Aztecs Land 6-Foot-11 Transfer with Local Ties

Jeremiah 'Bear' Cherry committed to San Diego State without visiting campus.

Apr. 11, 2026 at 7:53pm

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A cubist, geometric painting featuring sharp, overlapping planes of vibrant blue, orange, and green, dynamically representing the action and energy of a basketball game.A fractured, geometric illustration captures the raw energy and movement of a basketball game, reflecting the Aztecs' need for frontcourt reinforcements.San Diego Today

San Diego State has landed a commitment from Jeremiah 'Bear' Cherry, a 6-foot-11 center who has taken a circuitous route to end up at his hometown school. Cherry, who has battled weight issues at times, is coming off a season-ending injury at Sacramento State but provides the Aztecs with much-needed size in the frontcourt after several departures.

Why it matters

The Aztecs were in desperate need of big men after losing several key rotation players at power forward and center. Cherry's commitment helps fill that void, though his injury history and weight struggles raise some questions about his long-term viability.

The details

Cherry, who grew up in San Diego County, has played at Phoenix high school, a junior college in New Mexico, UNLV, and most recently Sacramento State. He was averaging strong numbers for the Hornets before suffering a season-ending injury in his sixth game. At UNLV, he started 32 of 33 games and averaged nearly 10 points, 5 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game.

  • Cherry committed to San Diego State on Saturday, April 11, 2026.
  • He suffered a season-ending injury in his sixth game for Sacramento State last season.

The players

Jeremiah 'Bear' Cherry

A 6-foot-11, 250-pound center who has taken a winding path to end up at his hometown San Diego State, including stops at UNLV and Sacramento State.

Taeshon Cherry

Jeremiah's older brother, a 6-foot-8 forward who was a five-star recruit out of high school and played at Arizona State and Grand Canyon before finishing his college career at NAIA Marian University.

Brian Dutcher

The head coach of the San Diego State Aztecs, who is in need of frontcourt depth after several departures from his roster.

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What’s next

The Aztecs are also believed to be closing in on an European big as well as arranging visits from transfer portal guards to further bolster their roster.

The takeaway

Cherry's commitment provides San Diego State with a much-needed big man, but his injury history and weight struggles raise some concerns about his long-term outlook. The Aztecs will need to carefully manage his development and health to maximize his potential impact on the team.