Mount Saint Joseph standout Ranson commits to Saint Joseph’s

Mount Saint Joseph’s BJ Ranson, second from left, celebrates after making a game-winning 3-pointer against St. Frances this year. Ranson will continue his career at Saint Joseph’s once he graduates high school. Kenneth K. Lam/Staff

Mount Saint Joseph basketball star BJ Ranson found positive qualities in Saint Joseph’s program early in the recruiting process, which started more than a year ago.

And then came a clincher.

When his father, Bino Ranson, a longtime assistant coach at Maryland, was added to the Hawks’ staff in May, the younger Ranson’s college decision turned into a dream choice.

After taking his first official visit this past Wednesday, the rising senior guard committed to the Atlantic 10 school the next day. His dad, who spent 11 of his 20-year coaching career in College Park, joined coach Billy Lange’s staff on May 21.

“It’s pretty cool. I know my dad is a great coach because I’ve been watching him all my life. I always thought it could be a possibility to play for him no matter where he was at, so it’s pretty surreal for it to happen,” BJ Ranson said. “Him being there to help me out with different things is great and I know he’s going to coach me hard like everyone else.”

Set to become a four-year varsity player at Mount Saint Joseph, Ranson had a breakout junior season in which he averaged 17 points and three assists to earn All-Metro second-team honors.

While his precise outside shooting has long been his forte, he also brings a high basketball IQ and energy, along with brash confidence in big moments. He’s also an honor roll student.

His decision to commit to Saint Joseph’s has his dad equally emphatic. The Hawks went 22-13 last season and posted an 11-7 mark in conference play.

“It’s one of those things that you always think about, but are never sure if it will happen that way. But it just so happened it was in the cards and I’m excited,” said Bino Ranson, who last served as an assistant at DePaul in 2023. “He’s a great kid, an honor roll student. The work he does in the classroom mirrors the work he puts in on the court.”

Among the seven Division I schools that recruited Ranson, Saint Joseph’s worked the hardest with assistant coach Phillip Lawrence-Ricks, a fellow Mount Saint Joseph graduate, instrumental.

BJ Ranson was impressed with the detailed plan the coaching staff creates to develop players. And the program has a quality list of standout guards, dating to Jameer Nelson and Delonte West in the early 2000s and more recently Erik Reynolds, who became the program’s all-time leading scorer this past season.

Ranson is confident that he’ll fit in.

“Every day, I work pretty hard on my entire game and being a good student and a good person is important as well,” he said. “That’s something Coach Lange told me, how good a person I am, so I just want to continue to be that good person and carry over my work ethic to Saint Joe’s.”

Mount Saint Joseph coach Pat Clatchey get an everyday look at the genuine love Ranson has for the game and the work he puts in.

“BJ is a guy that’s grown up around the game and they gym, so it’s been a way of life for him,” he said. “He loves to be in the gym, loves to work on his game and when you have that kind of work ethic and commitment, coupled with being a very good student and high character person, good things are going to happen.”

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