March 2013

RECRUITING NOTEBOOK (3/15/2013): CATCHING UP ON THE LATEST RECRUITING NEWS & NOTES

There has been a lot of news in the world of high school hoops in the past couple weeks, including a few juniors making early commitments and some high-profile players in multiple classes setting announcement dates.

First off, beginning with 2013 commitments as usual, Texas A&M landed JuCo point guard Chad Frazier, per Alex Kline of TheRecruitScoop.com. The 6-foot-4 prospect out of Gulf Coast Community College (FL) selected the Aggies over South Carolina. According to Dave Telep, Frazier is from North Carolina and is a former Oklahoma State commit.

Future150.com had the news that JuCo recruit Deville Smith of Southwest Mississippi Community College (MS) popped to UNLV. Smith is a 5-foot-11 point guard in the class of 2013 who began his college career at Mississippi State.

Oregon also dipped into the JuCo ranks to land Elgin Cook out of Northwest Florida State College (FL), per Eric Bossi of Rivals.com. Cook is a 6-foot-6 small forward in the class of 2013. Per Dave Telep, Cook is the son of ex-NBA player Alvin Robertson and has three years of eligibility left.

Dezmyn Trent of Foss (WA) has pledged to Boise State, according to Jason McCleary of LeftCoastRecruiting.com. Trent, a 6-foot-4 small forward, is a class of 2013 prospect.

Yet another JuCo prospect, Skyler Halford, has committed to BYU, per Greg Wrubell of KSL Radio. Halford is a 6-foot-1 class of 2013 combo guard from Salt Lake Community College (UT). Jay Drew of The Salt Lake Tribune tweeted that Halford began his career as a walk-on at Utah State before going on a mission.

Alex Kline reported that Jordan Gleason of Watervliet (NY) took his name off the board and pledged to Sacred Heart. Gleason is a 6-foot shooting guard in the class of 2013.

According to the Twitter account of his AAU program, Team Loaded, Jerome Simmons committed to North Carolina A&T. Simmons, a class of 2013 recruit, is 6-foot-8 power forward out of Massanutten Military Academy (VA).

JuCo recruit Marquel Curtis opted to end his recruitment and commit to Tulsa, according to Brad Winton of JucoRecruiting.com. Curtis is a 6-foot-3 class of 2013 shooting guard out of Williston State College (ND).

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BIG SKY TOURNAMENT: COULD GRIZZLIES, WILDCATS MEET AGAIN?

By Raphielle Johnson

Tournament Central

Through the use of a 20-game full round-robin schedule there’s little doubt as to who the two best teams in the Big Sky are. Montana (19-1) once again won the league’s regular season title, with Weber State’s (18-2) loss at Montana State back in late January being the difference between the two teams. As a result Wayne Tinkle’s team gets home-court advantage for the conference tournament and a bye to the semifinals as only the top seven teams in the Big Sky qualify for the event.

But this isn’t a group in the best of health, as leading scorer Mathias Ward is done for the season with a foot injury and senior guard Will Cherry (hopefully) returning from his own foot ailment. As a result more will be asked of league MVP Kareem Jamar, arguably the most versatile player in the Big Sky. Cherry’s probable return will definitely help Montana, but they’ll need players such as Keron DeShields, Jordan Gregory and Spencer Coleman to step up if they’re to return to the NCAA tournament.

Despite they’re having to win three games instead of two, and the possibility of playing Montana on the road in the title game, Weber State should be seen as the favorite to win the Big Sky tournament due to their superior depth. Randy Rahe can go eight players deep if needed, led by guards Davion Berry and Scott Bamforth and forward Kyle Tresnak. Weber State lost by just two at Montana on January 26 (76-74), blowing the Grizzlies out in their second meeting last month (87-63). Weber State’s been the best team in the conference on both ends of the floor, and unless they’re hit hard by the injury bug this weekend it’s difficult to see that changing.

