Noah Fernandes brings veteran instincts, positive energy to Rutgers as he helps retool Steve Pikiell’s backcourt

After defeating Rutgers with buzzer-beating three in 2021, Noah Fernandes has come to join Scarlet Knights as graduate transfer. (Photo by UMass Athletics)

PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Steve Pikiell overhauled his Rutgers team this offseason, partially out of necessity, but largely with pieces that fit the veteran coach’s vision heading into his eighth season at the reins on the banks.

Replacing the experienced trio of Caleb McConnell, Paul Mulcahy and Cam Spencer — the first two having accounted for four years and a vast majority of the Scarlet Knights’ reversal of fortune — would not be easy, but Pikiell was able to put together a class that would not only fill the void left by the departures, but also help him move closer to playing at a faster pace, which has been the biggest takeaway from every practice to date this month.

And of all the newcomers to arrive in Piscataway, perhaps none have been as valuable or as significant as Noah Fernandes, who comes from the University of Massachusetts to a program already familiar with him as he begins his final collegiate campaign.

“Just having a coach and a coaching staff that coached against you now recruit you and want to have you on their team, I think that spoke volumes about the respect they had for me as a player,” Fernandes said of his recruitment in the transfer portal. “I obviously developed a lot of respect for them as coaches and as people, and when I came here, that was definitely a big part in the decision, that mutual respect. They thought there were ways that I could get a lot better, and I accepted those. That’s what we’re here working for.”

“Obviously, the level of the league is really good. The Big Ten has put a lot of teams in the tournament over the past four, five years, and just Coach Pikiell and his staff. For my last year, I just wanted to be around some good people, good energy, that would help me translate all that stuff onto the court. I just want to add more to the winning culture and the winning pedigree that Coach Pike’s built here.”

Standing a mere 5-foot-11, Fernandes can get lost in the shuffle easily to the casual fan. However, the Bay State native makes up for his short stature with a skill set that is equal parts scorer and facilitator, as evidenced by the game that opened Rutgers’ eyes to the diminutive guard, a November 2021 affair in which he defeated the Scarlet Knights with a game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer.

“When Coach Pike was recruiting him, I looked him up. Then I was like, ‘oh, this is the guy who hit the big shot!’” Cliff Omoruyi, a junior at the time, recounted. “In that game, he was doing a lot of facilitating as a point guard, he was doing a great job controlling the game. Just having him is going to be good because he’s a good facilitator, he can control the floor, and when you need a bucket, he can get you one.”

So strong is Fernandes’ reputation as a veteran and a playmaker that he has already been a positive influence on his new backcourt partner, sophomore Derek Simpson, who continues to develop in his own right as the latest in a growing line of Rutgers guards to come to the State University of New Jersey under the radar before leaving as an all-Big Ten-level talent.

“He’s been a lot of help,” Simpson said of Fernandes. “I’ve always learned that somebody that’s been in your position longer than you knows more than you. Every time he goes over a screen, I kind of watch what he does. Every time he hits a shot, makes a move, I watch how he distances himself from players. It’s been great playing beside him, playing against him in practice. I feel like I’ve learned a lot.”

Simpson is not the only beneficiary of Fernandes’ experience and knack for making the right decisions. Pikiell admitted seeing his newest player up close and personal afforded him a different perspective than most before diving deeper into game film, but came away more impressed after doing further due diligence once Fernandes entered the transfer portal coming off an injury-plagued 2022-23 season.

“First, I loved his family,” Pikiell gushed. “He’s a great kid, he started at Wichita State and we talked a lot about his experience. He played for a lot of different coaches and he was averaging 13 points before he got hurt. I just liked his maturity. He scored 16 and 11, had a double-double against us, we couldn’t stop him and we were a good defensive team at that time too.”

A pure passer with undeniable vision the likes of Mulcahy can be impossible to replace for a program accustomed to minimal change within its walls. But a player like Fernandes can mitigate the transition process, and by all accounts, his insertion into the rotation has given Rutgers a different — and desired — look going into the new season.

“I try and come in with a positive attitude, talk a lot and have fun,” Fernandes admitted. “It seems like just yesterday (that) I was a little freshman. This stuff flies by, man. I just try and get them to enjoy it, good days, bad days. I’m not a big screamer, yeller. I try to lead by example and if people follow that and think that’s cool, hey, that’s great.”

“Seeing him play live and then watching all the film, he really knows how to play,” Pikiell assessed. “He’s crafty, he’s a leader and he has a nice maturity about him. Playing against him was the first thing, but then making the phone calls and talking to him, he’s a humble kid. All of those things, I like. He’s a good fit for us and we’re glad to have him.”