Old news revisited

This initial item has been covered before here but we came across it again today while cruising around the 'net:

Update on future Grizzly: Vaughn Autry
Mslacat's Blog
March 27, 2010

"...When Utah State offered Autry they told him that given their graduations from this years team he had the opportunity to step in and contribute possibly start as a true freshman. Autry thought it over and went a head and committed. Jumping ahead to late October and Utah State has a change of mind and rescinds their offer. Unfortunately most of the schools who were recruiting Autry before committing to Utah State have filled their needs..."

Go here for the complete post.

While PTW is glad that Utah State alerted Autry about this decision with some time to spare before the November signing period, we still feel one's word is a bond. Granted, it's a two-way street as recruits certainly do a 180 and change their minds and destinations but behavior should be dictated by one's beliefs and not how others behave or what the process is or can be characterized.

So Autry, whose team just won a state championship but had his father pass away before that final game, is headed to Montana.


Also, opining in on the Anthony DiLoreto situation: after pleading out to a felony charge of "possession of burglarious tools" due to participating in a bank robbery and with a determination of probation and serving jail time during the summer months of the next three years, he was arrested in February for possessing marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

No decision about his return to the Utah State basketball team has been announced as yet but we just can't see it. Yes, he stayed in the car during the robbery attempt but he provided the rifle and the vehicle that was used to travel from Minnesota to Wisconsin.

Second chances are appropriate in so many situations but a third one here? With legal infractions taking place in such a short period of time?

Okay, there's your dose of PTW's so-called wisdom of Solomon and we'll slide off our high horse. Hey, wouldn't the greatest name for a judge or arbiter be Solomon Justice?

Utah State doesn't look good on this one

Credit Victoria Sun for uncovering this -- it's an article at West Coast Hoops Report (registration required but it's free to access content) on Utah State's recruitment of southern California backcourter Vaughn Autry.

Here's a snippet -- after USU offered and the plan was for Autry to visit the campus the weekend of an Aggie football game, the relationship went south:

"I kind of realized before it happened because they stopped e-mailing me and I called just to check periodically, like once a week and they didn't answer my phone calls or call me back," said Vaughn, who was named to the all-C.I.F. and the Daily Breeze's all-area team as a junior. "From there, my dad handled it."

After numerous attempts, Steve said he finally reached one of the assistant coaches, who infuriated him further by saying he never offered Vaughn a scholarship.

"I said, you're a liar," Steve recalled. "Just tell me you had other plans...

Go the the site, register and then click on Latest News to access the Autry article headline and click on it.

A couple of things we are working on

Many thanks to Sam Wasson, Chris Murray, Jason Groves, Travis Mason-Bushman and probably a few we cannot think of at the moment for the water they are carrying right now. We love lists and it's been list-o-mania of late. Keep 'em coming.

We have a couple of calls into Vonchae' Richardson, the Washington prepster who supposedly has committed to Idaho but no voice-to-voice as yet. We've also been trying to reach his high school coach and will keep at it.

Plus, Vaughn Autry, the Gardena Serra (CA) backcourter who gave a verbal commit to Utah State is back on the market. This apparently is a Utah State decision but we don't know anything else at the moment. We will talk with him soon and get the details.

Los Alamitos guard James Walker's trip to Logan this past weekend now makes more sense.

Vaughn Autry to Utah State

According to Dave Keefer at the Rivals CaliforniaPreps site, Junipero Serra point Vaughn Autry has verbally committed to Utah State.

He's listed at 6-foot-2, with Dinos Trigonis of the Full Court Press site describing Autry as a "quick lead guard can beat defenders off the dribble with regularity."

Again, here is Autry's MySpace site.

It looks like Stew Morrill has his replacement for Jared Quayle.

Vaughn Autry being looked at by Utah State?

Victoria Sun is reporting at the West Coast Hoops Report site that 6-foot-2 senior-to-be Vaughn Autry has a scholarship offer from Utah State.

He's a point out of Junipero Serra High in Gardena (southern California) known for his ballhandling and scoring ability.

Northridge has also offered.

Autry plays for Gary Franklin on one of the California Supreme club basketball teams.

He was a first team ALL CIF Southern Section pick this season, one in which he averaged 15 points, six assists and three steals a game.

A July 2008 note on the Hoopebmasters site also lists Utah State -- among others -- as under consideration by Autry.

Here is his MySpace page.