee prep players in rebounds (including a 25-rebound game). At the University of Florida camp, he had a 30-point, 20-rebound game, immediately putting him on the high-profile recruiting map.

Matos originally committed to Mississippi State, then switched to New Mexico after a Bulldogs' coaching change. Matos averaged 6.0 points and 4.1 rebounds for the Lobos during the COVID-shortened season. But after Coach Paul Weir resigned, Matos was on the move again, seeking a new opportunity in the transfer portal.

Matos liked what he saw at USF.

"Good coach, good conference, good gym, good city,'' Matos said. "I think it's going to be very good.''

Bulls coach Brian Gregory agrees that Matos is an ideal fit for USF.

"Bayron has great energy and a great personality,'' Gregory said. "He is absolutely relentless on the glass.''

In USF's season-opening 75-54 victory against Bethune-Cookman University, Matos had four points and three rebounds in 15 minutes of play. He played in relief of 7-foot, 280-pound center Russel Tchewa, who had a career-high 16 points.

"You get Russel and Bayron on the court at the same time, that's about 500 pounds to deal with,'' Gregory said.

Matos said he's open to any combination and will try any position. But his primary position?

"I'm a rebounder,'' Matos said. "Offensive rebounding is my passion. I've been called a rebounding machine. I go and get the ball. If you're going up against me, by the end of the game, you don't want it anymore. I'm going to wear you down.''

In the Bulls' exhibition win against Voorhees College two weeks ago, Matos came up just shy of a double-double with 13 points and nine rebounds.

Matos speaks with swaggering confidence. It's a little different than his first few weeks in America. Upon arrival, he didn't know English and tried a few phrases through Google translator. The only thing he knew how to say was, "I'm hungry.''

"If somebody asked how I was doing, I said, 'I'm hungry,' '' Matos said, laughing. "I'm more confident now. I know a lot more words. My English has developed.''

Matos' basketball development bears watching. Maybe he can provide some relief off the bench. Maybe he can team with Tchewa for some real power in the middle of the lineup. Either way? It could be a home-run acquisition for USF?

"Sometimes I wonder how baseball would've worked out,'' Matos said. "I just know how it was when I started playing in a gym with a lot of people, when I got a lot of rebounds. I love this game.''

To stay up-to-date on the latest USF men's basketball news, follow the Bulls on social media (Twitter | Facebook | Instagram).

About USF Men's Basketball

The USF men's basketball team is led by head coach Brian Gregory, who enters his fifth season in 2021-22. Gregory was introduced as the 10th head coach in program history in March of 2017 after previously leading programs at Georgia Tech (2011-16) and Dayton (2003-11). Gregory spent nearly a decade as an assistant coach under Michigan State's Hall of Fame head coach Tom Izzo and helped the Spartans win the 2000 NCAA National Championship. Gregory owns over 300 career head coaching wins and six postseason appearances, including the 2010 NIT Championship with Dayton. In his second season at the helm of the Bulls, Gregory led the team to the best win turnaround in the NCAA, the most single-season wins in school history and the 2019 College Basketball Invitational championship. 
 
USF has retired three numbers in its 48-year history: Chucky Atkins (12), Charlie Bradley (30) and Radenko Dobras (31). The Bulls have earned three NCAA tournament bids, appeared in the NIT eight times and won the 2019 College Basketball Invitational.
 
For tickets, contact the USF Ticket Office at 1-800-Go-Bulls or by going online to USFBullsTix.com.

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