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2023-24 University of Montana Men's Basketball Recruiting

Grizfan-24

Well-known member
Staff member
Updated 9-6-23
Here we go. Time again to set up the recruiting thread for next year.

I'll add in Montana HS Targets as soon as I get some details on a few kids.

2023-24 ANTICIPATED ROSTER
ROSTER BY POSITION/YEAR

*PG-- Brandon Whitney (6'1'' 185) Senior-- Mission Hills, CA (Bishop Alemany)- S
*CG- Josh Vasquez (6'3'' 195) Senior- Torrance, CA (Bishop Montgomery)- S Covid Year
*SG- Aanen Moody (6'3'' 184)- Senior- Dickenson, ND (Southern Utah)- S Medical Year
PG- Chase Henderson (6'0") Freshman--Des Moines, IA (Herbert Hoover)-S
SG- Money Williams (6'4'') Freshman-- Oakland, CA (Oakland HS)-S
CG- Giordan Williams (6'5'' 200) Junior- Long Beach, CA (Santa Clara/Long Beach Poly)-S
CG- Connor Dick (6'4'' 190) Freshman-- Missoula, MT (Hellgate HS)- WO

W- Jaxon Nap (6'7'' 205) Sophomore-- Renton, WA (Hazen HS)-S
W- Caden Bateman (6'7'' 200) RS Freshman-- Missoula, MT (Big Sky HS)- WO
W- Blake Jones (6'9'' 195) Sophomore- Australia (George Mason)

*P- Dischon Thomas (6'9'' 235) Senior -- Durham, NC (Colorado State)- S
P- Laolu Oke (6'8'' 218) Senior-- Aurora, CO (CSU Denver)-S
P- Rhett Reynolds (6'9'' 199) RS Freshman -- Shelby, MT (Shelby HS)- S
P- Zack Davidson (6'8'' 203) Freshman-- Santa Ana, CA (Mater Dei HS)-S
P- Te'Jon Sawyer (6'9'' 255) Junior- San Francisco, CA (CCSF/Cal Baptist/Salesian Prep)-S

Departed Players:
*P- Josh Bannan (6'10'' 222) Senior-- Melbourne, Aus (UC Lake Ginnindera)- S Left School Early Pro Basketball
W- Trey Lawrence (6'5'' 173) RS Junior-- Snohomish, CA (Bellevue C.C.)-WO-- Retired (IG)
CG- Jonathan Brown (6'3'' 190) Senior-- London, Eng (Central Methodist)- S TRANSFER
*SG- Lonnell Martin Jr. (6'4'' 207) Senior-- Flint, MI (Otero JC)- S TRANSFER Arkansas-Pine Bluff
SG- Dorrell Thomas (6'5''185) RS Freshman-- Durham, NC (Skyline Prep)-S
PG- Isaiah Kerr (6'3'' 185) RS Freshman-- Palo Alto, CA (St. Francis HS)- S
John Solomon (6'8'' 211) Sophomore -- Sarasota, FL (Riverview HS)- WO


Roster Details
Scholarship: 13; Seniors-3 (Whitney, Thomas, Di, Oke) Juniors-2 (Williams, G, Sawyer) Sophomore-1(Nap, Jones) Freshman: 6 ( Henderson, Williams, M, Reynolds, Davidson)
Transfers (New): (Sawyer, Williams, G, Jones)
High School: (Whitney, Kerr, Henderson, Thomas, Do, Williams, M, Nap, Bateman, Reynolds, Davidson, Dick)

Scholarships Available for 2023-24 Season (To Date): 1 (12 Scholarship Players/ 2 Exempt)
Scholarships Available for 2024-25 Season (To Date): 2 (1 Thompson)
Scholarships Available for 2025-26 Season (Assumed): 2
Scholarships Available for 2026-27 Season (Assumed): 1
Scholarships Available for 2027-28 Season (Assumed): 6

