Swillbury
Well-known member
Where would this board be without me?
EASTERN
IDAHO ST
MSU
NAU
PSU
Sac St.
Weber St.
EASTERN
COACH AND PROGRAM
If you want to get out of the doldrums, just find yourself a superstar. At the mid-major level, that's not very easy, but it just takes one to lift your team up. Eastern Washington found that out last season.
His name is Rodney Stuckey, and he's not much of an unknown anymore, even while playing at fairly remote Eastern Washington. Stuckey is one of those once-in-a-lifetime players, not only at Eastern Washington but the entire Big Sky. He's the league's best player since Weber State's Harold "The Show" Arceneaux was ripping it up in the late '90s and taking Weber to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Stuckey (24.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 4.1 apg, 2.2 apg) might be better than Arceneaux -- yes, he's that good. The Big Sky MVP last year, Stuckey led the conference in scoring, was third in assists and second in steals (2.20). He even put up solid rebounding stats, good enough for 14th in the conference.
A first-team all-state player out of Kentwood High School in the Puget Sound area, Stuckey led his prep team to the 4A state title in 2004. Lots of schools wanted him, but he didn't have qualifying grades and test scores to get in. Eastern Washington signed him as a partial qualifier and right out of the gate Stuckey was an outstanding college student, posting high grade-point averages.
When he became eligible last year, he was dynamic. He was EWU's leading scorer in its final 27 games, including a 38-point outburst against Portland State in the first round of the Big Sky playoffs, an 81-75 EWU victory. He also had a 36-point game against Montana, a 34-point game at Boise State; and a 45-point explosion in a loss at Northern Arizona. Stuckey has more than lived up to his advance billing.
Stuckey helped lead EWU to a 15-15 record and a 9-5 showing that was good for third in conference play. While not scintillating, it was a much better performance than the 2004-05 season when the Eagles finished 8-20. Stuckey was the difference maker, and the national media took notice. Stuckey was voted national freshman of the year by Collegeinsider.com.
The accolades speak for themselves," said coach Mike Burns. "To have a player from the Big Sky Conference recognized by a major media outlet as the national freshman of the year speaks volumes about the impact he made, not only regionally but nationally. He is very deserving of any and all accolades he receives, and I think that sheds light on where our program is heading."
It appears the Eagles are heading in the right direction. After a disastrous first season as a head coach, Burns righted the ship last season. And now with Stuckey and three other starters returning, the Eagles should make a run at the conference championship.
PLAYERS
The Eagles have a legitimate post in 6-10, 215-pound senior Paul Butorac (10.3 ppg, 5.4 rpg), who has been in the program four years. He has gone from being skinny and a role player, to, well, less skinny and being a key contributing starter.
Other returning starters are 6-5 junior forward Kellen Williams (8.0 ppg, 4.3 rpg); and Matt Penoncello, a 6-5, sophomore forward (6.6 ppg, 2.1 rpg), two talented swingmen who should rise up this season. Losing Stuckey's backcourt mate Deuce Smith (8.4 ppg, 3.0 rpg) -- the lone senior -- is a bit of a loss, but Burns did some nice recruiting to fill the void.
"We thought we had a very special group," Burns said. "They were very young and very inexperienced, and they fought through a very difficult schedule in December. We knew that would be a challenge and it was. But to finish the way we did bodes very well for the future. We hosted and won a playoff game, and then took the eventual conference champions to overtime in the semifinals."
That game was a narrow 73-71 loss to a quality Montana team in the Big Sky Tournament. Montana went on to not only win the tourney on NAU's home-court, but also upset a tough Nevada team in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
In addition to the four starters returning, Burns also has several other players back from last year, including 6-3, 235-pound junior Jake Beitinger (6.3 ppg, 3.6 rpg); 5-11 senior Rhett Humphrey (3.0 ppg, 1.2 rpg), who should contend for a starting point guard spot; 6-7, 245-pound junior Henry Bekkering (3.9 ppg, 1.8 rpg); 6-8, 230-pound senior Derek Risper (2.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg); and 6-3, senior Neal Zumwalt (2.2 ppg, 0.7 rpg).
Burns and staff also signed two of the top junior college players in Washington in 6-3 Marcus Hinton and 6-0 Omar Krayem, who each put up nice numbers last season, and won top region and all-star game honors.
BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS
BACKCOURT: A+
BENCH/DEPTH: A-
FRONTCOURT: B-
INTANGIBLES: A
The Eagles have the top backcourt in the conference. Right now it's Stuckey and whomever, and that should be good enough. Eastern could start solid senior Rhett Humphrey alongside Stuckey, or go with one of two outstanding junior college guards in Hinton or Krayem.
The frontcourt is the Eagles' questionable area. Butorac is good, not a big banger, but still good enough to be a solid Big Sky big man. The Eagles need to get more out of 6-8 reserves Beitinger and Risper. Williams and Penoncello are listed as forwards, but at 6-5 each, they're more swingmen than frontcourt players.
