Draft Express looks at JaVale McGee

Our simplified (or simple) take on this kid: Lift, lift and lift followed by footwork, footwork and footwork. There's no way he helps an NBA team next season or possibly even the following one but he will enjoy a long NBA career if he continues to put in the due diligence.

Also, forget the outside jumpers, at least for now. That may become part of his tool set down the road but he must first display he has the strength and the will to defend against his opponent in the paint and also offensively out-maneuver defenders inside with moves/footwork and not just utilizing his amazing athleticism.

As each day goes by, we wonder why the Draft Express site isn't subscription-based?

JaVale McGee Workout: The Big Secret
Rodger Bohn - Director of Prep Scouting
Draft Express
May 20, 2008

DraftExpress was given exclusive access to observe a private workout of Nevada early entrant JaVale McGee at an undisclosed location. McGee has been training away from his collegiate settings for the past six weeks in preparation for the draft, shunning the services of big-name trainers to hone his talents with his agent Roosevelt Barnes.

Some eyebrows were raised after McGee made his decision to choose Barnes to represent him, given that his primary area of expertise is representing NFL players. However, many do not know that Barnes himself was a point guard on Purdue’s final four team of the 1980’s and was a former CBA player (in addition to playing linebacker for the Detroit Lions) before his work as a sports agent. With the assistance of a former CBA coach, Barnes put McGee through a grueling on-court workout that he feels is unparalleled to that any other potential draftees will encounter.

While JaVale McGee’s name has been on the NBA radar all season long, many teams are not quite as familiar with this him as they are other top center prospects from high-major conferences. While Nevada had a large number of games on national television in the 06-07 season due to the presence of All-American Nick Fazekas, they were on national television only a handful of times this past season and die-hards were forced to scour through regional channels to catch a glimpse of McGee. As an unknown compared to his draft counterparts, Barnes said that McGee has earned himself the nickname: “The Big Secret”

... Go here for the remainder.

Snarkilicious

Hey we're feeling a little snarky this morning so this first piece is an attempt to rid ourself of such feistiness. Here's an item from the NY Post:

Kenny Anderson campaigns for Knicks
Marc Berman
New York Post
May 15, 2008

The affable agent, Billy Diamond, emailed a few of us New York writers he knows to suggest his guy, Kenny Anderson, would be a good candidate to join the Knicks New York Knicks in some capacity. Diamond, whose also Charles Oakley's agent, writes, in part, "Kenny is trying to get into the NBA as either an Assistant Coach or Director of Player Development. He has been a Mentor to Stephon Marbury since high school..."

Now we have nothing against Kenny Anderson but his mentor-protege relationship with Marbury is like boasting about being Charles Barkley's poker tutor.

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We say Bob Huggins noses out Tim Floyd and John Calipari in landing this prepster:

ST. RAY’S STANDOUT PUNCHES COACH

St. Raymond (N.Y.) junior Kevin Parrom was arrested earlier this week after slugging veteran coach Oliver Antigua in the face following an argument in the locker room. The 6-foot-6 Parrom, considered one of the top players in the Class of 2009, averaged 14.5 points and nine rebounds this past season. No charges have been filed.

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To provide some balance, how many of us had convicted these two kids the moment we first heard about the incident? More importantly, how prominent was the display of the determination of innocence vis-a-vis the initial charges? Is there a way to regain a reputation once it has been tainted?

Jeff Goodman
FoxSports
May 16, 2008

Portland State coach Ken Bone took his family down to the Final Four in San Antonio a few days early.

He got a call from his sports information director exactly one week prior to the championship game telling him that a reporter from the Portland Oregonian called regarding a story that two of his top players, Jeremiah Dominguez and Scott Morrison ­ had been arrested down in Mexico while on spring break for allegedly breaking a 23-year-old Michigan man’s nose in altercation.

``The two kids were sitting in a jail not able to speak with anyone,” Bone said. ``They were accused of being the tar out of some kid and I just couldn’t see it.”

Bone was right. The two kids were released from the jail and cleared of any wrongdoings.