RECRUITING KEY:
2S/NA (Verbal Commits/247)
O: OFFER
I: Interest only
VC: Verbal Committs source
247: 247 source
JL: Jake Leiberman
Current Verbals: 1

W: Tyler Thompson (6'5) Fairfield, CA (Vanden HS)

2022-23 OFFERS:
HS CLASS of 2023
GUARDS (PG/SG/CG)
2S-PG Isaiah Lewis (6'3''-165) Los Angeles, CA (Skill Factory Prep): Montana (VC)
WINGS (SG/SF's)
2S-SF Marzouq Abdur-Razaaq (6'7'' 195) Aurora, CO (Overland High School): Montana, North Dakota, Radford, San Francsico, Rider, Metro State (VC)
POSTS (PF/C)
2S-PF Takai Hardy (6'7'' 200) Fairfield, CA (Sunrise Christian Academy): NAU, Sac State, Cleveland State, Cal Poly, Montana, MSU, Northern Illinois, Washington State, UC Davis, San Jose State (VC)

2S-C Juslin Bodo (7'0'' 200) Ladera, CA (Southern California Academy): East Carolina, Eastern Tennessee, IUPUI, Montana, New Mexico State, Tennessee State, Arizona State, Rutgers (VC)


2023-24 OFFERS:
HS CLASS of 2024
GUARDS (PG/SG/CG)
2S-PG Jase Butler (6'4'190) San Anselmo, CA (The Branson School): Sac State, Seattle U, Montana, UCSB
3S/4S-PG Mikey Lewis (6'3'' 170) Oakland, CA (Accelerated Prep): Montana, San Francisco, San Jose State, Sac State, Cal, UC San Diego, SDSU, Wyoming (VC)
2S-PG Terrence Hill JR. (6'3") Portland, OR (AZ Compass Prep): Portland, San Francisco, Portland State, Montana, Utah State (VC)
PG- Aaron Claytor (6'3'') Honolulu, HI (Salesian Prep) NC A&T, Radford, CP, Montana, Hawaii, UC Riverside, Hampton (April 23rd)
PG- Tanner Jones (6'1'' 160) St. Louis, MO (Campbell Hall): Tennessee State, Louisiana-Monroe, Montana (Jun 16, 23)
PG- Darnez Slater (6'3'' 175) Eastvale, CA (Eleanor Roosevelt HS)- UT Arlington, MSU, UC Irvine, CPoly, New Mexico, SJSU, CSU (6-22-23)

2S-SG Tyrone Riley (6'4'' 157) Watts, CA (St. Pius X): Southern Utah, San Francisco, TCU, Montana, Pepperdine, Cal Poly, UC San Diego, Portland State, CS Fullerton, Loyola Marymount, Washington State, Arizona State, Texas AM, Wyoming, USC, Cal, (VC)
2S-SG Zion Wilburn (6'5'' 190) Richmond,CA (Pinole Valley HS): Robert Morris, UCSB, Louisiana Tech, Cal Baptist, San Francisco, Montana, Cal Poly, San Jose State (VC)
2S-SG Andrew Crawford (6'5") Highlands Ranch, CO (Thunder Ridge HS): Seattle, Denver, UC San Diego, Montana, Colorado State, Rice, California, (VC)
SG: Marley Zeller (6'5'' 175) Portland, OR (Central Catholic) Montana, Pepperdine, PSU, Pacific, FGCU, Seattle U, UCSB ) (6-18-23)
WINGS (SG/SF's)
2S-SG/SF Jaden Goodall (6'6'') Anaheim, CA (Canyon H.S.): Montana, UC San Diego, Columbia, UC Riverside (VC)
2S-SG/SF Jaden Steppe (6'8'' 210) Tualatin, OR (Tualatin HS): San Francisco, Montana, Portland State, (VC)


