Junior Mancho, a 6-foot-9 senior at Our Lady of Mount Carmel, announced Thursday that he has committed to Towson University, ending his high-school career as a key piece of one of Maryland’s most successful programs. The move gives Towson an imposing frontcourt presence and caps a run in which Mancho delivered several defining moments for the Cougars.
Mancho, who averaged 8 points and 5 rebounds last season, played a major role as Mount Carmel defended its Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference crown. The Cougars finished the season 30-11 and were ranked No. 2 in the final High School on SI Maryland Top 25.
Clutch moments and steady growth
Primarily known for his defensive work as an underclassman, Mancho expanded his offensive responsibilities during his upperclass years. His most memorable play came in the MIAA A Conference title game at UMBC, when he hit the decisive basket with one second left in overtime to secure a 59-57 victory. He closed that championship game with 12 points and seven rebounds.
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Mancho told reporters that Towson was the first program to offer him a scholarship and that the commitment reflects years of daily training and support from his coaches. Mount Carmel’s staff and teammates repeatedly pointed to his character and leadership as central to the team’s sustained success.
- Height: 6-foot-9
- 2025–26 average: 8 points, 5 rebounds per game
- Highlighted performance: Game-winning basket with 1 second remaining in MIAA A title overtime
- Team results: Mount Carmel 30–11 last season; 64–15 across the past two seasons
- Honors: Named to the Baltimore Catholic League inaugural All-Academic Team
Mount Carmel has been a recruiting pipeline in recent seasons: Mancho is the seventh player from the 2024–25 and 2025–26 rosters to sign with a college program. His teammates who have moved on include:
- Mario Tatum — NJIT
- Rodney Scott — Augusta
- Gage Howard — Loyola Maryland
- Tristen Wilson — Holy Cross
- Ralfs Rudusans — Lehigh
- Tristan Heflin — Harford Community College
- Tys on Heflin — Harford Community College
Coach Tony Martin lauded Mancho’s off-court qualities, describing him as a reliable communicator and a team leader whose character matches his on-court impact. Those attributes, the coach said, made him a natural fit for programs looking not only for size but for maturity and coachability.
For Towson, the commitment adds depth and size up front and continues a regional recruiting trend: programs in the Mid-Atlantic are increasingly targeting versatile bigs who can defend the rim and step into finishing roles when needed. For Mount Carmel, Mancho’s departure is the latest example of the program converting high-school success into college opportunities for multiple players.
Mancho’s arrival at Towson will be watched closely by local recruiting observers, who see his development—from defensive specialist to decisive contributor—as indicative of both his personal work ethic and the program culture at Mount Carmel.
