Sunday's WAC basketball roundup

Dayton Morinaga offers print, photos and video of the last minute of play in Hawaii's loss to visiting USF. Brian McInnis also serves up a game report.

Ferd Lewis' column is about father and son and he's not writing about the old Cat Stevens song.

Dave Reardon bids farewell thee well to UH senior Bill Amis, who evolved into Mr. Media during his senior season.

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Jason Groves reports on the upcoming contract extension for Coach Marvin Menzies. Jason's commentary on the same subject is up at his blog.

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Daniel Lyght serves up a new name in the Fresno State basketball coaching search and Moscow will be seeing red (nyet, Vladimir Putin is not pursuing the job). Daniel also talked to a few of the Bulldog players for takes on both Steve Cleveland's departure and their limbo status.

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Randy Hollis feels Utah has twice been un-neighborly in not sending the Welcome Wagon north and such has resulted in paying the price both times.

Shawn Harrison comments on the 'adjustment period' at the beginning of the Kansas State game for the Aggies.

Friday's WAC roundup

The interwebs, you know that series of tubes, are loaded today:

1insider at the BarkBoard SaveMart Center basketball message board is a supplier of information today -- GJ Vilarino is down to Fresno State and Illinois (an earlier Spokane Spokesman Review blog entry quoted Vilarino's father as saying his son had one more visit to take if need be and would probably decide in early August) plus former LMU frontcourter Kevin Young -- 10.7 points and 5.3 rebounds per game -- is attending a local community college before joining Steve Cleveland's squad.He's 6-foot-7 and quite the leaper.

Here's an article on Young's departure from Loyola Marymount. Here's a series of LMU basketball message board posts on Young's leaving.

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Shawen62 and LJVandal at the Scout Idaho GoVandals.net basketball message board report on the latest accomplishments of Mac Hopson, Kashif Watson and Marvin Jefferson. Go here.

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Big Wen self-reports that his academics and that of Troy Gillenwater are in order, plus more -- so Aggie fans can quit holding their collective breath. A tip o' the hat to Coach Allison at the Scout New Mexico State Aggie Alert basketball message board.

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Jason Groves reports on New Mexico State's trip north here and a significant home-and-home series with a PAC-10 power.

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The WAC on Wednesday

Brian McInnis checks in with an update on UH hoops, offering the recruiting travel plans of the Hawaii coaching staff and more. Go here.

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Travis Mason-Bushman offers an update on where Idaho center Marvin Jefferson is taking the court. Go here

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We're waiting for the part two posting of AW Prince's look at the 2010-2011 WAC rosters at Silver and Blue Sports. A sub is required but well worth the cost.

The second half of the Travis Mason-Bushman interview with Marvin Jefferson

TM-B is back with the concluding portion of his interview with Marvin Jefferson:

Vandal Spotlight: Marvin Jefferson, on the season to come
Travis Mason-Bushman
Vandal Nation
October 26, 2009

We sat down with Vandal center Marvin Jefferson last week, and the Silver and Gold’s big man had some big thoughts for us. So much, that we had to break up his interview into two parts!

Today, we’ve got the second half — talking to Marvin about the Vandals’ hopes for the coming season, his plans after he completes his senior season for Idaho and his thoughts about the competition in the WAC...

Go here for the remainder.

Idaho signs a big man

According to the JucoJunction.com Rivals site, new Idaho coach Don Verlin has landed an actual center. Here's some background on Marvin Jefferson::

"...Marvin Jefferson, (SO) 6-foot-9 (235) from Modesto Junior College in Modesto, CA, has two visits planned for the next few weekends. Jefferson plans on visiting East Tennessee State-April 11-13 and the University of Idaho-April 18-20 according to Modesto Junior College head coach Paul Brogan.

Jefferson, a third-year player, led the Pirates this season in scoring rebounding and blocked shots. Jefferson played on the Pirates back in 2005-2006 where he averaged 8.5 ppg and 4.5 rebounds and recorded 95 blocks as a freshman. He sat out the 2006-2007 season and played this year. This season Jefferson averaged 18.5 ppg and 10.6 rebounds and swatted away 136 blocks..."

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Our understanding is that Jefferson still has some academic work to finish this summer but he'll provide the Vandals someone who actually meets the specs for a center and has a level of talent and the opportunity, due to the makeup of the current Idaho roster, that should allow him to be a starter from day one.

Here's another account, one that -- reading between the lines -- seems to say that SJSU decided to pass:

Jefferson ready to make Idaho home
Kelly Jones
The Modesto Bee
April 25, 2008

Marvin Jefferson would have loved to be the third Stanislaus District athlete playing for the San Jose State men's basketball team this fall.

The idea of teaming up with Ripon's Justin Graham and Modesto's Adrian Oliver and staying in Northern California would have been a dream come true for the 6-foot-9-inch product of Golden Valley High and Modesto Junior College.

Ultimately, the University of Idaho made the best pitch in a recruiting process that started heavily in October. Jefferson, who signed his letter of intent on Tuesday, said the Vandals entered the fray just three weeks ago...

Go here for the remainder.