Monday morning WAC nuggets

Relative to our last post, Chris Murray is also writing about the 'ceiling' but he is measuring the potential of each Wolf Pack player. By the way, we didn't realize this earlier but Nevada has no seniors. But in today's climate that doesn't mean there won't be an opening or two come next April/May:

Ranking the Pack basketball players by 'upside'
Chris Murray
Reno Gazette-Journal
6/7/2010

Summer school at UNR begins today, which means a handful of incoming Wolf Pack basketball players will be on campus for their first set of classes. Coach David Carter said last week he expected freshmen Deonte Burton, Jordan Finn, Jordan Burris and Jerry Evans to take part in the session, as well as junior-college transfer Illiwa Baldwin. Devonte Elliott, Kevin Panzer and Derrell Conner are all expected to take part in the second session of summer school.

So, this is probably a good time to look at some of these new additions to the team. Let's rank the Wolf Pack's 13 scholarship players based on how much "upside" they have (if we're doing walk-ons as well, I'd rank them Keith Fuetsch, Keith Olson, Adam Carp). The word "upside" can often be a hard-to-describe term, but we'll take a crack anyway...

Go here for the remainder.

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The name George Matthews doesn't conjure up excitement as the word accountant probably comes next. But the following GM breaks the mold and is collecting basketball offers, including one from Fresno State -- but he's going to land at a high major:

Anthony Ray
ArizonaPreps.com Recruiting Analyst
June 6, 2010

St. Mary's High School graduate, 6-foot-6, 215-pound senior forward George Matthews is headed to Westwind Prep International (WPI) next fall, but this summer he is working on his college recruitment.

As a result, Matthews has quickly become one of the top sought after wing prospects on the West Coast as of late - first generating serious interest from the University of Oklahoma last month, and now bringing home his biggest scholarship offer up to date...

Go here for the remainder and a Rivals sub is required.

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This is news to us or our memory is playing tricks (yet again):

Jeff Goodman is reporting that former Hawaii backcourter Jeremy Lay is now at Southwestern Oklahoma State University, a member of the Division II Lone Star Conference North Division.

Here are Goodman's other WAC listees (a number of other WAC transfers are absent):

* Yonas Berhe, 5-10, G, Soph., Louisiana Tech
* London Giles, 6-3, G, Soph., Nevada
* Da’shawn Gomez, 6-1, G, Fr., New Mexico State
* Taylor Kelly, 6-2, G, RS Fr., Fresno
* Mychal Ladd, 6-5, G, Soph., Fresno
* Aleksandar Milovic, 6-7, F, Soph., Hawaii
* Brandon Sperling, 6-4, G, Soph., Fresno
* Corey Stern, 6-7, F, Fr., Idaho
* Tyler Young, 6-7, F, Fr, Boise State ­ COLLEGE OF IDAHO

Sunday's WAC news, notes and links

Gib Arnold is still in the market for immediate help at the point:

Dayton Morinaga is here and Brian McInnis here on the latest UH recruiting target.

This is no knock at anyone, player or fan, but none of us really know how well Mr. so-and-so recruit is going to perform next season. We feel we have an idea, probably mixed in with some hoping and wanting to believe but the truth is that some signees perform better than expected, some as expected and some worse than expected.

The following is a prime example -- go here -- and read about Jeremy Lay's signing with Bob Nash and Hawaii in April 2009. Positive things were expected -- rightly so -- everyone was happy with the news but it all ended in a going off the tracks for both parties.

But hey, without hope, what else do we have?

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Chris Murray is back with more on Luke Babbitt here.

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Anthony Ray is officially reporting today at the Rivals ArizonaPreps site (a sub is required) that 6-foot-9 Arizona prepster Matt Korcheck, due to academics, will be playing at Cochise College next season. It's a community college in the southeastern section of the Grand Canyon state. What's curious about this decision is that Cochise plays a very uptempo style which oftentimes is not conducive to a big man. Korcheck had been mentioned in conjunction with Utah State and Fresno State.

WAC Thursday player arrivals and departures

Mr. Rogers chose the Provo neighborhood. Hey, every so often we lurch into correctness with our guesses.

Jared Eborn has the details here. Jim Rayburn offers up his takes on starting spots and playing time allocation at BYU here. Tony Jones checks in here and here. Jay Drew also provided this.

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Daniel Lyght fills us in on personnel comings-and-goings at Fresno State, with one more decision still to be made.

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Dayton Morinaga has the scoop on three UH basketball roster changes and Brian McInnis likewise is on top of the matter.

Jeff Portnoy has a new post up focusing on the Jeremy Lay and Dwain Williams situations.
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Marcus Williams, a hoped-for-signee of some New Mexico State fans, has decided on Sam Houston State. He's a 5-foot-10 junior college point who played at Cochise College in the Arizona junior college ranks this past season.

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More Thursday WAC linkeroos

Marvin Menzies' weekly interview is brought to you here by Sam Wasson.