There are plenty of strong intangibles to go around for Burns' team. Eastern will be right in the thick of things in the Big Sky title race.
IDAHO ST
COACH AND PROGRAM
Idaho State has been an equal-opportunity career wrecker for head coaches. The last four that tried to build this program have either resigned or been fired. Doug Oliver was the latest casualty, resigning last year after finishing 88-144 in eight seasons. Oliver was a noted assistant coach at Stanford before deciding to take a job in the mountain region's coaching graveyard.
Now it's Joe O'Brien's turn. As with previous ISU coaches, O'Brien comes to the university with fine credentials. He posted an excellent 313-177 record in 13 seasons as a junior college and Division II head coach. He's also one of only three coaches to win three JUCO national championships, all at Southeast (Iowa) Community College.
He didn't coach last season, and last work in Division I as an assistant at Florida International in 2004-05. Like other Bengal coaches before him, he brings optimism, a track record, recruiting cache, and a desire to take over a downtrodden program. Will that be enough? As always, time will tell, and he'll have his work cut out for him. The Bengals finished tied for last in the Big Sky Conference last season, winning 13 games overall, including only four in conference play.
PLAYERS
O'Brien signed six recruits for next season -- five freshmen and one junior college player -- and there's not a lot of returning talent, so yet another rebuilding job is on at Idaho State.
The Bengals have an all-star player in 6-2 all-conference guard David Schroeder (15.4 ppg). He was granted a sixth season by the NCAA because multiple knee injuries. Don't even mention the three scariest letters in college basketball, A-C-L, to this guy. Schroeder has played just two full seasons at Idaho State, in 2002-03 and in 2005-06. In 2001-02, he red-shirted while recovering from a torn ACL he suffered at Salmon (Idaho) High School. Schroeder then missed the 2003-04 season after tearing his ACL at Midnight Madness, the season's opening practice. Then he tore his other ACL in overtime of the third game of the 2004-05 season, a game in which he scored a then career-high 29 points against Southern Utah.
Schroeder was second on the team in scoring last season, and he led with 68 three-pointers. He was chosen All-Big Sky Conference, and he ended the year needing just five three-pointers to become the school's all-time record holder for career threes. Schroeder also has 760 career points, putting him just 240 away from becoming just the 17th player with 1,000 points in Idaho State history, and the first to hit that magical milestone since 1997, and only the fourth since 1979.
But Schroeder most likely won't be enough to lift the Bengals out of the doldrums next season. The only other returning starter is 6-5 junior Logan Kinghorn (6.8 ppg, 3.7 rpg).
Backup guard Akbar Abdul-Ahad, a 6-0 senior, came to his senses in electing to return to ISU after declaring early for the NBA draft. Abdul-Ahad (5.9 ppg, 2.1 rpg) started just one game for the last-place team in a mid-major conference -- hardly a pro prospect -- and he won't be one this year either. But he's good enough to man the point for the Bengals and move into the starting rotation. Abdul-Ahad was second on the Bengals with 86 assists (41 turnovers), and he led the Big Sky in assist-to-turnover ratio.
One other key returning guard is Matt Stucki (3.7 ppg, 2.0 rpg), a 6-5 sophomore.
Where the Bengals are hurting is up front. Talented forward Slim Millien, last year's leading scorer and rebounder, graduated, as did solid double figure scoring forward Tim Henry.
Returning reserve Nicholas Rhodes (0.8 ppg, 0.0 rpg), a 6-9. 285-pound senior, played in only 13 games and a total of 52 minutes. Meanwhile, red-shirt senior John Ofoegbu, a 6-9, 225-pound transfer from Texas Tech, is now eligible after barely playing for Bobby Knight's Red Raiders.
Forward Tony Jones (1.9 ppg, 0.8 rpg), a 6-7 junior, is another reserve who saw limited duty last season who may need to contribute more.
O'Brien and his staff scoured the country looking for help and found a couple of players from traditional basketball hotbeds that were willing to lend a hand.
Donnie Carson is a 6-2 freshman from Detroit's Clarenceville High School, and he's got some physical attributes -- 40-inch vertical leap, 6-10 wingspan -- that should serve him well. Last season, he averaged 21.8 points, 9.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 4.0 steals and 1.8 blocked shots.
"He's just a unique athlete," O'Brien said. "I've probably only had one like him in my 25 years of coaching."
Amorrow Morgan is a 6-5 freshman from Memphis by way of Patterson (N.C.) Prep. Last season he averaged 10.9 points, 5.0 assists and 4.2 rebounds for a 37-3 team.
Morgan is a combo guard who will probably start out at the point.
Austin Kilpatrick a 6-6 swingman from Pyallup (Wash.) High School, averaged 19 points and nine boards last season. His father, Carl was drafted by the New Orleans Jazz in 1978.