``It sounded crazy, especially with those two,” Bone said. “I’ve never had a problem with either of them. But the problem is the damage had been done and the story spoiled what had been a great year for us.”

Bone is right. Few people heard that Dominguez and Morrison were found to be innocent.

Jason Groves with more on Johnny Higgins

We learn a little bit more about one of Coach Marvin Menzies' latest recruits:

Higgins happy to be an Aggie
Jason Groves
Las Cruces Sun-News
5/18/2008

LAS CRUCES — After visiting Las Cruces last weekend, Johnny Higgins made up his mind to become an Aggie.

On Friday, New Mexico State announced that Higgins, a three-star guard according to Rivals.com, and 7-foot center Abdoulaye N'doye committed to play at NMSU next year on scholarship.

"When I came on my visit, I just realized it's something different," said Higgins, who played the last two seasons at Notre Dame Prepatory School in Fitchburg, Mass. "I'm from the East Coast, so stepping into that environment out West was like where I want to be. As the week went on, I was asking myself, "why wouldn't I want to be there?'"

Before the Aggies could bring him in, Higgins was released from his letter of intent at Duquesne University, where he said he committed in November to follow former Notre Dame Prep coach Bill Barton, who landed an assistant coaching job. According to Higgins' father, Melvin Bartee, Higgins was never excited about playing in Pittsburgh.

"We just decided to go our separate ways," said Higgins, who was released from Duquesne in April...

Go here for the remainder.

Another basketball film

Thankfully this doesn't appear to be along the lines of "The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh" so watch for it at your local theater or Netflix it:

This Is Basketball, Boys; It’s Not Rocket Science
Nathan Leemay
New York Times
May 16, 2008

Well now, if this isn’t just the cutest thing I don’t know what is. “Quantum Hoops,” a documentary by Rick Greenwald, tells the story of the California Institute of Technology’s men’s basketball team — a topic that in the context of college sports is approximately as farcical as the history of aspiring semioticians among the contestants on “America’s Next Top Model.”

Established in 1919, the Caltech Beavers (so named after “nature’s engineer”) cull players from one of the most rigorously selective, academically demanding universities in the world. These boys are quite literally rocket scientists — or, more accurately, double majors in rocket science and applied math.

David Duchovny, who narrates this wry, good-natured picture with affable bemusement, informs us that Caltech lays claim to both the highest ratio of Nobel Prize winners to faculty and a men’s basketball team that at the time of filming was distinguished by a record 243 consecutive conference losses dating to 1985. Mr. Greenwald follows the Beavers’ try at breaking that losing streak during the final week of the 2006 season, while chronicling the handful of ups and many, many downs in the history of a team remembered less for its athletic prowess (or even competence) than for once including the father of modern computational fluid dynamics.

and

Quantum Hoops (documentary)
Reviewed by Elliot V. Kotek
(February 2008)

The documentary follows the Beavers of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) - a school that, despite a rich history, a once-winning team (mostly in the 1950s), 31 Nobel Prize-winners and alumni of the ilk of Linus Pauling, Richard Feynman, the Richter scale's original Richter and It's a Wonderful Life director Frank Capra, hasn't won a conference basketball game in twenty-one years. However, after years of flailing, the Beavers are looking better - not good, just better - and Greenwald catches them at a time when they're being only mildly beaten as opposed to their previous sound humiliations, when hope has replaced hopelessness, and, as Coach Roy Dow so eloquently puts it, it's not impossible that they'd win, only improbable.

Greenwald's mastery of this format is evidenced by not only his mixing of Ken Burns-type techniques, but also his story-telling confidence. Not only does Greenwald tell his tale in the present, featuring the current crop of players both on and off the court, but he presents a comprehensive and compelling backstory. The helmer takes into account the surroundings - the school, its traditions, its policies and its colorful academic and sporting history - and also puts the key seasons into the context of what was happening contemporaneously on the world stage. Greenwald really relates the discipline of these players to both their academic and sporting lives, and draws poignant parallels between the search for a scientific breakthrough and the repetition and resolve that is both inherent and important to a win.