While Montana and Weber State are the favorites to meet on Saturday night, are there any teams capable of pulling off an upset before then? Troy Huff leads a North Dakota program that won 12 conference games in its Big Sky debut, but outside of he and Aaron Anderson this is a team that can struggle offensively at times. They’ll take on fellow newcomer Southern Utah, a team few expected to even qualify for the Big Sky tournament when the season began. Northern Colorado takes on Montana State in the 4/5 matchup, and first-year coach Jack Murphy will look to pull the upset when Northern Arizona battles Weber State.

So who’s the pick to win the Big Sky tournament? The depth issue noted above lends itself to Weber State avenging last year’s title game loss at Dahlberg Arena, and that group was led by Damian Lillard. The Wildcats have been the conference’s most efficient team on both ends of the floor, and having to play one extra game won’t change that fact.

Postseason Honors (as voted by the coaches)

First Team

Kareem Jamar Montana G/F 6-5 Jr. Venice, Calif.

Will Cherry Montana G 6-1 Sr. West Oakland, Calif.

Troy Huff North Dakota G/F 6-5 Jr. Milwaukee, Wisc.

Gabe Rogers Northern Arizona G 6-2 Sr. Houston, Texas

Derrick Barden Northern Colorado F 6-5 Jr. Detroit, Mich.

Davion Berry Weber State G/F 6-4 Jr. Oakland, Calif.

Scott Bamforth Weber State G/F 6-2 Sr. Albuquerque, N.M.

Second Team

Mathias Ward Montana F 6-7 Sr. Gig Harbor, Wash.

Aaron Anderson North Dakota G 5-10 Jr. Brooklyn Park, Minn.

Tate Unruh Northern Colorado G 6-4 Jr. Branson, Mo.

Jackson Stevenett Southern Utah G 6-4 Sr. Kaysville, Utah

Damon Heuir Southern Utah G 6-2 Sr. Townsville, Queesland, Australia

Kyle Tresnak Weber State C 6-10 Jr. Scottsdale, Ariz.

Honorable Mention

Venky Jois Eastern Washington G 6-7 Fr. Boronia, Australia

Chris Hansen Idaho State G/F 6-4 So. Fort Collins, Colo.

Jordan Gregory Montana G 6-2 So. Pueblo, Colo.

Flavien Davis Montana State F 6-5 Jr. Milwaukee, Wisc.

Christian Moon Montana State G 6-2 Sr. Inkster, Mich.

Stallon Saldivar Northern Arizona G 6-0 Sr. Salt Lake City, Utah

Aaron Moore Portland State F 6-8 Jr. Riverside, Calif.

John Dickson Sacramento State F 6-6 Sr. San Francisco, Calif.

Dylan Garrity Sacramento State G 6-2 So. Huntington Beach, Calif.

Frank Otis Weber State F 6-6 Sr. Oakland, Calif.

MVP: Kareem Jamar (Montana)

Newcomer of the Year: Davion Berry (Weber State)

Freshman of the Year: Venky Jois (Eastern Washington)

Defensive Player of the Year: Will Cherry (Montana)

BIG WEST TOURNAMENT: 49ERS LEAD COMPETITIVE FIELD

By Raphielle Johnson

Tournament Central

With the addition of Hawai’i to the Big West only the top eight teams qualify for the conference tournament, and this season’s edition should be more suspenseful than last year’s. Long Beach State won the regular season title outright for the third straight season but this group isn’t as dominant as the one led by Casper Ware in 2012-13. James Ennis was named Big West Player of the Year and point guard Mike Caffey was also a first-team all-conference selection, and with some key transfers this group has plenty of talent.

But the 49ers are coming off of a 20-point loss at Pacific in the regular season finale, and there are four other teams with realistic hopes of winning the league’s automatic bid. The Tigers would be one, and they’re hoping to go out on top as they’re headed to the WCC at the end of the year. Pacific doesn’t light up the scoreboard as Lorenzo McCloud is the only player averaging double figures, but they shoot well from the perimeter and are solid defensively. And with this being head coach Bob Thomason’s final season before he retires, one would think that this group is motivated to send him off with a title and an NCAA tournament appearance.