Big freshmen Demetrius Monroe, a 6-8, 220-pounder, and Daniel Brady, a 6-8, 215-pounder, are probably a year or two away from contributing. Monroe played for Cathedral High School in San Diego. Brady comes from Lakeridge High School in Lake Oswego, Ore., where he averaged 10.2 points and 8.0 rebounds last season.
Cory O'Brien, a 6-4 junior from Southeastern Community College, is the coach's son. Last season he averaged 4.0 points and 3.1 rebounds.
BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS
BACKCOURT: B
BENCH/DEPTH: D
FRONTCOURT: D
INTANGIBLES: D
Schroeder alone makes the backcourt a solid one. A long-range bomber with the ability to have big scoring nights, he should be the go-to guy for the Bengals this season. He's ISU's lone star and the Bengals would be wise to let him shoot whenever possible. Kinghorn is a solid guard, and Abdul-Ahad should be able to hold down the point-guard position after being a sixth man last season.
The Bengals just don't have a good bench, period. There are no quality scorers or rebounders back from last season and most of the recruits are freshmen who aren't yet ready to play. But some of them will be thrown into the fire.
The frontcourt is hurting as bad as the bench, with no players who have made significant contributions in their careers. There's not much rebounding strength either. How the Bengals will survive on the boards this year is a mystery.
There's not a lot the Bengals can hang their hat on right now, except the hope that O'Brien can match his JUCO magic in the Big Sky. Idaho State did elect to return to Holt Arena -- the basketball arena portion of a domed football stadium. Holt -- used for 32 seasons -- holds 8,000 fans as opposed to 3,000-seat Reed Gym, which was used recently. The next step is winning enough to attract 8,000 fans.
MSU
Last year was supposed to be Montana State's big season. Five starters returned, and veteran coach Mick Durham had a proven track record. In the end, it proved to be wishful thinking. Montana State stumbled to 15-15 overall, 7-7 in conference play for fourth, and quickly exited the conference tournament. After 16 years, Durham hung it up.
Montana State looked to its rival Montana for help, hiring top assistant Brad Huse, who also had a proven 184-60 record as a head coach in the small college ranks at Jamestown (North Dakota) College. He also is familiar with MSU, having served as an assistant in Bozeman from 1994-1996. Huse was a fine recruiter for the Grizzlies, and obviously, with the noise the Griz had been making of late, downstate neighbor MSU made a decision: If you can't beat them, hire their assistant.
"It's great to be back on campus," said Huse, a Bobcat assistant from 1994-96, including MSU's 1996 Big Sky Championship season. "I was an assistant here in the mid-'90s, and during that short phase we had a lot of success. We had back-to-back 21-win seasons, and there was great excitement. I know it can be done here. That is what leads me back."
His 2003-04 Jamestown squad spent the regular season ranked No. 1 in the nation in NAIA, and he took one team to the Elite Eight. The three-time DAC-10 Coach of the Year also served as the school's athletic director from 2000-04. A 1989 Montana Tech graduate, Huse earned his bachelor's degree in engineering and spent three years in that profession.
"My wife still tells people she married an engineer," Huse said.
PLAYERS
Huse's work is certainly cut out for him. His leading returning scorer, Derrick Edmonds, averaged just 8.8 points per game last year. Edmonds, a 6-1 senior, is a solid player but did his work coming off the bench last year.
Just two starters return -- forward Nick Dissly, a 6-4, 205-pound senior (7.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg); and Durham's son, Casey Durham, a 5-11, 160-pound junior (6.1 ppg, 2.6 rpg). So basically there are no marquee players to build around. Edmonds and former Bozeman High School teammates Dissly and Durham are experienced and proven, but won't light up the scoreboard. Huse and his staff hit the recruiting trail hard to find some firepower, signing five new players, three of them junior college players.
Yes, immediate help is desperately needed. One good thing about a mid-major conference like the Big Sky is that junior college players often come in and become big contributors right away, as opposed to major conferences where often there is a one-year transition period.
Huse's best newcomer might be junior college transfer Mecklen Davis, a scorer from Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo, Calif. Davis, a 6-2 junior, averaged 17.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.8 assists a game last year. He was even more impressive as a freshman, averaging 23.0 points, 6.6 boards and 2.0 assists. The two-time all-conference choice also served as team captain in both his seasons at Cuesta.
"Mecklen does a little bit of everything," Huse said. "He's not the type of guard where you'd say he does one thing better than the other. He just has a knack for scoring and we certainly lose some scoring due to graduation. I like that he is a physical and determined player. He is also versatile, as he was forced to play a lot of point this year. We picked up a good all-around player here."
Davis took an interesting path to the Bobcat program. The two-time All-CIF First Team choice at Atascadero High played as a 6-2 power forward during his last two prep seasons, helping his school to a 27-3 mark as a senior. He averaged 20 points and six rebounds a game and became only the second player to earn San Luis Obispo County Player-of-the-Year honors twice.
