NAU Women finally announce their recruits

The Northern Arizona women’s program has finally announced their signings for the November signing period, and boy they signed a big class. The six player they signed is the most by any Big Sky women’s or men’s program and includes Shayla Batson of Mater Dei high school in Irvine, California; Shakila Boler from Roosevelt high school in Burnsville, Minnesota; Khyra Conerly from Alameda high school in Oakland, California, Shay May of Xavier Prep school in Phoenix, Arizona; Trinidee Trice of Alemany high school in Riverside, California; and Sendy Valles of Roosevelt high school in Milliken, Colorado. It appear to be a very good class, but Shakila Boler could be the star of this group. She was one of the top prospects in Minnesota and the country before blowing out her knee last year. Her stock dropped because of her inactivity, but if she is healthy by next fall could take the Big Sky conference by storm.

Women’s Basketball Signs Six for 2010 Class

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Northern Arizona women’s basketball has announced its 2010 recruiting class with six athletes signing National Letters of Intent to play for the Lumberjacks next fall. Head coach Laurie Kelly has brought in six players from four different states who have all received acclaim from national scouting services.

Shayla Batson (Irvine, Calif./Mater Dei)
Batson enters her senior season at Mater Dei High School (Santa Ana, Calif.) as a member of the No. 1 nationally-ranked Monarchs, according to MaxPrep’s Preseason Xcellent 25, presented by the Army National Guard. Batson was part of a Mater Dei team that finished 32-1 in 2008-09. The 5-9 wing player is ranked No. 72 at her position in the 2010 class according to HoopGurlz/ESPN Women’s Basketball recruiting services. She plays AAU basketball for Irvine Sol.

Early signing period: Wrap up (Part 2)

In Part one of my wrap-up I looked at the four Montana program with a little bit of detail. In Part two, I do not intend to go over each program in the same mount of detail but rather more of a list of whom the other Big Sky clubs signed.

Big Sky Conference Recruiting Class (as best as I can tell)

Notes: I am not going to try to rank the Conference recruiting classes because it would be fruitless, but ESPN recently rated Portland State as having the #1 class based on only one recruit 6-9 Brandon Cataldo. They felt he was good enough alone to make an immediate impact on Portland State next year, and name him the #1 class.

Eastern Washington Men’s fall Letter of Intents

Jaylen Henry 6-7 Forward from Cheyenne high school in Nevada
Geoffrey Allen 6-5 Wing from Pacific Hills High School in California
Carter Warnock 6-9 Center from Seton Catholic High School in Arizona

Eastern Washington Women’s fall Letter of Intents

Laura Hughes 6-2 Center from Hanford High School in Washington
Morganne Comstock 6-0 Forward from Kentlake High in Washington
Meaghan Cichoke 5-7 Guard from Tualatin High School in Oregon
Aubrey Ashenfelter 6-0 Guard from Southridge High School in Oregon

Early signing period: Wrap up (Part 1)

I have been waiting for a few last Big Sky schools to announce their final recruits, but it just seems that Weber State and Northern Colorado are in not hurry to announce their Fall letter of intents. I am primarily going to look at the four Montana programs In Part 1, and then have a complete list of all the Big Sky program signees as I believe they now stand in Part 2. I will create a page called commitments in the coming days that I will keep a running and updated list.

Montana State Men’s fall Letter of Intents

Notes: This is by far Brad Huse’s best freshman class and maybe best class period, since he took over the program.

Chris McCall, G, 6-3, Fr, Las Vegas, NV (Cheyenne)
Notes: The prize of the early recruiting period. Has the ability to play all three front court positions and could help feel the immediately fill the voids left by Bynum and Navarre. I am not predicting a starter by any means but a solid contributor. The best guard prospect Huse has signed while at Montana State.

Shawn Reid, F, 6-5, Fr, Post Falls, ID (Post Falls)
Notes: The sleeper of the class, an injury last season and hidden up in the North West, has kept him under the recruiting radar. An athletic, big and skilled wing player who is primed for a great season. Physically a late bloomer the Coaches are hoping they found another Erik Rush.

Casey Trujeque, G, 5-8, Fr, Los Angeles, CA (Price)
Notes: The Kid with a chip on his shoulder. Trujedue was over looked by a lot of larger programs because of his size. Talented small guards have proven that they can excel in the Big Sky. He is a pure point guard, who could contribute early. I talked to a couple sources in California ( granted one with a Bobcat bias) and they both feel he will play significant minutes next year.

Blake Brumwell, F-C, 6-8, Fr, Big Sandy, MT (Big Sandy)
Notes: The Project, of the group he has the raw materials and skills to be a good post in the Big Sky conference but, will need some time to adjust from Montana Class C to the Division 1 level.

Early signing period: Northern Colorado

Neither Northern Colorado nor Weber state have released their official recruiting classes for early signing period at least not that I have been able to find, but I believe this the class that Northern Colorado will sign

Northern Colorado is expected to sign, 6-2 combo guard Tevin Svihovec from Kingswood Texas and 6-0 point guard Paul Garnica San Antonio Texas. Both these guards are very highly regarded and it would depend on who you talked to as to maybe the better pick up. Garnica was recruited by about half of the Big Sky and a whole lot of other team. He might be the Guy with most press. Svihovec is considered to be a little more of a sleeper with a very high up side. If he waited until spring he might have had a few mid-major offers.