Cal Poly has the look of a slightly higher-scoring version of Pacific, with forward Chris Eversley their lone double-digit scorer, and they’re every bit as capable of winning three games in Anaheim. Keep in mind the fact that the Mustangs won at UCLA (before the Bruins hit their stride of course) earlier in the season, and regardless of the Bruins’ struggles at the time that isn’t expected to happen. And the final quarterfinal of the day matches UC Irvine and Hawai’i, with both teams having the front court depth needed to give Long Beach State some trouble in the paint.

Michael Wilder, Will Davis II and Adam Folker lead the way inside for Russell Turner’s Anteaters, who frankly are a year ahead of schedule when it comes to their contending in the Big West. Freshman guard Alex Young was Big West Co-Freshman of the Year, as he’s been a valuable piece for Irvine all season long. As for the Warriors, they’ve got the other Freshman of the Year (Isaac Fotu) and two veterans (Vander Joaquim and Nebraska transfer Christian Standhardinger) in the paint. The key for Gib Arnold’s squad: guard play and taking care of the basketball. Do that and Hawai’i, which tends to struggle on the mainland, has a shot at winning the tournament.

As for the bottom three seeds all are dangerous, with Corey Hawkins leading the way for a UC Davis team that can shoot with the best of them when hot. First-team all-conference big man Alan Williams leads the way for UC Santa Barbara, and despite being the 8-seed Cal State Fullerton should be respected given the presence of Kwame Vaughn and D.J. Seeley. So with all of that in mind who will win the Big West tournament? Look for a dream ending for Pacific, as the Tigers will find a way to cut down the nets and return to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2006.

Postseason Honors (as voted by the coaches)

FIRST TEAM

Mike Caffey Long Beach State 6-0 So. G Riverside, Calif.

James Ennis Long Beach State 6-7 Sr. G/F Ventura, Calif.

Chris Eversley Cal Poly 6-7 Jr. F Chicago, Ill.

Corey Hawkins UC Davis 6-3 So. G Goodyear, Ariz.

Christian Standhardinger Hawai’i 6-8 Jr. F Munich, Germany

Alan Williams UC Santa Barbara 6-7 So. C Phoenix, Ariz.

SECOND TEAM

Travis Fulton Pacific 6-6 Sr. F Corona, Calif.

Lorenzo McCloud Pacific 6-0 Sr. G Los Angeles, Calif.

D. J. Seeley Cal State Fullerton 6-4 Sr. G Stockton, Calif.

Daman Starring UC Irvine 6-3 Sr. G Las Vegas, Nev.

Kwame Vaughn Cal State Fullerton 6-3 Sr. G Oakland, Calif.

HONORABLE MENTION

J.T. Adenrele UC Davis 6-7 So. F Roseville, Calif.

Kyle Boswell UC Santa Barbara 6-2 Jr. G Huntington Beach, Calif.

Adam Folker UC Irvine 6-9 Sr. C Markham, Ontario

Tony Freeland Long Beach State 6-7 Jr. F Los Angeles, Calif.

Josh Greene Cal State Northridge 6-0 Jr. G Los Angeles, Calif.

Vander Joaquim Hawai’i 6-10 Sr. C Luanda, Angola

Keala King Long Beach State 6-5 Jr. G Compton, Calif.

Stephen Maxwell Cal State Northridge 6-7 So. F Woodland Hills, Calif.

Chris Patton UC Riverside 6-10 Jr. F Melbourne, Australia

Dylan Royer Cal Poly 6-1 Sr. G Los Osos, Calif.

Ryan Sypkens UC Davis 6-4 Jr. G Elk Grove, Calif.