POSTS (PF/C)
3S/4S-PF Jacob Cofie (6'9'' 217) Sammamish, WA (Eastside Catholic): UNLV, Washington, Washington State, Montana, Colorado, Ohio State, Oregon, (VC)
2S-PF Miles Goodman (6'10") Seattle, WA (O'Dea High School): Washington, San Diego State, Montana (VC)
PF- Gavin Ripp (6'7") San Jose, CA (Archbishop Mitty) - Montana, Cal State EB, San DIego, UCSD, Cal Poly, SJSU
PF- Chiang Ring (6'8'') Minneapolis, MN (Park Center HS) Bryant, NAU, Montana, UND, San Diego, New Mexico
PF- Isaiah Chappell (6'9'') Los Angeles, CA (South Kent HS) NJIT, Montana, UCD, MSU, Brown, Boston U, American


2025-26 OFFERS:

HS CLASS of 2025
GUARDS (PG/SG/CG)
PG- Mason Brown (6'3'') Las Vegas, NV (Durango): UMKC, New Mexico, SJSU, Montana
PG- Brayden Boe (6'2'') Beaverton, OR (Mountainside HS) Portland, Seattle, BSU, WSU, Montana (8-25-23)

SG- Jalen Stokes (6'5 205'') Oakland, CA (Dublin HS) Montana, UMKC
SG- Kaden Powers (6'5'' 180) Seattle, CA (Rainier Beach)- USF, Seattle, Idaho ,Montana

WINGS (SG/SF's)

W/SF: Jovani Ruff (6'5'' 175) Long Beach, CA (Southern California Academy) LMU, ASU, LSU, Texas AM, Nebraska, Cal, USC, Washington, Oregon, Kansas, UCLA, Montana (7-28-23)

POSTS (PF/C)
PF-JuJu Ervin (6'8'') Spokane, WA (North Central HS) Montana (6-6-23)
PF- Dallas Washington (6'9'' 190) Santa Margarita, CA (Santa Margarita) Washington State, Portland, UCR, Montana, CSN, High Point (6-29-23)
PF- Douglas Langford (6'8'' 220) Downey, CA (St. Pius X) LMU, SJSU, UT-A, Sac State, CSN, UC SD, UCR, Montana, USF (7-24-23)

2026-27 and Beyond INTEREST:
HS CLASS of 2026 and Later
GUARDS (PG/SG/CG)
PG- Justice Griffith (6'0'') Corona, CA (Centennial HS) Montana, UC Riverside, Long Beach (CLASS OF 26)
WINGS (SG/SF's)

POSTS (PF/C)

NO LONGER ON MONTANA'S RADAR
PG- Aaron Powell (6'2'' 170) Pasadena, CA (Campbell Hall) :UR Riverside, LIU, EWU, Portland, CP, Indiana, San Diego, Arizona State, Montana (Jun 17, 23)
T.O. Barrett (6'3'') Edmond, OK (Edmond North HS): Oklahoma State, Tulsa, Montana, SEMO, Oklahoma, Missouri, Missouri State (VC)
3S/4S-SG Liam Campbell (6'5'') Los Angeles, CA (Owyhee HS (ID)): Montana, Portland, Montana State, UCSB, Washinton State, USC, Stanford, Boise State (VC)
SG/SF Kase Wynott (6'6'') Winchester, ID (Lapwai High School): MSU, UM, ISU, EWU
3S/4S-PF Isaac Davis (6'6'' 230) Idaho Falls, ID (Hillcrest HS): Idaho State, Southern Utah, Montana, Utah State, Washington State, Portland, BYU, UNLV, Oklahoma, (VC)
 
Key College Recruiting Details:
-- Mens programs have a 13 player scholarship limit, cannot be divided, and a 15 player active roster limit.

-- Colleges can only directly contact players after their sophomore year. Right now offers are for HS Seniors (CO 23) and HS juniors (CO 24), offers can be extended earlier through intermediaries (AAU/HS Coaches).

-- Colleges are allowed to offer any player that was a scholarship or rostered player during the covid shortened year and extra year of eligibility who was on your roster or any NCAA school roster at the time.