Early signing period: Weber State

Neither Northern Colorado nor Weber state have released their official recruiting classes for early signing period at least not that I have been able to find, but I believe this the class that Weber State will sign.

From non-official sources it appears that Weber State has signed high school players center Kyle Tresnak, from Arizona and guard Jordan Richardson, from Tracey California, as well as Junior college guard Scott Bamforth, from Western Nebraska CC.

Bamford should be of instant help next year he is rated as a top 100 JC player in the country this year. I know more about Tresnek because he was one of the more recruited big men in the west by low to mid majors. Richardson though is a pretty highly rated (for a Big Sky level player), I so I suspect he will again be a great pickup for Weber State

Early signing period: Eastern Washington (update)

The early signing period ended last Wednesday, but results are still trickling in.

Eastern Washington’s men’s programs have announced their three signings for the early period. The class includes power forward Jaylen Henry from Cheyenne High School in Las Vegas, center / forward Carter Warnock from Seton Catholic High School in Chandler, Arizona and wing Geoffrey Allen from Pacific Hills High School in Los Angeles. Additionally Tremayne Johnson a 6-7 JC transfer, who signed with EWU last spring but did not qualify, has re-signed and will join the program next year.

Henry is a teammate of Bobcat recruit Chris McCall at Cheyenne high school so it should be interesting down the road to see the rivalry grow between the two. Allen appears to be the star of this group with an ESPN rating of 79. He played on Crenshaw that was loaded with D-1 talent, but has transferred this year, so expect his stats to take off. He is also the son of a former NBA player. Warnock is also considered a very good prospect and was coveted by a number of Big Sky schools including Weber State and N. Arizona. Over all a very good class for Eastern Washington.

Bobcat Signee update: Emily Allen

Here is another article on a Bobcat Women recruit.   Emily Allen recently signed her official Letter of Intent and accepts a scholarship to Montana State starting in the 2010 season. Allen who is a 6-0 (maybe?) wing player from Aquinas College prep school in Queensland Australian, just finished up high school, and will be working and playing basketball before enrolling at Montana State sometime in 2010.

It will be real interesting to see Allen and fellow Aussie basketball player Kate Webb, skill level and style of play translates to the D-1 level once they get on to the floor in the Brick Breeden field house. It is one thing to try to compare players’ stats from New Mexico, to a player from California, to a player from Montana, but from an Australian junior national team it is real hard to judge how good of a pick up they are until we can see them for ourselves. Still I am told both Webb and Allen are great pick-ups for Binford.

Side note: There is a very funny line in the article below that had me giggling out load when I read it. A “No-Prize” to the first person who can identify the line.

Emily bobs along on path to Opals

Jake Dew | November 20th, 2009

BOBCATS could help dig up Opals for tenacious Gold Coast basketballer Emily Allen.

In the midst of celebrating the conclusion of her schooling, life has taken another giant turn for the teenager after she accepted an offer to play college basketball with Montana State University.

While the full scholarship will commence next August, it is the realization of a dream for 17-year-old Allen in her quest to one day suit up for the Australian Opals.

Early Signing Period: Northern Arizona

Northern Arizona has announced the signing of a Men’s basketball player to a letter of intent. The player is Danny Redmond a junior college player from Riverside Community College in California. Redmond was a qualifier out of high school but signed with Air Force out of high school, before deciding to go the JC route. I believe the Bobcats were looking at him as a high school senior. I am not 100% sure about this but it sounds like this will complete Northern Arizona’s men basketball programs recruiting for the early period.

Montana State announce two more Signees

Brad Huse’s Bobcat men’s program basketball program has announced the signing two more basketball recruits who will join the team for the 2010-11 season. Joining the team as expected are guard Chris McCall and swing man Shawn Reid. So far this gives the Bobcats 4 recruits at the 1, 2, 3, and 5 spots and leaves a single scholarship left to fill. I believe they may still have one offer out, who could yet sign this fall, but more than likely I would expect the Bobcats to fill it in the spring. There is also a chance another scholarship may open up this spring.

BOZEMAN, Mont. — Montana State added athleticism and versatility to the perimeter Monday, signing guard Chris McCall and forward Shawn Reid to National Letters-of-Intent.

McCall brings a wide array of skills to the Bobcat program. The 6-3 guard averaged 12 points and seven assists per game as a junior at Cheyenne High School in Las Vegas. He earned Second Team All-State honors, as well.

“Chris is a special player and can play any of the three perimeter positions,” Huse said. “He is an outstanding shooter and he’s athletic. He’s a winner, a competitor, and he’s a disciplined person who will bring leadership to our program at a young age. Cheyenne High School will be one of the top-ranked teams in Nevada, and his coach, Teral Fair, really does a great job. In addition, he played for one of the elite AAU programs in the country, the Las Vegas Prospects. I think Chris is prepared to help us from day one and he’s a great addition to our program on and off the floor.”

Early signing period: Sacramento State

The Sacramento State athletic department has announced the signing of 5 athletes to basketball scholarships for the 2010-11 academic school years.

The men’s basketball program has signed 6-3 guard Jackson Carbajal from Buchanan high school in California. Carbajal main reputation is as a shooter with deep range. It is possible Sac State head coach Brian Katz. could sign more players before the end of early signing period especially from the JC ranks.

Sacramento State Men’s signees

Jackson Carbajal G 6-3 180 Fr. Clovis, Calif./Buchanan HS