2012-13 BIG WEST PLAYER OF THE YEAR

James Ennis, Long Beach State

2012-13 BIG WEST NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR

Corey Hawkins, UC Davis

2012-13 BIG WEST CO-FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR

Alex Young, UC Irvine

Isaac Fotu, Hawai’i

2012-13 BIG WEST COACH OF THE YEAR

Dan Monson, Long Beach State

MERNAGH: WILL REGAN INTRODUCES HIMSELF IN BUFFALO’S 76-61 WIN

It looked like Ball State, behind the deep shooting and attack-dribble of Jauwan Scaife, was set on continuing their hot late season run of wins. BSU was knocking down shots-Scaife had 17 at the break — and handling Buffalo’s spread offense pretty effectively in the first half last night. Everything was working beautifully for Billy Taylor’s group but their 36-30 halftime lead felt like it should have been bigger -the Bulls had missed some point blank chances at the hoop and also turned the ball over 9 times. Then three things happened things happened that helped Buffalo finish with a comfortable 15 point win: 1) Will Regan went bananas, thus allowing Buffalo’s offense to open up even more and causing Ball State to chase them more. 2) Tony Watson, Buffalo’s fine young point guard, really got into Scaife in the second half and limited him almost completely until garbage time and 3) Ball State shot just 25% in the second twenty minutes of action while continuing to turn the ball over.

WAC TOURNAMENT PREVIEW: BULLDOGS, PIONEERS TOP TWO SEEDS

By Raphielle Johnson

The time has come for the “final” rendezvous for the WAC, as the conference will look drastically different at the end of the current academic year. Six schools are leaving for other leagues, which could add to the intensity at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. On Tuesday Texas State and UT-San Antonio won their first round games, and as a result they’ll take on regular season co-champions Denver and Louisiana Tech respectively. Michael White’s Bulldogs received the top seed, but Louisiana Tech’s lost two straight after beginning WAC play 16-0.

Louisiana Tech’s gotten the job done on the defensive end with guard Kenneth Smith and forward Michael Kyser leading the way. The issue in their losses at New Mexico State and Denver was that those teams were able to successfully navigate the Louisiana Tech pressure, something the Bulldogs can’t afford to let happen given their offensive struggles for much of the season.

If you’re a believe in tempo-neutral numbers then Denver is the slight favorite this week, as Joe Scott’s team was by far the most efficient team in the WAC offensively. Denver was also the most efficient team in the league defensively, and with forward Chris Udofia and guard Chase Hallam being among the four Pioneers to receive all-conference honors this group clearly doesn’t lack for talent.

Outside of those two New Mexico State is another team to keep an eye on, with guard Daniel Mullings and forward Bandja Sy both playing well down the stretch. The Aggies also have 7-5 center Sim Bhullar in the middle, and his Freshman of the Year award was more than deserved. Yes Bhullar is quite the roadblock in the paint for New Mexico State, but to simply describe him as such would be to ignore his overall skill.

Utah State’s had to battle injuries for much of the season but Stew Morrill’s team still managed to win 21 games, which is quite the achievement when considering the loss of both Preston Medlin and Kyisean Reed. Spencer Butterfield and Jarred Shaw remain however, meaning that these Aggies have a puncher’s chance of winning the automatic bid. But they’ll have their hands full with UT-Arlington senior forward Kevin Butler, who helped lead the Mavericks to 17 wins in their first (and only) WAC campaign.

Of the other three teams in the field maybe Idaho has a shot with WAC Player of the Year Kyle Barone in the middle (the only player in the league to average a double-double), but it’s difficult to see the Vandals, Texas State or UTSA going on a run. Ultimately the WAC tournament will come down to the conference’s top two teams, and despite their gaudy win total Louisiana Tech is in a situation where they need the automatic bid if they’re to end up in the NCAA tournament. But look for Denver’s offensive efficiency to be the difference, and the Pioneers will be the league representative in the field of 68.