You do not have to be a basketball fan to fall in love with this movie, and fans of Einstein, Stephen Hawking and the San Antonio Spurs are assured equal enjoyment. The movie allows you to root for an underdog who's simultaneously somehow both a nerd and a jock. And it's no leap to suggest that, thanks to Quantum Hoops, the Caltech Beavers may well have a full legion of fans next season.

New Mexico State finishes recruiting

It appears that Coach Marvin Menzies is finished with his 2008 recruiting with the addition of two new signees:

Menzies Adds Higgins and N'doye to Class of 2008
Las Cruces Sun-News
5/16/2008

LAS CRUCES — New Mexico State men's basketball head coach Marvin Menzies has signed Johnny Higgins and Abdoulaye N'doye to play for the Aggies in 2008-09. Higgins is a 6-1 guard from Baltimore, Md., and N'doye is a 7-foot center from Dakar, Senegal......

Go here for the remainder.

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Two commits
Jason Groves
Las Cruces Sun News
May 15, 2008

The Aggies received verbal commitments from 7-foot-1, 235-pound center Mouhamadou Abdoulaye Ndoye from Senegal and 6-foot-3 point guard Johnny Higgins, who played the last two years at Notre Dame Prep. According to Higgins' father, after Johnny Higgins visited the NMSU campus last weekend, he cut off the rest of his recruiting and will move to Las Cruces for summer school this summer.

Both players will receive scholarships and be on the Aggies roster next season.

Higgins is a player who will come in right away and compete for minutes. He's a prep school player, which means he's already competed at a high level. Ndoye is obviously a project type player that adds size. He originally signed with Duquesne to join a prep school coach, but after committing in early November, he was released from his letter of intent in early April.....

Go here for the remainder.

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Now take this for what it's worth. Here's a post -- anonymous of course -- in response to Groves' blog entry:

Anonymous said...

I don't know how excited you should get about Johnny Higgins. He should add depth to your guard position but I don't think he's better than what you have. I live in Pittsburgh and I am close to the Duquesne University basketball program. I asked the coaches why Johnny was let out of his LOI, especially when he was recruited there by his prep coach. The answer was that he wasn't good enough and that they needed to open up the scholarship to get a guard that is better. They said they felt that he wasn't a true point guard that they needed, but that he was a good kid. I had to agree with the coaches because I saw him play with the team when he came on his visit and I was not impressed, especially when I had heard so much about him the previous year. Even when he played at a tournament at Duquesne with his team, Notre Dame, he had 9 pts, 3asts and 6 turnovers. If he's not good enough for Duquesne University, I don't know how good he will be for NMSU. Seems like a good kid.

(Parsing The WAC) -- After doing a little research, it does appear that Duquesne had second thoughts, for whatever reasons, and did release Higgins from his LOI. The Dukes then immediately announced the signing of a prep guard out of Alabama. The scenario laid out by Anonymous above appears spot on.

Does Chris Murray ever sleep?

Not that we are planning to check up on the nocturnal habits of Reno Gazette-Journal sportswriter/blogger Chris Murray but he's back again today with yet another feature on his blog about next season's Wolf Pack team.

We plan on doing something similar on all the WAC teams once the recruiting period closes and when time allows, heavy emphasis on the latter.

Here you go with Murray's opener:

Chris Murray
Reno Gazette JOurnal
May 15, 2008

Pack basketball team's starting five

Now that the Wolf Pack's 13 scholarships have been filled, it's time to wager a guess on who will be in the starting five. Here's my best guess:

Go here for the remainder.

Here comes Louisiana Tech

Granted, there's more than a degree of homer-ism in the following (that's just a fan being a fan) but Lee Fletcher's compilation is still a valuable read. It's true the Bulldogs should be a contender in the WAC next season and hands down would win the "Flip That Team" award if such existed. Coach Kerry Rupp will have so much more size and talent at his disposal and should truly be able to enjoy not having to coach with the proverbial one hand tied behind his back.

