Idaho gets two commits

Idell Bell photos courtesy of FloridaToday.com

Travis Mason-Bushman has the details at his Vandal Nation site:

Vandals get verbal commits from two NIC hoopsters
Travis Mason-Bushman
Vandal Nation
September 11, 2009

The Idaho Vandals are building a pipeline to North Idaho College, one of the nation’s top JC programs. The Lewiston Tribune’s Dale Grummert reported today that freshman forward Renado Parker and sophomore guard Idell Bell have verbally committed to join the Vandals in 2010...

Go here for the remainder.

From a Wright State message board comes this 2007 posting about Bell signing with D-2 Florida Southern:

Coach Linc Darner didn't have to leave the Lakeland city limits to sign a prize recruit for next season. Kathleen High School's standout guard, Idell Bell, has signed with the Moccasins.

"Idell has been on our radar since the day we arrived at Florida Southern," Darner said. "We hit a home run with this signing. This is a young man who will do whatever it takes once he steps on the hardwood. He's an intense competitor, a great defender, with un-measurable toughness and passion. To get a great player like Idell from right here in Polk County is huge for our program. Our fans are going to love watching him play."

Bell, 6-1, led Kathleen to a 26-4 record and the Class 4A runner-up spot in the state tournament this past season. He was a second-team all-state selection, averaging 9.8 points and 3.4 assists. His coach at Kathleen was former Moccasin Drew Taylor.

"I'm ready to try my best to put Florida Southern back op top," Bell said. "I'm excited to get to play at the same school where coach Taylor played and to have the opportunity to play for coach Darner. To be able to stay here in Lakeland is special to me."

Taylor, who played two seasons for the Moccasins (1993-95), is delighted to see his prize player coming to his alma mater. "What a great opportunity for Idell," Taylor said. "I have never coached a kid who played with such consistent intensity. He is always motivated to defend the best and always motivated to score. Idell can be the cornerstone to bring Florida Southern back to prominence. I'm excited to be able to watch him develop and grow."

In a 2006 article, Scout's Dave Telep describes Floridian Bell as a topnotch defender and lists Appalachian State, UNC-Greensboro, Tennessee Tech, Wright State and Jacksonville as Bell's foremost pursuers.

Here is his MySpace page. Hey, we just found another MySpace page for him.

Here is an informative February 2008 Seattle Times article on Parker, including a nice photo.