Postseason Honors (as voted by the coaches)

Player of the Year: Kyle Barone, Sr., C, Idaho

Freshman of the Year: Sim Bhullar, Fr., C, New Mexico State

Don Haskins Coach of the Year: Michael White, Louisiana Tech

First Team All-WAC

Chris Udofia, Jr., F, Denver

Kyle Barone, Sr., C, Idaho

Raheem Appleby, So., G, Louisiana Tech

Kenneth Smith, So., G, Louisiana Tech

Bandja Sy, Sr., F, New Mexico State

Second Team All-WAC

Chase Hallam, Sr., G, Denver

Daniel Mullings, So., G, New Mexico State

Joel Wright, Jr., F, Texas State

Spencer Butterfield, Jr., G/F, Utah State

Jarred Shaw, Jr., F/C, Utah State

Third Team All-WAC

Brett Olson, So., G, Denver

Royce O’Neale, So., F, Denver

Sim Bhullar, Fr., C, New Mexico State

Kevin Butler, Sr., F, UT Arlington

Michael Hale III, Sr., G, UTSA

All-Defensive Team

Chase Hallam, Sr., G, Denver

Chris Udofia, Jr., F, Denver

Michale Kyser, So., F, Louisiana Tech

Kenneth Smith, So., G, Louisiana Tech

Daniel Mullings, So., G, New Mexico State

All-Newcomer Team

Alex Hamilton, Fr., G, Louisiana Tech

Sim Bhullar, Fr., C, New Mexico State

Joel Wright, Jr., F, Texas State

Spencer Butterfield, Jr., G/F, Utah State

Jarred Shaw, Jr., F/C, Utah State

PAC 12 CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT PREVIEW: UCLA THE SLIGHT FAVORITE?

After ten years in Los Angeles the second edition of the Pac-12 tournament makes its move to Las Vegas, and given how unpredictable this season’s been the change in location may be appropriate. UCLA, with its mix of talented freshmen and savvy veterans found a way to win the regular season title outright but the Bruins weren’t as dominant as many expected them (and Arizona) to be during the preseason.

Pac-12 Co-Freshman of the Year Shabazz Muhammad leads the way offensively but classmate Jordan Adams is no slouch on the perimeter himself, and forward Kyle Anderson consistently stuffs the stat sheet. Those veterans? That’s primarily point guard Larry Drew II, who led the conference in assists and assist-to-turnover ratio, and power forward Travis Wear. When focused (and healthy, in the case of Wear), UCLA is a team capable of running the table this weekend.

But the certainly won’t be without challengers, as the regular season race displayed. Oregon, California and Arizona also earned first-round byes but only the Wildcats enter the weekend on a win (over Arizona State last Saturday). Dominic Artis’ return certainly helps Oregon but there’s still some work to be done on the cohesion front. As for the Golden Bears the production that Allen Crabbe and Justin Cobbs will provide is known at this point, but how successful Mike Montgomery’s team can be depends on what David Kravish and Richard Solomon produce inside.

Which teams without first-round byes are most capable of winning the tournament? Look no further than Colorado, which regains the services of Andre Roberson and underclassmen Askia Booker, Spencer Dinwiddie and Xavier Johnson have all performed well for much of the season. If Josh Scott can give the Buffaloes anything inside from a defensive standpoint look out. Arizona State, led by Jahii Carson and Carrick Felix, will be formidable as well provided they avoid foul trouble with just six players averaging double-digit minutes. And Stanford is another team capable of going on a run, led by Aaron Bright and Dwight Powell.

So with all the possibilities who wins the tournament? The pick here is Arizona. Despite their issues with turnovers Sean Miller’s team was still the most efficient squad in the Pac-12 offensively. Mark Lyons is a playmaker at the point, and with experienced players such as Solomon Hill and Kevin Parrom the Wildcats have plenty of March experience. Look for Arizona to do a better job of defending the three-pointer as well, and the end result will be the program’s first Pac-12 tournament title since 2002.

