Two more WAC-related basketball items

The Hattiesburg American newspaper has a feature up on the newcomers joining the Southern Mississippi squad, including former Nevada player Ahyaro Phillips.

Here's an excerpt: "...According to an official with the Washoe County District Court in Nevada, Phillips pleaded guilty to a felony concealed weapon charge and had two misdemeanor charges connected with the case dropped.

On July 15, he entered a drug court program. If he follows the conditions of the deal, he won't have to serve a sentence and his record will be sealed.

"We did a lot of research on him," said USM coach Larry Eustachy. "The guy who recruited him to Nevada (Mark Fox) is now at Georgia and he said it was a no-brainer (to sign Phillips.) He's a real good kid who made a mistake..."

Go here for the full article.

We're not sure what the drug court angle is about.

Phillips signed a letter-of-intent in May with James Madison but was released from it. He played his junior and seniors years at high schools in Virginia after his family moved there from New Orleans due to Hurricane Katrina damaging their house.

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During the season, there was talk and some print about Nevada's interest in Titus Rubles, a small forward out of God's Academy in Dallas. Rubles eventually signed a letter-of-intent with Oral Roberts.

D/FW Metroplex Hoops recently tweeted that Rubles is now headed elsewhere: "Per a source, Titus Rubles will enroll at independence cc this fall."

That's Independence Community College in Independence, Kansas.