Huse signed another junior college guard in Carlos Taylor, a 6-3 junior. Taylor averaged 7.1 points and 2.8 boards a game last year at Southeastern (Iowa) Community College, registering a team-high 74 assists in 32 games (2.3 apg). The Memphis native scored 10.4 points a game as a freshman.
"We identified early on that we needed experience at guard, and that, coupled with Carlos' size, made him a player we targeted," Huse said. "He had an outstanding freshman season, and after a rough start this year was one of the two best guards in that league for the last month-and-a-half of the season."
One other returning guard is 6-1 sophomore Jacques Wilson (4.0 ppg, 1.4 rpg). Prep recruit Erik Rush, 6-5, will also get a chance to contribute.
Stockpiled with guards and small forwards, Huse needed to add size, and he did that by signing 6-9, 210-pound Adrian Zamora from Gavilan Junior College in California. Zamora averaged 19.3 points 10.0 rebounds and 4.0 blocks last season. Huse is impressed with the 6-9 center from Watsonville, Calif.
"Adrian gives us some good, solid, experienced depth inside," Huse said. "He is a good defensive player with the ability to rebound and block shots. He will have to physically make the adjustment to Division I basketball, but I expect that to happen quickly. He will help us this year."
Other returning big men include 6-10, 230-pound senior Ted Morris (5.2 ppg, 2.7 rpg), and a pair of red-shirt freshmen, 6-9, 245-pound Chawn Johnson and 6-8, 215-pound Branden Johnson.
Danny Piepoli, a 6-6 combo forward, is a prep recruit from Pasadena, Calif., who could play this season; Carson Durr (3.3 ppg, 2.0 rpg), a 6-6 senior, should also play.
BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS
BACKCOURT: C+
BENCH/DEPTH: C-
FRONTCOURT: C-
INTANGIBLES: C-
Durham and Edmonds are solid role players in the backcourt, but it's newcomer Davis who should make an impact. He put up some big numbers in the California junior college ranks, and he should be able to translate that to the Big Sky level. Wilson also has promise.
The bench is another matter. Last year MSU reserves didn't produce much. There is some size with Chawn and Branden Johnson (no relation) at forward, but both red-shirted last year and have played a combined zero minutes at the Division I level. Center Ted Morris is big, but he needs to score and rebound more, as does forward Durr.
Again, a junior college player, Zamora, should have the biggest impact in the frontcourt. Morris could step in and help as a starter, and Dissly also plays forward, though he's undersized at 6-4.
Is the intangible a fresh face on the sideline in Huse? Bobcat fans hope so. Huse's best years in Bozeman are ahead of him.
NAU
COACH AND PROGRAM
Coach Mike Adras has finally solidified himself at Northern Arizona. Yes, he's entering year eight at the school, but an 11-win season just two years ago had some thinking the program was in trouble. Adras had taken over for highly successful coach Ben Howland, now turning the volume back up at UCLA, so there was some institutional pressure.
Adras quieted the doubters last season with 21 wins and the regular season Big Sky championship. It was all good for the Lumberjacks -- except the way it ended. Playing host to the Big Sky Tournament, NAU won its tournament opener against Sacramento State. Then with a national ESPN TV audience watching, and a boisterous home crowd behind them in the Walkup Skydome, the Lumberjacks laid an egg, a big one, losing 73-60 to Montana in the title game.
The loss knocked the 'Jacks out of the NCAA Tournament and into the NIT.
With a chance at redemption, the Lumberjacks received a home berth in the first round of the NIT. Again, they stumbled, losing 58-53 to Delaware State. It was an odd way to end the season -- Northern Arizona was 13-1 at home heading into those final two games.
PLAYERS
It appears the good news won't end with last season. Four starters return, including 6-7 senior forward Ruben Boykin (13.3 ppg, 7.2 rpg), an all-conference player. Boykin can score -- last season he shot .590 from the field -- and is also a fine rebounder. He will be called on to do more this season as all-conference forward, leading scorer and NCAA scholar athlete winner Kelly Golob graduated.
But Boykin isn't alone and shouldn't have to carry too big a load. Last year's Big Sky Newcomer of the Year, 6-1 sophomore Tyrone Bazy (11.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg), had a nice first season, though he struggled shooting from beyond the arc (6-of-40, .150). He was second on the team in assists last year with 79.
Senior guard Steven Sir more than makes up for any outside shooting deficiencies. Sir (11.1 ppg, 1.7 rpg), a 6-6, 205-pound senior transfer from San Diego State, led the nation in three-point shooting percentage with a sizzling .489 (93-190) mark.
