2026 Center Cheick Sylla Talks UMass Commitment
Frank Martin lands a 6-10, 257-pound center from Bridgton Academy.
UMass Basketball and head coach Frank Martin landed Cheick Sylla as their first commit in the Class of 2026.
Sylla plays at Bridgton Academy, located in Maine, and plays in the The Prelude 32 League for The Club New England. Last season, the 6-foot-10, 257-pound center, averaged 21 points and 11 rebounds.
Before his commitment with the Minutemen, he earned offers from UMBC and Utah. Sylla took his official visit to Amherst on September 4, helping him make his final decision.
His towering presence and great hands make him a great fit for Martin’s system.
“They have a great coach with a lot of players that went into the NBA,” Sylla told Minuteman Command.
“I like Coach Martin. He was here today at my gym and he’s just a good guy.”
Sylla possesses a very polished post game and plays in a direct fashion. His soft hands and determined nature will give him a chance to compete for a starting spot right out of the gate.
He also averaged 24 points and 14 rebounds per game last season with Bridgton.
Through a coaches survey, he was voted one of the top big men in the NEPSAC conference.
After the commitment, Martin posted on X, “Man what a great day for UMass Men’s Basketball.”
Martin and Sylla shared the same excitement about the commitment.
“I think they have some good players; point guards and shooters, which is another reason why I committed there,” Sylla said. “I like the way they play with the [center], which is another reason why I committed.”
Sylla will play his senior season at Bridgton, before joining the Minutemen in the fall of 2026.
Director of Basketball Scouting at CBS Sports, Adam Finkelstein, applauded the commitment for UMass.
“That’s a good get for UMass,” Finkelstein tweeted. “Wide-bodied big with hands, touch, inside-out skill, & vastly improved conditioning.”
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