Postseason Honors (as voted by the coaches)

FIRST TEAM

Jahii Carson ASU G Fr. 5-10 160 Mesa, Ariz. (Mesa HS)

Allen Crabbe CAL G Jr. 6-6 205 Los Angeles, Calif. (Price HS)

Spencer Dinwiddie COLO G So. 6-5 190 Woodland Hills, Calif. (Taft HS)

Larry Drew II UCLA G Sr. 6-2 180 Encino, Calif. (North Carolina)

Solomon Hill ARIZ F Sr. 6-7 220 Los Angeles, Calif. (Fairfax HS)

Mark Lyons ARIZ G Sr. 6-1 200 Schenectady, N.Y. (Xavier)

Shabazz Muhammad UCLA G/F Fr. 6-6 225 Las Vegas, Nev. (Bishop Gorman HS)

Dwight Powell STAN F Jr. 6-9 225 Toronto, Ontario, Canada (IMG Academy)

André Roberson COLO F Jr. 6-7 210 San Antonio, Texas (Wagner HS)

E.J. Singler ORE F Sr. 6-6 215 Medford, Ore. (South Medford HS)

SECOND TEAM

Name School Pos Yr Ht Wt Hometown (Last School)

Kyle Anderson UCLA G Fr. 6-9 235 Fairview, N.J. (St. Anthony HS)

Justin Cobbs CAL G Jr. 6-2 195 Los Angeles, Calif. (Minnesota)

Carrick Felix ASU G/F Sr. 6-6 197 Goodyear, Ariz. (College of Southern Idaho)

Brock Motum WSU F Sr. 6-10 230 Brisbane, Aus. (Australia Institute of Sport)

C.J. Wilcox WASH G Jr. 6-5 195 Pleasant Grove, Utah (Pleasant Grove HS)

Honorable Mention (receiving at least three votes): Jio Fontan (USC, Sr., G), Arsalan Kazemi (ORE, Sr., F), Roberto Nelson (OSU, Jr., G), Jason Washburn (UTAH, Sr., C), Eric Wise (USC, Sr., F).

PAC-12 ALL-FRESHMEN TEAM

Kyle Anderson UCLA G 6-9 235 Fairview, N.J. (St. Anthony HS)

Jahii Carson ASU G 5-10 160 Mesa, Ariz. (Mesa HS)

Damyean Dotson ORE G 6-5 200 Houston, Texas (Yates HS)

Shabazz Muhammad UCLA G/F 6-6 225 Las Vegas, Nev. (Bishop Gorman HS)

Josh Scott COLO F 6-10 215 Monument, Colo. (Lewis-Palmer HS)

Honorable Mention (receiving at least three votes): Jordan Adams (UCLA, G), Kaleb Tarczewski (ARIZ, C).

PAC-12 ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM

Jordan Bachynski ASU C Jr. 7-2 257 Calgary, Alberta, Canada (Centennial HS)

Carrick Felix ASU G/F Sr. 6-6 197 Goodyear, Ariz. (College of Southern Idaho)

Josh Huestis STAN F Jr. 6-7 225 Great Falls, Mont. (C.M. Russell HS)

Arsalan Kazemi ORE F Sr. 6-7 222 Esfahan, Iran (Patterson HS)

André Roberson COLO F Jr. 6-7 210 San Antonio, Texas (Wagner HS)

Honorable Mention (receiving at least three votes): Nick Johnson (ARIZ, So., G), Eric Moreland (OSU, So., F)

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Allen Crabbe, California

CO-FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Jahii Carson, Arizona State; Shabazz Muhammad, UCLA

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: André Roberson, Colorado

MOST IMPROVED PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Dwight Powell, Stanford

COACH OF THE YEAR: Dana Altman, Oregon

MOUNTAIN WEST TOURNAMENT PREVIEW: LOBOS HOPE TO REPEAT

By Raphielle Johnson

Mountain West tournament bracket

After a regular season that began with high expectations for UNLV and San Diego State finished with New Mexico winning the title by two games, the Mountain West is back in Las Vegas with the expectation of grabbing five NCAA tournament bids. The fun begins on Tuesday night in the 8/9 game, which matches Wyoming and Nevada. The winner will take on the Lobos on Thursday afternoon, and that’s the day that will loom large when discussing the league’s national hopes.