New Look Bulldog Basketball is Most Anticipated in Years
Lee Fletcher
LA TECH REPORT
May 11, 2008

The changes have been needed and are very impressive.

The talent has increased and team improved at every position. This is a team that will be fun to watch. Our coaches deserve a tremendous amount of credit for getting us to this point. Hopefully, we will even sign one more to add to this exciting group. This is a great time to be a part of and support Tech Basketball.

Let's take a look at the future Bulldog Basketball team from what we know to this point.

Our center position has been one of the biggest areas of talent infusion.

Center Position: Improvement grade A+

Our anticipation is that Kenneth Cooper, 6'10" will be the starting center for the Bulldogs next season. He is a great player with big time written all over him. Cooper transferred from Oklahoma State and sat this year. His is one of the most highly anticipated arrivals on the court in Tech history. Behind Cooper could be Shawn Oliverson who is also listed at 6'10 and is another great addition to the Bulldog roster. Oliverson transferred from Cornell and is one that could really help us too. His game is said to be better than expected and improving even more within our weight and training system. He adds some depth and ability to back up Cooper.

(Our Parsing the WAC take: do keep in mind that LA TECH lacked any semblance of a center in 2007-2008. Cooper was raw offensively when he transferred to Ruston after his sophomore season at Oklahmoa State so maybe he has progressed in the year he sat out. His best talent is at the defensive end of the floor)

We have two other comments for two of the other positions Fletcher details:

(Our Parsing The WAC take: Rolle averaged 4.1 ppg. and 4.0 rpg in 16 mpg. as a soph at LSU. He has inside and outside offensive potential but consistency is the key for him)

(Our Parsing The WAC take: White averaged just under 10 ppg. while a soph at Nebraska and is more passer/scorer mix, not a pass-first point)

Go here for the remainder.

A clarification

This is becoming a sort of basketball Rubik's Cube but here the real deal:

In a previous post here, wWe misinterpreted what Chris Murray of the Reno Gazette-Journal told us about Nicola Kecman. Based upon information from another source, we thought there was some conflict regarding whether or not Kecman had come to the Nevada campus on a recruiting visit.

That was incorrect.

Chris has informed us that his intent was to pass along that Kecman had simply crossed the Wolf Pack off his list of schools being considered.

We regret the error and the confusion.

Two columns offering wrapups/analysis on Nevada's recruiting

Chris Murray of the Nevada Gazette-Journal has been busy as he has two new offerings today. Both are actually wrapups and analysis of Mark Fox's recruiting class and his preferences.

Go here for the first: Pack basketball: Nevada puts finishing touches on recruiting class

Go here for the second: Pack picks prep stars over JC transfers

Speaking of Mark Fox ... is there anyone besides us who is surprised he is still calling Reno home? Fox turned down overtures last year and, while we're not sure who reached out to him the last couple of months, he was mentioned in conjunction with a number of coaching vacancies.

Vegas should establish a Mark Fox and Randy Bennett (St. Mary's) coachign watch. Each is almost always among the names of coaches yet neither has made the leap. Of course, both are quite settled into very attractive situations so there's no need to bite on an offer unless the package being offered contains nothing even remotely resembling a deal-breaker.

The scoop on JaVale McGee's draft prospects

There is no better NBA draft site than www.draftexpress.com

We realize the above is quite the statement but facts are facts. The proprietors of the sites travel the globe to see prospects in action -- what they offer isn't recycled material or opinion generated from out-of-focus YOU TUBE clips.

Here's a compilation of material on Nevada's JaVale McGee:

"The problem is he’s extremely far from reaching his full potential—so far that you have to wonder if he’ll ever make it considering the way he looks at times on the court. Struggles to establish position and finish in the paint, settles for some incredibly awkward off-balance shots, and is virtually a black hole with his passing skills—averaging 4 turnovers for every 1 assist. Looks very disinterested at times, doesn’t hustle, gives up on plays, late getting back down the floor, and might be the worst man to man defender we’ve ever evaluated in the post. Gets pushed around, gambles excessively for steals, has no stance or fundamentals, doesn’t move his feet, and is a complete non-factor even against the mediocre competition he faces. According to Synergy’s “PlayType QuickTable stats,” McGee was scored on 66% of the time when being posted up in the paint (against the likes of Fresno State, Utah State, Houston, etc). Is light years away from being able to compete on an NBA level defensively, if ever..."

