Two names from the past

Remember for Nevada Wolf Packer Ahyaro Phiilips?

He is now at Southern Mississippi averaging nine minutes a game in 21 games, with two starts, posting 2.6 points and 2.6 rebounds a game and shooting 47% (25-53).

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Remember Vonchae Richardson, a prepster out of Washington who was associated with Idaho during last year's recruiting go-around?

He ended up at Saddleback College in California. In 25 games this season, he's averaging 2.5 points per game, shooting 33% overall, 32% from long distance and 68% from the foul line. He is also putting up these numbers: 2.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists a game. (47/35 assists-to-turnovers ratio) along with 15 steals.

The latest on Vonchae Richardson

Franklin High backcourter Vonchae Richardson -- known as a strong defender -- was connected to Idaho recruiting some time ago. But then he seemingly disappeared off the basketball map.

We weren't aware of this until contacted recently by a Vandal fan.

So we sent out a couple of queries -- one to Mason Kelley of the Seattle Times and the other to Kevin Cacabelos, the editor of SeaTownSports -- and here are the responses:

Mason Kelley offered this: "...He hasn't been on the roster all year. I asked coach Jason Kerr about Vonchae right before the early signing period and he wouldn't say anything. So, all I know is that he's not on the team and hasn't been on the team..."

and

Kevin Cacabelos offered this: "Vonchae did not get his fifth year of eligibility. Indications point to him next year playing for a D-1 team in the WAC or going to a local community college."

Richardson had applied for a fifth high school season and it appeared he was going to be granted his wish but the answer ultimately was no.

We don't what he is currently doing.

Photo courtesy of photographer Juliann Talino, maxpreps.com

We're at a loss on this one

Vonchae Richardson is a 5-foot-11 backcourter out of Washington, someone whose name was unknown to us prior to today. He's at perennial power Franklin High but played earlier at Mount Rainier. At the Maxpreps site, it looks like he averaged 10.3 points and 2.7 assists per game last season.

*** Coincidentally, his squad beat Columbia River for the 3A state championship last season -- the latter team featured one-time Nevada recruit Steven Bjornstad.

He was a 3A first team all tournament selection in that 2009 tourney.

Here's a description of Richardson from his high school coach in a December 2008 Seattle Post-Intelligencer article: "...He's a pretty heady point guard, he loves to pass first," [Jason] Kerr said. "He's really good at getting in seams. Defensively, he's a tenacious ball-pressure guy..."

Now maybe we've fallen asleep at the switch here or our memory is failing us (again) but we just came across Richardson as having committed to Idaho in a post at the West Coast Hoops Report. Go to the site, click on Latest News and the article is titled West Coast Class of 2010 Committments (as of October 1, 2010). (registration is required)

This was news to us.

Can anyone help out on this one?