Sir was granted a sixth season of eligibility by the NCAA in the summer. Sir, who transferred to NAU in the middle of the 2003-04 season, missed the 2003 season because of a sports hernia and was granted another season. He had received a medical red-shirt his first season at San Diego State in addition to the season he sat out per NCAA transfer rules after he left SDSU.
"It feels pretty awesome," Sir said. "It is a huge relief to know I got the year back. It is a privilege to play college basketball, have the opportunity to finish my degree and be around Flagstaff and the guys on the team for another season."
Sir is the school's all-time three-point percentage leader and already ranks fifth on the career list with 152 three-pointers made in his two-year career, and he started only three games last season.
Northern Arizona's two other returning starters are big man Ryan McCurdy (6.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg), a 6-9, 210-pound junior, and guard Josh Wilson (6.3 ppg, 5.1 apg), a 6-2, sophomore. Wilson's 195 assists led the team by more than 100 in only his first season. He should be the Big Sky's top playmaker this season.
McCurdy and Boykin have some additional help underneath in 6-9 junior Kyle Landry (7.8 ppg, 4.3 rpg), and 6-7, 225-pound sophomore forward Will Hensley (3.5 ppg, 2.1 rpg).
The Lumberjacks are stacked at guard but will receive even more help with two excellent junior college transfers. DeJuan Stevens, a 6-3 senior, red-shirted last season and previously played at West Los Angeles Community College.
The next in the line of great NAU outside shooters appears to be 6-4, 210-pound junior Nathan Geiser, who shot 45 percent from three-point range and averaged 17 points last season at Northern Oklahoma College.
BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS
BACKCOURT: A
BENCH/DEPTH: A-
FRONTCOURT: B
INTANGIBLES: A-
Adras is set with his new contract and he welcomes back four starters from the conference regular season champion, so there's good reason to expect the Lumberjacks will be in the hunt for the title again.
There are few if any weaknesses in NAU's backcourt. The Lumberjacks are blessed with a great shooter in Sir, a fine athlete in Bazy, an excellent point guard in Wilson, and what appears to be two good new players in Stevens and Geiser. No other Big Sky team will have the talent and depth NAU has on the perimeter.
Adras will have no shortage of players to look for on his bench for help. Landry could move into a starting role this year, or be a very good reserve like last year; the same goes for Hensley. With four starters, two fine new players, and the league's top sixth man in Sir returning and probably moving into the starting lineup, some very good players might be in reserve roles this season.
The Lumberjacks aren't enormous underneath, but good enough to battle on the boards. Boykin is a quality rebounder, but he needs some help. McCurdy and Landry need to post better rebounding numbers.
If the Lumberjacks aren't in the Big Sky title game this year, they have underachieved. They have enough talent to get to the NCAA Tournament this season, but will most likely need to defeat Montana to get there
PSU
COACH AND PROGRAM
Sometimes the difference between success and failure is razor thin. Just ask the Portland State basketball team.
The Vikings started last season well enough, (7-6), especially considering nine of those games were on the road. That stretch featured an impressive, 54-52 win downstate at the University of Oregon. But once Big Sky Conference play started, disaster struck. The Vikings proceeded to lose three straight, won once, and then lost six more in a row. Dropping 9-of-10 games in conference play was a killer.
But it was as much as the way the Vikings lost as the losses themselves. Five of the games were lost in the final possession of regulation. One more game (at Eastern Washington) was lost in overtime. Some of those narrow losses included 68-66 to Idaho State, 69-68 to Montana State, 65-63 to Northern Arizona, and 68-65 to Sacramento State.
The tight loss to regular-season champion Northern Arizona as well as the regular season-ending 93-92 overtime victory at home over Big Sky Tournament champion and first-round NCAA Tournament winner Montana showed that the Vikings really weren't that far removed from being one of the conference's elite teams.
PLAYERS
Sometimes experience can help turn those losses to victories the next season. The Vikings are banking on that, as eight players return, including three starters, and one more who started nearly as many games as one of the departing seniors.
The Vikings did lose their leading scorer in guard Jake Schroeder, who did a lot of things for PSU. Schroeder earned first team All-Big Sky Conference honors after leading the Vikings in scoring (12.5), three-point field goals (72), free-throw percentage (.797) and steals (38). Schroeder also averaged 4.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists and shot .411 from three-point range. Obviously, second-year coach Ken Bone must find a replacement.
Junior guard Ryan Sommer appears to be a guy who can step in for Schroeder. In his first year as a Viking after playing one year of junior college ball, the 5-11 Sommer averaged 10.2 points and a team best 3.7 assists.
Sommer was one of three immediate-impact newcomers for the Vikings last season. Forward Juma Kamara, a 6-6 junior, was the Vikings' second-leading scorer (11.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg), and led the Big Sky in three-point percentage with a sizzling .527 (48-of-91). NAU's Steven Sir led the nation in three-point percentage at .489 as he met the NCAA qualifying mark for attempts, while Kamara did not. Kamara was awesome from outside in Big Sky play, hitting 29-of-49 three-pointers for a .592 percentage.