Wow. We do recall SJSU's C.J. Webster taking it to McGee in the game at The Event Center but we certainly never realized how a spectacular block or acrobatic dunk 'colors' the image of a player for us typical fans. Getting scored on 2/3 of the time your matchup has the ball -- in college --- is astounding whether you are seven feet tall or 5-11.

Here's more the the Draft Express site:

AT A GLANCE - JaVale McGee

Strengths:

• Incredible physical specimen
• Great size
• Outstanding wingspan
• Huge hands
• Terrific athlete
• Solid frame
• Extremely fluid
• Ability to run the floor
• Intriguing skill-level
• Ability to face the basket
• Range out to 3-point line
• Ability to put ball on the floor
• Shot-blocking potential
• Late-bloomer
• Unlimited upside

Weaknesses:

• Extremely weak physically
• Struggles holding spot on the block
• Ability to finish through contact
• Poor fundamentals
• Footwork/Post-moves
• Left hand
• Shot-selection
• Free throw shooting
• Decision making
• Basketball IQ
• Lacks experience
• Atrocious defender
• Poor activity level/Doesn’t hustle
• Mental/Physical toughness?
• Soft?
• Long ways away from contributing
• High bust potential

Here is the latest the DE staff have posted on McGee:

Where is JaVale McGee in this Draft?

Possibly the hardest player to peg as far as draft stock is concerned is Nevada sophomore JaVale McGee. Three different teams we spoke to this week couldn’t possibly be any farther apart on where they have him slated. “We have him going anywhere from 7-12” said one representative of an Eastern conference team. “We compare him to Jonathan Bender in terms of his all-around talent level, and also in how far off he is from contributing at this point. He’s nowhere near ready.” Another team in the East we spoke to doesn’t like him at all. “He’s a guy someone probably takes a flyer on in the 20’s, just because he’s big, he’s got tools, and he might end up panning out in 3-4 years. I don’t see who has the patience for that, but maybe you take him for your D-League team, who knows?” A third team basically has him all over the board. “10 to 22 is his range. He’s a pure potential guy, who not many NBA GMs know since he wasn’t expected to be in this draft.”

Again, bookmark this site. It's an invaluable one, astoundingly so because there is no charge to access the expansive information they provide.

www.draftexpress.com

A little WAC roundup

Louisiana Tech lost out on a recruit Coach Kerry Rupp wanted when Vernon Teel signed with Loyola Marymount University. New Lion Coach Bill Bayno is working his east coast contacts -- Teel is from the New York area -- having already signed Larry Davis out of Seton Hall.

Teel averaged 8. 7 ppg. at Chipola (FL) Junior College -- a team with a seven or eight D-1 recruits and has the rep as a shooter-scorer. He's 6-4 190 and someone LAT could have used but he's not irreplaceable. Hawaii also was supposedly interested but to what degree is unknown.

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Coach Mark Fox is looking to complete his 2007-2008 recruiting and is awaiting word from this kid:

Pack basketball: Phillips could be Nevada's sixth and final recruit
Chris Murray
Reno Gazette-Journal
May 6, 2008

The Nevada basketball team’s latest recruit played his prep ball in Virginia, but a cross-country journey to Reno would by no means deter him from playing for the Wolf Pack.

Ahyaro Phillips, a 6-foot-7, 200-pound power forward, is somewhat used to moving. He grew up in New Orleans, where he played his freshman and sophomore seasons before Hurricane Katrina forced him and his mother to move to Richmond, Va...

Go here for the remainder.