--------Eligible for extra year in 2023-24: Josh Vasquez
------- Eligible for extra year in 2024-25: Josh Bannan, Brandon Whitney, Dischon Thomas (maybe),
Couple of Key Dates:
-- June 15th: High School Sophomores (Class of 2026) can be contacted following NCAA rules regarding contact.
-- Early Signing Period: First Full Week of November 2023--Ends one week later.
-- Regular Signing Period: Second Full Week of April 2024--Closes roughly 1 month later.
 
That is a crazily unbalanced team. 6 seniors and 6 freshmen? And only ONE sophomore/junior?
 
Grizfan-24 said:
Key College Recruiting Details:
-- Mens programs have a 13 player scholarship limit, cannot be divided, and a 15 player active roster limit.

-- Colleges can only directly contact players after their sophomore year. Right now offers are for HS Seniors (CO 23) and HS juniors (CO 24), offers can be extended earlier through intermediaries (AAU/HS Coaches).

-- Colleges are allowed to offer any player that was a scholarship or rostered player during the covid shortened year and extra year of eligibility who was on your roster or any NCAA school roster at the time.

--------Eligible for extra year in 2023-24: Josh Vasquez
------- Eligible for extra year in 2024-25: Josh Bannan, Brandon Whitney, Dischon Thomas (maybe),
Couple of Key Dates:
-- June 15th: High School Sophomores (Class of 2026) can be contacted following NCAA rules regarding contact.
-- Early Signing Period: First Full Week of November 2023--Ends one week later.
-- Regular Signing Period: Second Full Week of April 2024--Closes roughly 1 month later.

This is all real good stuff. Thanks for putting the effort into this!
 
ordigger said:
AZGrizFan said:
That is a crazily unbalanced team. 6 seniors and 6 freshmen? And only ONE sophomore/junior?

Probably need to utilize the portal better.

I think the unbalance fixes itself a bit if Bannan, Whitney and Thomas exercise their covid year. If I am reading the rules and situation right all three have the option because they were on college rosters. Do I think all three exercise their option? I don't know, my hunch Bannan won't because he'll have clear international pro options, but I could see Whitney and Thomas exercising their extra year here.

Also, it is my impression that for as much as Travis will still recruit the portal, he's back into leaning on his hs recruiting talents. I think there is a desire to be far more selective in the portal and he likes the HS kids because they are a bit more predictable. On paper next years team, much deeper than we've had. But we've all said that before. We'll likely have a scholarship or two open (because they always do), and depending how tactically he looks at the portal he'll be able to right that balance a bit more.

His HS list reflects a desire to try to wedge his way into some conversations that probably wouldn't have been there three years ago with upper tier HS kids who are or could get squeezed with roster crunches. Some of that list isn't going to pan out, but he's on no less than 5 and likely more like a dozen kids who have offers from Power 5 schools. We hadn't seen that the last three years, but he got Money Williams this year that had late Group of 5/Power 5 interest, and the Class of 24 list is pretty impressive at this moment.
 
ordigger said:
AZGrizFan said:
That is a crazily unbalanced team. 6 seniors and 6 freshmen? And only ONE sophomore/junior?

Probably need to utilize the portal better.

I imagine it is probably from quite a few transferring out the last couple seasons who would have been sophomores/juniors right? Beasly - and...there we some others as well but I can't remember them right now.
 
MissoulaMarinerFan said:
ordigger said:
Probably need to utilize the portal better.

I imagine it is probably from quite a few transferring out the last couple seasons who would have been sophomores/juniors right? Beasly - and...there we some others as well but I can't remember them right now.

Quite honestly, I can see the transfers of high school kids that are in the program a year or two as a trend for the program under Travis. This means Travis will have to recruit the portal heavily to fill in the roster with experience. I think the unbalanced roster will be the rule and not the exception most seasons.
 