The other impact newcomer was senior Anthony Washington (10.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg), a 6-9, 245-pound senior center, who transferred from the University of Washington. Washington leads a strong interior game for the Vikings. Junior center Scott Morrison (9.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1.3 bpg), like Washington, is big at 6-11, 240 pounds. Though he led the team in rebounding, he's capable of much more on the boards; and he has the ability to score more, too.
The odd thing about the Vikings' interior game is after those two huge specimens, the next tallest player is 6-7, 210-pound freshman Kyle Coston, who is listed as a center. Coston was a first-team all-state player in the state of Washington at the smaller Class 2A level, but Bone believes he's ready.
"Kyle is a kid who can play right away as a freshman," Bone said. "Physically and mentally he is beyond his years."
Coston might be needed -- there's not a lot of depth up front. Tyrell Mara (2.9 ppg, 2.7 rpg), a 6-6, 225-pound sophomore from Canada, came off the bench in all 28 games last season and could play more this season. Freshman Julius Thomas, a 6-5, 215-pounder, could also add to the mix, though he appears to be a red-shirt candidate.
While the Vikings are strong in numbers at guard -- eight are listed on the roster -- Sommer is the only one with extensive experience. The only other guard who saw any action to speak of last year was 6-3, 200-pound sophomore Anthony Locke (2.0 ppg, 1.3 rpg), who came off the bench in 21 games.
Bone and staff loaded up on the guards in the recruiting season, signing three. The staff may have found a gem and another instant impact player in junior college transfer Deonte Huff, a 6-4, 195-pound junior from Antelope (Calif.) Valley Junior College.
Huff lit it up in JUCO ball, leading Antelope Valley in scoring (23.2 ppg), rebounding (7.4 ppg), assists (3.7 apg), and steals (2.0 spg). A strong player with the ability to get to the basket, Huff shot a remarkable 286 free throws -- more than 10 per game. He made 190 for a .664 free-throw percentage. Huff ranked fourth among California Junior College players in scoring average. He was chosen first team All-Foothill Conference.
"Deonte gives us instant experience coming in as a transfer," Bone said. "He is an athletic wing that is a good slasher and can really get to the rim. He can also guard the wing well. I believe he will step in and compete for us right away."
Other guard recruit signings include 6-5, 205-pound freshman Justynn Hammond; and 5-11, 165-pound freshmen Emmanuel Jenkins, both fine prep players from the Puget Sound area of Washington, Bone's old stomping ground.
Huff appears to be the missing ingredient in the starting lineup, which could feature returning standouts Sommer, Washington, Morrison, and Kamara. Add Huff and the Vikings could have as good a starting lineup as there is in the Big Sky Conference.
Bone better hope no one gets hurt, however. The recruiting class outside of Huff is full of freshmen, and the reserves didn't put many balls in the basket last year. If PSU remains healthy, there's no reason to think they shouldn't contend for a league title.
BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS
BACKCOURT: A-
BENCH/DEPTH: C-
FRONTCOURT: A
INTANGIBLES: B+
Sommer leads the backcourt, and there's good reason to believe Huff could be one of the top recruits in the Big Sky. If Huff is as good as billed, and if Sommer can keep improving, this will be an excellent perimeter. There's not a lot of experience playing behind, them, however.
Speaking of depth, the Vikings don't have a lot of it. Yes, eight players are back, but three barely played. Perhaps some of the freshmen will contribute, but they are freshmen.
Portland State's frontcourt is excellent, loaded with size, strength and scoring ability. Kamara -- technically a forward, but he shoots like a guard -- is the dynamic inside/outside player while Washington and Morrison are huge and can mix it up inside.
Bone was a proven winner at the Division II level for many years at Seattle Pacific. He was also a key assistant and instrumental in the University of Washington's recent success. As he enters his second year at PSU, there's good reason to believe he'll have the Vikings in the upper echelon of the league for a long time.
Sac St.
COACH AND PROGRAM
For the fourth time in five seasons, Sacramento State improved its number of victories, and that's saying a lot for a program that, not too long ago was one of the worst in all of Division I.
But the Hornets are behind all that now. Coach Jerome Jenkins has done a fine job in bringing Sac State up to the upper echelon of the Big Sky Conference. Last season the Hornets finished in a tie for fifth, and recorded the most victories since 1991, the year the school became a Division I member. Perhaps in the bad old days there would be cause for celebration. But in reality, 2005-06 was a bit of a disappointment for the Hornets.
They boasted a number of returning starters and letter-winners, and one of the conference's best players in Jason Harris. But the Hornets never seemed to get on a consistent track. They started nicely, recording a 9-5 mark in non-conference play. Then Sac State continued that momentum when league play started, winning its first four games to move to 13-5.