Steve Alford’s team features the conference Player of the Year in junior guard Kendall Williams, and in a season that didn’t have one single star (but rather multiple stars) to the victor went the spoils. But the Lobos aren’t solely about Williams, as guard Tony Snell has expanded his game to not only be an excellent shooter but also the player normally assigned the task of guarding the opposing team’s best perimeter scorer. Add in center Alex Kirk, whose production after missing last season due to back issues exceeded the expectations of many, and a solid rotation of players who accept their individual roles and it shouldn’t be a stunner that UNM won the league.

Who are the other contenders this weekend? Colorado State merits consideration based on their 11 league wins, experience and having two of the league’s top newcomers in senior center Colton Iverson and junior guard Daniel Bejarano. Guards Wes Eikmeier and Dorian Green (dealing with an ankle injury) lead the way on the perimeter, and veteran forwards Pierce Hornung and Greg Smith are both tough as nails. Larry Eustachy’s taken a team that reached the NCAA tournament last season and turned into a group capable of winning games once they get there next week.

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LEFT COAST LAYUPS (3/6/2013): PAC 12 RACE STILL TO BE DECIDED

By Raphielle Johnson

With one final weekend of regular season play left to be completed the Pac-12 race is still up in the air, with two of the three teams involved being unexpected participants based on the preseason poll. UCLA, with its combination of elite young talent and veterans looking to make good on a second chance, is the one team expected to be a part of the title chase. After wins over Arizona State and then-No. 11 Arizona, Ben Howland’s team is 12-4 in conference play and re-entered the AP poll on Monday.

While freshmen Kyle Anderson and Shabazz Muhammad get the majority of the ink the contributions of senior point guard Larry Drew II should not be overlooked. Drew leads the Pac-12 in assists with an average of 7.8 per game, and he’s also got a conference-best assist-to-turnover ratio of 3.4. With the Pac-12 Player of the Year race considered to be wide-open the Drew’s name has to be in the conversation.

The other two teams, Oregon and California, were considered in the preseason to be teams capable of making a run but not held in the same light as UCLA or Arizona. The Ducks received a boost last week with the return of freshman point guard Dominic Artis, who missed more than a month due to a foot injury. Artis played just 12 minutes in Oregon’s home win over Oregon State, but his return makes the Ducks a much better team especially when considering how they take care of the basketball.

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RECRUITING NOTEBOOK (3/6/2013): JUSTON JACKSON POPS FOR NORTH CAROLINA

by Alex Schwartz

While the last few days have not had too much news, some of what has happened has involved a few of the nation’s top players and high-major programs.

First off, beginning with 2013 commitments as usual, Texas A&M landed JuCo point guard Chad Frazier, per Alex Kline of TheRecruitScoop.com. The 6-foot-4 prospect out of Gulf Coast Community College (FL) selected the Aggies over South Carolina. According to ESPN.com’s Dave Telep, Frazier is from North Carolina and is a former Oklahoma State commit.

Another JuCo prospect, Skyler Halford, has committed to BYU, per Greg Wrubell of KSL Radio. Halford is a 6-foot-1 class of 2013 combo guard from Salt Lake Community College (UT). Jay Drew of The Salt Lake Tribune tweeted that Halford began his career as a walk-on at Utah State before going on a mission.

Alex Majewski out of Brother Rice (IL) has popped to Texas-Pan American, per Victor Agapay. A class of 2013 prospect, Majewski is a 6-foot-7 small forward.

Alex Kline reported that Jordan Gleason of Watervliet (NY) took his name off the board and pledged to Sacred Heart. Gleason is a 6-foot shooting guard in the class of 2013.

Owens Community College (OH) head coach David Clake tweeted that a member of his team, Justin Edmonds, committed to Marshall. Edmonds, a class of 2013 JuCo prospect, is a 6-foot-4 shooting guard.

The biggest news of late came from the 2014 class, as Justin Jackson of HCYA (TX) made the decision to attend North Carolina, according to Scout.com’s Evan Daniels. A 6-foot-7 small forward, Jackson is one of the top players in the nation in the junior class. He officially visited UNC this past weekend and opted to pledge to the Tar Heels on Monday night. He joins Joel Berry of Lake Highland Prep (FL) in a big-time early duo for Roy Williams in the class of 2014.