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On another note, it's not truly important but we thought we would pass on a correction of a correction. A while back, Chris Murray of the Reno Gazette-Journal wrote about a 6-8 player from Serbia being a Nevada recruiting target but he was unable to determine a name. We thought we had identified the kid as Nicola Kecman but Murray informed us that this was not the case and that the Wolf Pack had not secured a visit. This per Kecman's junior college coach. Well, we've just been told by someone close to Nevada athletics that Kecman had indeed taken a recruiting trip to Reno. But regardless, he's signed, sealed and delivered to Ohio State, hence Mark Fox's continued pursuit of another frontcourter a la Phillips.

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According to A.W. Prince -- and believe us, he is the go-to guy for inside information on whichever programs he is covering -- Mike Montgomery has signed Jorge Gutierrez out of Findlay Prep in Nevada. Gutierrez had been in on a recruiting trip to Las Cruces but chose to go the PAC-10 route.

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Ah, here's some more of the boondoggle the NCAA calls its pride and joy, the APR. Are you surprised (as you will read) that staff at NCAA headquarters don't fully understand the instricacies. We're beginning to think the NCAA modeled it after a Monty Python sketch and that Jon Stewart on The Daily Show should be preparing an entire episode with nothing but Everything You Wanted To Know About The APR But We're Afraid To Ask And Unable To Explain.

Now on to the Dominic McGuire and Quinton Hosley situations. McGuire had the chance to be drafted but as a player who could have gone anywhere from the late first round (which means a guaranteed contract) to somewhere in round two, it was incumbent on him to do what was necessary to secure a best immediate future. We would do the same. McGuire began workouts to prepare himself for the various visits NBA prospects take to numerous NBA cities. He eventually became the 47th selection in the NBA draft, made a strong impression in the NBA Summer league in Las Vegas and played this season with Washington Wizards. He seems to be set for a 10 year-or-so NBA career. Our sense is that he was not the strongest of students but he should be able to finish up his degree requirements in the off-seasson, should he desire to do so. Can someone explain why this should be a negative for Fresno State? After all, Dominic McGuire's goal -- when he entered college -- was to play in the NBA. He succeeded. Does McGuire in any way feel Fresno State let him down academically? Surely not. So what's the beef? Or where's the NCAA beef on this one?

As for Hosley, he was hoping to be an NBA draftee but the mismatch between his size and skills set indicates he will be a career player in Europe. He;s 6-5, 6-6 with a tremendous wingspan and great athleticism but he's not a backcourter nor that prolific of an outside shooter, hence his small chance of making it in the NBA. He is never going to be a big money maker and had the chance to play overseas, therefore his quick departure from campus. Like McGuire, he has the opportunity to finish his degree requirements in the off season. Of course, we have no idea if he will do so. But if you ask Hosley, we are of the belief he would say he enjoyed his time at Fresno State, that he got all the academic support he needed while he was there but that it was best for him to immediately head to Europe to capitalize on a financial offer too enticing to turn down. His money-making window of opportunity is ticking.

And kudos to Rekalin Sims for knuckling down and utilizing the educational opportunity before him.

APR adds up to bad news for Bulldogs
Matt James
The Fresno Bee
5/07/08

We now know what is happening to the Fresno State men's basketball team: They're losing a scholarship.

We now know why they're losing it: Dominic McGuire left school early for the NBA. (And by "early," we mean really early. Mid-semester early.)

Also, Quinton Hosley did not bother to graduate before he went to play pro ball in Turkey for a team called Pinar Karsiyaka. On an up note, though, he did score 43 points this season against Fenerbahce Ulker.

This, from the team Web site: "Quinton Hosley'in son dakika içerisinde buldugu basketlerle ilk çeyregi 13-14 önde tamamladi."

So I think you can see he's doing quite well.

His foreign endeavors, however, do not help Fresno State's Academic Progress Rate, which we learned this week was an 885 for the 2006-2007 season. That accomplishes zero of the three important things, which are to 1) have a number above 925; 2) get the four-year average above 925, and 3) improve from the year before.

It turns out 885 is not an improvement on 905. But let's not forget this is a slow climb from Ray Lopes' infamous 611 score of 2003-04, so maybe Fresno State should have just improved a little more gradually and everything would be fine. (Ah, there's no humor like academic progress humor.)...

Go here for the remainder.