All signs pointed to what people thought the Hornets were before the season -- a conference title-contending club. But then disaster struck. The Hornets lost their next four and won only two of their remaining 12 regular season conference games.
The Hornets scrambled to a 71-70 victory in the first round of the Big Sky Tournament, but then had their odd season put to rest with a 98-83 loss to Northern Arizona in the semifinals.
Sacramento State is one of just three teams in the Big Sky (Eastern Washington and Montana being the others) that have reached the conference tournament each of the last four years. That comes after Sacramento State failed to reach the postseason tournament each of its first six years in the league (the Hornets joined the Big Sky in 1996-97).
PLAYERS
On paper it appears Jenkins has another talented team. Eight players and one red-shirt return from last year, and Jenkins and his staff signed a solid six-man recruiting class.
The Hornets return one of the top players in the conference in 6-6, 235-pound senior forward Alex Bausley, who rose to be the best Hornet last year instead of the senior Harris, who was expected to push for league player-of-the-year honors. Bausley (13.6 ppg, 5.2 rpg) led the team in scoring and was second in rebounding, assists, blocked shots and steals. The do-everything forward should be even better this season. Bausley is a solid defender and a fine shooter who made 50 percent of his field-goal attempts last season.
With Harris gone, Bausley will need some help up front. The Hornets return more experience at guard than forward. The next top inside men are 6-6 junior forward Justin Williams (4.1 ppg, 2.4 rpg), 6-6 junior Davon Roberts (2.7 ppg, 1.9 rpg), and 6-8 junior Randy Adams (1.3 ppg, 1.4 rpg), all of whom played sparingly last season.
Knowing he was thin up front, Jenkins stocked up on big men. New post Angel Alamo will certainly make some all-name teams; Jenkins and staff hope he's more than just a unique moniker. It appears he'll fill the void at center. Playing last year for Riverside (Calif.) Community College, the 6-9, 225-pound junior averaged 12.7 points and 6.6 rebounds, while shooting 51.8 percent from the field and 46.2 percent (12-26) from beyond the three-point line.
"Angel is a great addition to the team, and he is capable of playing the small forward, power forward and center positions," Jenkins said. "He was our No. 1 big man recruit, and he will combine with Alex Bausley to give us a very solid front line."
Jenkins also added junior college transfer Curtis Harrison, a 6-8, 210-pound junior. While Harrison's stats (7.4 ppg, 5.4 rpg) aren't as gaudy as Alamo's, Jenkins is hoping he can provide a defense presence inside. Harrison averaged 1.7 blocked shots last year at Monterey Peninsula (Calif.) Junior College.
While all-league player and four-year mainstay DaShawn Freeman graduated, Jenkins has plenty of quality guards from which to choose.
Loren Leath (11.5 ppg, 2.0 rpg), a 6-2 sophomore, earned honorable mention all-conference honors in his first year of college ball. Leath should be one of the top guards in the Big Sky Conference this season.
Haron Hargrave (8.6 ppg, 1.6 rpg), a 5-11 senior, appears to be the guy to fill Freeman's spot at the point, that is if he can hold off talented 6-4 freshman Alonzo Young, who was an outstanding prep play in Detroit last year, earning all-state honors at Communication Media Arts High School.
Junior college transfer Roderick Adams, a 6-1 junior, was another quality find for Jenkins. Adams played at Collin County (Texas) Community College and initially signed with the University of Denver before finding out some classes didn't transfer Jenkins snagged him on the rebound.
Another point guard candidate is University of Hawaii transfer Kris Groce, a 5-10 junior who sat out last season.
Clark Woods (7.3 ppg, 2.4 rpg), a 6-4, 180-pound senior, is the top returning shooting guard. Jason Gilzene (1.8 ppg, 1.2 rpg), a 6-6 junior, will also contend.
Two new wing players come to Sac State via the junior college route. Donald Thomas, a 6-6 sophomore, played one year at Daytona Beach (Fla.) Community College, while Jason Davis, a 6-4 junior, averaged 16 points at Allan Hancock (Calif.) College last season.
BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS
BACKCOURT: B+
BENCH/DEPTH: B
FRONTCOURT: A-
INTANGIBLES: C
Leath and Woods lead a fine backcourt, especially if newcomers Young and Davis turn out to be as good as billed. There's talent, depth, and versatility on the perimeter.
There are also plenty of bodies to choose from on the bench. However, most of the subs who return from last year put up very modest numbers. Jenkins' six-player recruiting class will play an important role in boosting the Hornets' point production. Last year's club relied too heavily on its starters, with four of them averaging in double figures, while the bench scoring tailed off.
Bausley anchors a strong frontcourt, and Alamo should be the big body the Hornets need to pound inside. Again, depth will play a key role here. There's not a lot of size to go around, so health will be key, as will smaller forwards being able to utilize their athleticism to make up for height.