Another quality 2014 prospect to make his decision of late is Jarvis Calhoun, who popped to UAB, per Shun Williams of On the Radar Hoops. Calhoun is a 6-foot combo guard out of Hewitt-Trussville (AL).

Continuing with the theme of talented 2014 prospects making commitment, Jonathan Williams of St. Benedict’s (NJ) pledged to VCU, in news that looks to have been first mentioned by @DistrictBaller on Twitter. The future Ram is a 6-foot point guard.

Julius Randle, one the best players in the nation in the class of 2013, tweeted that he will make his college choice on March 20. Randle, a 6-foot-9 power forward, is considering six schools. Those in the mix for the Prestonwood Christian (TX) star are Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina State, Oklahoma, and Texas.

One of the top players in the 2014 class is also set to make his decision soon. Dwayne Morgan of St. Frances Academy (MD) tweeted that he will declare on April 5. Morgan is an athletic 6-foot-7 small forward.

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The 2013 Big East Tournament will be an end of an era at Madison Square Garden this March. Tickets are certain to sell out once again, but you can guarantee your place at what will certainly be a memorable event. Below are links to buy tickets to any and all sessions. Order early to secure the tickets or Purchase Event Tickets to any event with our unique partnership with TicketNetwork.com!

WCC TOURNAMENT PREVIEW: NO. 1 GONZAGA THE CLEAR FAVORITE

By Raphielle Johnson

Before the 2012-13 season began there was a feeling that the Gonzaga Bulldogs would return to their perch atop the WCC after Saint Mary’s took over the top spot last season. But while Mark Few’s team did as expected, it’s tough to think that the masses expected the program that has carried the WCC banner for more than a decade would ascend to the top of the national polls as well.

But that’s exactly what’s happened, as Gonzaga hasn’t lost since January 19 at Butler and enters this week’s conference tournament on a 12-game win streak. Redshirt junior center Kelly Olynyk has led the way, and for his efforts not only is Olynyk the WCC Player of the Year but he’s also a finalist for the Oscar Robertson Award (given to the best player in the county by the USBWA). In addition to Olynyk the Bulldogs have talented contributors such as senior forward Elias Harris and guards Kevin Pangos and Gary Bell Jr., and forward Mike Hart won WCC Defensive Player of the Year honors.

It’s known that Gonzaga’s loaded with talent and they’re the clear favorite to win the WCC tournament. But who has the best shot to dethrone the Bulldogs? That’s a simple question to answer as well. Randy Bennett’s Saint Mary’s Gaels have lost just two league games this season, with both defeats coming at the hands of Gonzaga. Senior point guard Matthew Dellavedova leads the way for Saint Mary’s, which enters the conference tournament in good shape to grab an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament.

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RECRUITING NOTEBOOK (3/1/2013): RIP JOSH LEVEL

by Alex Schwartz

Before getting into the recruiting news, we want to send our condolences to the family and friends of Josh Level. A standout basketball player from North Carolina in the junior class, Level sadly passed away last week, far too young. The guys over at Ball is Life put together a nice “Josh Level Tribute Mix,” which can be found Here.

On the trail, one of the biggest pieces of news involved a star dual-sport athlete. Derrick Griffin of Terry (TX) committed to Miami for football, in news that looks to have been broken by Peter Ariz of Canesooks to have been broken by Peter Ariz of CanesInSight.com. The class of 2013 prospect, who has signed a Letter of Intent, is expected to play basketball at Miami as well.

Griffin, who checks in at 6-foot-6, is a wide receiver/tight end on the gridiron and a power forward on the hardwood. He had been committed to Texas A&M for a long time, but did not sign with the Aggies due to reported academic issues.

Tyrek Coger of Word of God Christian Academy (NC) tweeted that he pledged to Middle Tennessee State. Coger is a 6-foot-8 center in the class of 2013 and he is a former Missouri commit.

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