Nevada lands a frontcourter

Nevada Coach Mark Fox has landed a big guy -- not exactly a JaVale McGee replacement but a contributor defensively and on the boards:

Pack basketball: Hunt is nearly over, Pack recruit commits
Chris Murray
Reno Gazette Journal
May 2, 2008

Once again, the Nevada Wolf Pack basketball team traveled a distant recruiting trail and came back with a prospect from far away.
Advertisement

This time, the recruit hails from Colorado by way of North Carolina.

Dario Hunt, a Colorado Springs native who played his senior season in Goldsboro, N.C., verbally committed to play for the Wolf Pack.

Hunt is the fifth recruit in the Wolf Pack's nationally rated recruiting class. Each player is from a different state, stretching from the Seattle area to the Carolinas.

The 6-foot-8, 223-pound Hunt averaged 16.1 points, 15.3 rebounds and 3.1 blocks per game last season and should help bolster the Wolf Pack's front line...

Go here for the remainder.

Utah State adds a backcourter for down the road

We love this kid, despite the limitations his size and athletic ability presents. Still it's surprising that Stew Morrill would get involved with a kid who won't be available until a couple of (non-basketball playing) years from now but maybe that's a testament to Brian Green's character. Green also played prep football, as a quarterback, naturally.

From the USU athletic site::

Brian Green Signs National Letter Of Intent With Utah State
Green averaged 14.1 points, 2.6 assists and 2.4 rebounds per game as a sophomore at Salt Lake Community College.
May 2, 2008

LOGAN, UTh - Utah State head men's basketball coach Stew Morrill announced Friday that Brian Green (Fruit Heights, Utah) has signed a National Letter of Intent to compete for the Aggies beginning in the 2010-2011 season. The 5-11, 170-pound guard just completed his sophomore season at Salt Lake Community College in Utah and will serve a two-year LDS Church Mission before enrolling at USU.

"Brian Green is a tough, hard-nosed competitor who is used to winning and expects to win, and we are delighted that he has decided to join our program," said Morrill. "He had two very good years at Salt Lake Community College and I am certain he will have two very successful years at the Division I level when he returns from his mission.

"He is all about team, his attitude is contagious and coaches love to coach players like Brian. His abilities, along with all the intangibles he brings to the table, are a great combination and we are happy that he is now an Aggie!"

As a sophomore at Salt Lake Community College, Green averaged 14.1 points, 2.6 assists and 2.4 rebounds per game as he helped lead the Bruins to a 32-4 record and an appearance in the championship game of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) tournament. He finished the season shooting 48.1 percent from the field (186-387), 47.2 percent from three-point range (93-197) and 89.8 percent from the free throw line (44-49), while scoring in double-figures 25 times. He also had seven 20-point games during the year including a career-high 31 points against Northeastern JC as he was 10-of-15 from the field, 6-of-8 from three-point range and 5-of-5 from the free throw line.

"Utah State has been really good for a long time and I am excited to be a part of that winning tradition," said Green. "I wanted to play at Utah State because the system they run will fit my game well. I also really trust the coaches and I am excited to get the opportunity to play in the Spectrum."

Green, who was named a preseason NJCAA All-American prior to his sophomore season, earned first-team all-region honors this past year and was named the Most Valuable Player of the Region 18 Tournament. He was also named to the NJCAA all-tournament team as well as receiving the Bud Obee Award which is given to the best player under 6-0 in the national tournament.

As a freshman at Salt Lake Community College, Green earned second-team all-region honors as he averaged 13.9 points and 2.8 assists per game and shot 51.5 percent from the field (169-328), 41.2 percent from three-point range (75-182) and 80.4 percent from the free throw line (45-56). He scored in double-figures 29 times during the 2006-07 season and had five 20-point games.

"Brian was as tough of a player as there was in our league this year and he is also a very good shooter," said Salt Lake Community College head coach Norm Parrish. "He is a system guy and should flourish at Utah State with how they get kids open and the way he can hit shots."