Jenkins is an excellent coach who faces every day challenges of coaching a program at a commuter school that plays in a small gym. He's sold quality recruits on playing in a nice, large metro area, and has been able to pluck talent up and down talent-rich California.
On paper it appears Jenkins again has the makings of a team that could contend for the title. But at Sac State, getting to that Big Sky Tournament title game and into a postseason tournament has been a huge mental block they've yet to overcome.
Weber St.
COACH AND PROGRAM
Four years ago, Weber State won 26 games and coach Joe Craven's name was being bandied about for higher-profile jobs. Last season Weber State slipped to last place in the Big Sky Conference and Cravens was shown the door.
How the mighty have fallen.
When Weber State officials decided to make a change, they didn't go far to find their new coach.
Randy Rahe was an assistant in successful neighboring programs Utah -- under coach Ray Giacoletti -- and Utah State -- under Stew Morrill. Both schools have had nice runs of success the last few years, so it was natural Weber State would want to tap into that success by hiring Rahe, who had been at least partially responsible in the winning ways of each program but had never before run his own program.
PLAYERS
Rahe inherits a real fixer-upper. Four starters from last year have departed, but come to think of it, that might not be a bad thing. Only senior David Patten (10.4 ppg, 5.1 rpg) returns from last year's lineup, but Patten is a good guy to build around. The 6-8, 220-pound senior provides size and strength down low.
Rahe and staff went nuts on the recruiting trail, signing 10 players. Solid returning reserves Dan Henry, a 6-5, 190-pound senior swingman (5.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg), and 6-4, 200-pound senior guard Chauncy Shelton (3.7 ppg, 2.1 rpg) are back, as is red-shirt Juan Pablo Silveira, a 6-3, 185-pound sophomore guard.
Newcomers fill out the roster.
Who's the best of the new players? It's hard to tell. They all look good on paper. When in doubt, eyeball the junior college players, who if good enough, can often make an immediate impact at the Big Sky level.
Tyler Billings, a 6-7, 220-pound junior college transfer from Eastern Utah, averaged 14 points and just more than six rebounds a game in a strong JUCO conference. He also served on a two-year mission for the LDS church, so it's possible he has maturity on his side, too. The Wildcats will be able to utilize his outside shot. Billings made a nice 45 percent of his shots beyond the arc, and once hit seven three-pointers in a game.
Daviin Davis, a 6-4 swingman, had similar numbers to Billings, averaging 14 points and five rebounds per game at Midland (Texas) College, another school that plays in a strong junior college league.
Rahe worked on bolstering his backcourt, signing four junior college point guards. This group includes Dezmon Harris, a 6-0 junior from Howard (Texas) College; Jamaine Nance, a 6-1 junior from Central Florida Community College; Eric Turner, a 6-3 junior from City College of San Francisco; and Brody Van Brocklin, a 6-2 junior from Salt Lake Community College.
Who rises up from this group remains to be seen. Keeping with the junior college theme, Rahe and staff signed one big man in Lithuanian Arturas Valeika, a 6-9, 220-pound junior who averaged 10 points last season at Midland College in Texas.
Just two preps were signed, but they're good ones and both from Highland High School in Salt Lake City. Guard Jake Orchard, 6-4, was chosen the state's player of the year by two Utah newspapers after leading Highland to the state title and being selected the MVP of the state tournament. Orchard averaged 17 points as a senior.
His teammate, Steve Panos, brings size at 6-8, 230 pounds. He averaged 14 points and six rebounds last season and was also chosen first team all-state.
What does all this roster shuffling mean? Clearly Rahe is looking for immediate results, particularly with the heavy emphasis on JUCO players. It also means Weber is a bit desperate to get things turned around. It is a basketball school and it's doubtful the fans are willing to wait for an extensive rebuilding year, particularly after the last two seasons.
BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS
BACKCOURT: C
BENCH/DEPTH: B
FRONTCOURT: B+
INTANGIBLES: C+
Weber State's backcourt could go either way. Perhaps only Rahe and his staff know. It will be comprised mostly of JUCO players, a group who all averaged less than 15 points per game at the previous level. There doesn't appear to be a star in the bunch; then again, there doesn't appear to be a dog in the bunch either. How they transition to the Division I level is another matter. It's a misnomer that JUCO players provide a quick fix; they have to learn a new system just like freshmen do. Rahe hopes the maturity the JC players bring will help.
At the very least, Rahe has some numbers to work with in the backcourt.
The frontcourt appears to be solid. Patten is a proven double-figure scorer at the Division I level; and it appears the best recruit of the bunch is Tyler Billings, a forward.
If there's an intangible in Ogden, it's that Weber State has a strong winning tradition dating back many years. Rahe might be able to build on that as he tries to put the brakes on this once-proud program's recent free-fall. Then again, like his recruiting class, he's also unproven at the Division I level.