No one seems to be able to give me a clear answer on Moody. By my calculation, he could actually come back next year if he wanted. He had a redshirt year, a Covid year and the fact he only played 9 games one year at UND which would seemingly qualify for a medical redshirt which would add an additional year:

- Suffer an injury that is deemed “season-ending”
-Their injury must occur before the halfway point of the season
-Not participate in more than 30% of the season’s games

Obviously he is in a little different situation with a family and could possibly be 26 years old next year, but the year seems available if he wants it.
 
Five years ago I would have said that if Moody wanted a med year, he'd likely get it. We've seen players get them here under similar circumstances (Manuel I believe), but in this post covid environment I don't know what it would be. He'd be a six year player in seven years, which is mindboggling for a hoops player. Seen it in FB, basketball not so much.

I'd take Moody back for another year in a heart beat if that were an option.
 
Grizfan-24 said:
Five years ago I would have said that if Moody wanted a med year, he'd likely get it. We've seen players get them here under similar circumstances (Manuel I believe), but in this post covid environment I don't know what it would be. He'd be a six year player in seven years, which is mindboggling for a hoops player. Seen it in FB, basketball not so much.

I'd take Moody back for another year in a heart beat if that were an option.

Thanks. It’s just weird that there isn’t an issue with football.

Another quick question: since Vasquez, Bannan and Whitney were all on the roster during the Covid year, do you know if their scholarships count towards the 13 maximum? I had thought super seniors that stayed in the program don’t count against the limit in their 5th year. If so, it seems like it would require the Athletic Department to cover the costs of the extra scholarships, which they may or may not want to do.
 
I'm not really into the recruiting thing but I see no Montana kids being seriously looked at. Isn't that Butte Central kid, Doug Peoples a potential high scoring player. He certainly makes the headlines every week. He could well be another Moody.
 
GrizLA said:
I'm not really into the recruiting thing but I see no Montana kids being seriously looked at. Isn't that Butte Central kid, Doug Peoples a potential high scoring player. He certainly makes the headlines every week. He could well be another Moody.
Not a D-1 athlete. Would need a minimum of 20 lbs
 
Peoples might get a look as a walk on at either UM/MSU. I haven't heard much at all this year and that was the gist of what I got from a few people last year. He's got to put on some weight and strength as noted. He does remind me a bit of Criswell in HS, but like a lot of the MT HS guards in recent years it has been the athleticism and not skill that has kept them from getting looks by the UM/MSU staff.

Peoples has a good as chance as any this year but I just don't know the level of interest he's receiving, as I have heard crickets most of the year. Fischer Brown is the kid in the 2024 class with the best possible chance of landing on either roster at the UM or MSU.
 
UMFan12 said:
GrizLA said:
I'm not really into the recruiting thing but I see no Montana kids being seriously looked at. Isn't that Butte Central kid, Doug Peoples a potential high scoring player. He certainly makes the headlines every week. He could well be another Moody.
Not a D-1 athlete. Would need a minimum of 20 lbs

I'm getting older for sure, but I do remember reading this identical sentence in a sports column about Larry Bird, while I was in Ithaca, NY back when...........That worked out well for Indiana State I think.
 
GrizLA said:
UMFan12 said:
Not a D-1 athlete. Would need a minimum of 20 lbs

I'm getting older for sure, but I do remember reading this identical sentence in a sports column about Larry Bird, while I was in Ithaca, NY back when...........That worked out well for Indiana State I think.
Bird was 6’8 and a forward. Dougie projects as a guard and would struggle to guard that position at even an NAIA level. And, basketball in 2022 emphasizes completely different things than 1980. The only (legit) D-1s out of this state recently have been either big men, or Germer/Manuel/Evans/Worster. Dougie isnt even close to the level those 4 were at and has a considerably lower ceiling.
 
UMFan12 said:
GrizLA said:
I'm not really into the recruiting thing but I see no Montana kids being seriously looked at. Isn't that Butte Central kid, Doug Peoples a potential high scoring player. He certainly makes the headlines every week. He could well be another Moody.
Not a D-1 athlete. Would need a minimum of 20 lbs

Fischer Brown from Lewiston? Think he's a junior. If only he was from California!
 
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