Green prepped at Davis High School in Utah and averaged approximately 17 points per game during his senior season as he led his team to a region championship and the semifinals of the state tournament. As a prep senior, he was named a first-team all-state selection by both the Salt Lake Tribune and Deseret Morning News and was also named the most valuable player of his conference.

Here are all four of Idaho's signees

Not unexpectedly, three out of four of Coach Don Verlin's new recruits are from the junior college ranks.

Thursday, 05/01/08
Four sign with Idaho

# Idaho has signed 6-10 center Marvin Jefferson of Modesto CC, Cal; 6-10 forward Kyle Barone of Garden Grove-Pacifica, Cal/Summit Prep; forward Brandon Wiley from CC of San Francisco, Cal; and guard Kashif Watson of Las Vegas-Bishop Gorman, Nev/Winchendon Prep, Mass/Indian Hills CC, Iowa/Irvine Valley CC, CA.

Here's the release from the Idaho athletic site:

Men's basketball adds two
Courtesy: Idaho Athletic Media Relations
5/02/2008

MOSCOW, Idaho – Idaho men’s basketball coach Don Verlin continued to bolster his new roster with the signings of Kashif Watson and Brandon Wiley to National Letters of Intent.

Watson, a 6-4, 190-pound guard, averaged 13.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists and shot 52.3-percent from the floor for Irvine Valley Community College last season. He played in all 32 games and helped the team to a program-record 27 wins and the Southern California Regional finals. He played his freshman season at Indian Hills (Iowa) Community College where he averaged 10.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.5 steals per game for a team which was one of the top-ranked junior colleges in the nation that season. He earned honorable mention all-conference honors.

Watson originally is from Las Vegas where he starred at Bishop Gorman High School. He was named all-league as a senior and averaged 23 points, six rebounds and four assists per game. He was a Street & Smith's magazine honorable mention All-American and was rated the No. 2 shooting guard on the West Coast by one recruiting service.

“Kashif is a multi-dimensional player who will impact our program immediately,” Verlin said. “He is a very good basketball player who has been very well coached and has played for great programs. He will help us the most with his ability to be a lockdown defender who can also score in the open court. He is a quality young man and we spent a lot of time recruiting him. I am glad we hung in there because it paid off.”

Wiley is a 6-6, 225-pound forward who averaged 12.9 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game last season at City College of San Francisco. He shot 60-percent from the floor and tallied 2.3 blocked shots per game to help the Rams to a 29-4 overall record and a share of the state coaches' poll top ranking. He led the state of California in blocked shots and was among the leaders in rebounding. He originally is from Pinole Valley High School at Pinole, Calif.

“Brandon is a very versatile player who has the ability to play multiple positions,” Verlins said. “He is a winner and has proven that by doing whatever it takes to win over the last two seasons in one of the best Junior College basketball programs in California. He is a great young man and will make an immediate impact on our program.”

Hawaii may lose a basketball schollie or more

Having been with the program for 20 years, Bob Nash obviously knew what he was getting into when he took the head coaching position at Hawaii but he needs all the players he can secure in order to continue the rebuilding job. By mid-week next week, Nash will know the status of the scholarship level he has available:

Academics will cost UH scholarships
Dave Reardon
Honolulu Star Bulletin
May 2, 2008

Hawaii will lose athletic scholarships, including one or two in men's basketball, when the NCAA releases its annual Academic Progress Rate numbers Tuesday.

Baseball is also expected to lose a half scholarship, and football might also be affected for a third year in a row, sources told the Star-Bulletin yesterday.

More severe penalties, including postseason bans, can be levied on teams that fall below a score of 900, which represents around a 50 percent graduation rate.

Baseball (904) and men's basketball (913) received APR scores last year that drew warnings. Squad-size adjustments to the rankings kept them from losing scholarships.

If UH loses more than one basketball scholarship, the Rainbow Warriors would have to take one away from someone already on the team. Men's basketball is allowed a total of 12 scholarships.

Coach Bob Nash declined comment.

The Rainbows, who recently signed two recruits, have filled six of seven scholarships available (prior to the APR forfeiture) for next season...

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