Jason Groves offers a feature here on the often overlooked Hamidu Rahman, who is definitely drawing more defensive attention this season.

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Travis Mason-Bushman's weekly WAC power rankings are available here.

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You have to love the young ballers who have yet to turn robotic in their dealings with the press. Daniel Lyght has a preview here of the Fresno State - New Mexico State matchup with a great quote from Jahmar Young. You thankfully don't get the inert "we play one game at a time" or "our opponent is very, very good and we'll be lucky to win" from Young. No, we are not going to give away what Young said -- hit the link.

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Nick Jezierny has a feature on possible Bronco enochlophobia here. We're going with plain ol' coincidence.

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Brian McInnis has a report on Jeremy Lay's season-ending injury here -- of course, this has to be happening at UH.

Not the news Bob Nash wanted to hear

If things get any worse for Bob Nash, he and his Hawaii squad will need to travel with a mobile surgical hospital. The latest news is that backcourter Jeremy Lay is now out for the season.

With Hiram Thompson pretty beat up, maybe Karl Benson can provide some sort of special dispensation so that Hawaii and its remaining WAC opponents can play 4-on-4.

Anyway, Dayton Morinaga has the scoop:

UH guard Jeremy Lay to miss rest of season
Dayton Morinaga
Honolulu Advertiser
February 10, 2010

Apparently things can get worse for the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team.

Jeremy Lay became the latest in a long list of casualties for the Rainbow Warriors when it was announced today that he will miss the rest of this season due to a hernia injury.

Lay said he had been playing the entire season with the injury. The pain increased in recent weeks, and in a visit with the UH medical staff today, surgery was recommended...

Go here for the remainder.

A few Turkey (or Tofurkey) Day links

Here's a few links to tide you over:

Williams did not disappoint
Shawn Harrison
Herald Journal
November 26, 2009

When Pooh Williams was introduced as a starter Tuesday night, the home fans greeted him with a hearty applause.

The Utah State junior didn’t disappoint in his first start of the young season. No. 5 played tough defense and even got involved on the offensive end against Idaho State at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.

“It was more comfortable being out there, having the fans behind your back and having more practices in,” Williams said. “It was hard to get in a rhythm last time. Today just felt a lot better...”

Go here for the remainder.

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One backcourt newcomer is helping Bob Nash and the RBs:

Junior guard not one to lay low
Dayton Morinaga
Honolulu Advertiser
November 26, 2009

Jeremy Lay is still trying to figure out the lay of the land in NCAA Division I basketball.

For now, he is the sparkplug — on and off the court — for the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team.

"I just like to have fun, man," the 6-foot junior point guard said. "I'm the one always talking to my teammates, trying to fire them up, or joking with them if we need a laugh. But once the whistle blows and the game starts, I'm serious. I want to do what ever I can to help this team win..."

Go here for the remainder plus a note about the status of Dwain Williams.

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Brian McInnis has more on newcomer Dwain Williams and it's a bit of a mystery. Let's hope all is well or turns out well -- Williams has a 'checkered' history and this will be his last D-1 stop if the issue or issues turn out to be more than illness:

Williams likely out against New Mexico
Brian McInnis
Honolulu Star Bulletin
November 26, 2009

There is likely one less thing for which the Hawaii men's basketball team to be thankful.

UH guard Dwain Williams missed a third straight team practice yesterday and the Rainbow Warriors (2-2) are proceeding as though the Providence transfer won't be available in tomorrow's game against unbeaten New Mexico (5-0) at 8 p.m. at the Stan Sheriff Center.

The 6-foot Williams -- the Rainbows' second-leading scorer through four games with a 13.3 average -- has been dealing with an illness, the team has maintained. But coach Bob Nash hinted that it might be something more after yesterday's practice...

Go here for the remainder.

Hawaii's new backcourt

Coach Bob Nash needs point production, outside-shooting and the creation of scoring opportunities for his bigs out of his Rainbow Warrior backcourt this season and has a pair of newcomers who seemingly fit the bill. Brian McInnis has a feature today on Dwain Williams and Jeremy Lay:

UH guards provide hope
Brian McInnis
Hopnolulu Star Bulletin
October 15, 2009

One is coming to the realization that he is, in fact, a Division I basketball player. The other feels blessed just to have another chance at D-I ball.

Hawaii guards Jeremy Lay and Dwain Williams may not fit the prototype of hoops saviors, but the expectations around Manoa are just that for the two new Rainbow Warriors in the backcourt.

The Rainbows officially begin practice tomorrow at 5 p.m. in a fresh season full of promise, and the 6-foot junior guards are considered crucial pieces to help the team become a legitimate threat to make a national tournament for the first time since 2004. The practice is closed to the public.

Lay and Williams, two of the 'Bows five offseason acquisitions, will be scrutinized as they will be counted on not just to drain 3-pointers with regularity, but also to absorb and run the team's flex-motion offense over the next two weeks...

Go here for the remainder.