Q&A with Big Man Kyle Tresnak

Kyle Tresnak To Play True Freshman Year

August 29th Last year Weber State lost center Steve Panos to graduation. And this is Trevor Morris's last year as a Wildcat. We all know and expect Darin Mahoney to be a contributor at the center position this year and next, but who has coach Randy Rahe recruited as the next generation center? The answer is 6'10" big-man Kyle Tresnak. Tresnak, like fellow teammates Byron Fulton and Blake Davis, comes to Ogden from Arizona. It appears that this 225 pound freshman will likely see some playing time as a true freshman this year as well. Tresnak played his high school ball at Horizon High School where he proved he could score points (his season high was 30 points), block shots (10 in one game), and rebound (season high was 17). From what we've heard, WeberHoops is confident that Tresnak will be able to fit in nicely at Weber State and will continue its tradition of great centers. I plan on hearing his name mentioned along with great past Weber centers like Valeika, Allred, Patten, and Panos. Here is the Q&A that Tresnak recently did for WeberHoops.com. Weber Hoops: How has your summer been? Do anything fun? Kyle Tresnak: My summer has been great. I didn't really do anything special. I just worked out and hung out with my friends. WH: How much time have you been able to spend in Ogden so far? How have you liked it? KT: I was in Ogden for the month of June. I loved it. WH: What do you plan on majoring in? KT: Business. WH: Did you really swallow a tablespoon of cinnamon? How did that work out for you? KT: Haha. Yes I've done it 4 times. It's not that hard to do. WH: Can you tell us something about you that Weber fans probably don't know? Nicknames, hobbies, etc? KT: I have a brother that is going to NAU. WH: What do you think about joining a team with two Arizona guys already on it? KT: I'm excited. I played on the same AAU team with Blake Davis and watched the both of them through out my high school career. WH: We are glad you signed with Weber State. What helped you make the final decision to come to Weber? KT: The coaches were a main factor in my decision. They offered me my junior year and were always calling me and sending me letters. The players were also a main factor. I really felt like I could fit in when I was on my visit. WH: Any idea on whether you will play or redshirt this year? KT: As of now I am not going to redshirt, but I'm willing to do whatever the coaches want me to do. WH: Have you had the opportunity to work out and play with the other in-coming freshmen? Did anyone stand out to you? Do you have any insight on what we can expect to see out of the freshman class this year? KT: I got to play with them this June. They are solid players and great guys. We'll have to see when the season comes around. For questions, comments, or thoughts, email me at mark@weberhoops.com

Getting to Know Blake Davis

I wrote this for Weberhoops a few weeks ago and forgot to post it here. Enjoy. August 9th It has been almost two years since redshirt freshman, Blake Davis, committed to come to Ogden to play for Coach Randy Rahe and the Wildcats. Now that his redshirt year is over, he is anxious to get out on the court and show Wildcat fans he belongs on a Division I court. And should he catch Rahe's eye, he may very well get good minutes on the court this year.

Minutes from two of the three guard positions will be mostly taken by returning veterans, Damian Lillard and Lindsey Hughey. However, it appears that the third guard position is wide open for one of this year's younger players to claim. And Davis just might be the one to do so. When Davis committed to the Wildcats in September of 2008, Coach Rahe had good things to say. "Blake is a tough, hard-nosed. competitive kid. He plays extremely hard everyday and just knows how to play on both ends of the court." Rahe went on to describe Davis and the recruits he came with. He said, "We are really excited about having these players coming into our program. First off, they are all good students and work hard in the classroom. They are all high character individuals, good citizens and will be good teammates. Each of them has a bright future ahead of them here at Weber State. Davis was kind enough to respond to a few questions I emailed him. Based on his responses, I think Rahe knew what he was talking about. Weber Hoops: How has your summer been? Blake Davis: Summer's been good, and really nice to be home with the fam. WH: Is it true you work on a farm? How did you get that job? Have you always been a farmer? BD: Haha. I went to Oklahoma to visit my mom's side of the family, and while I was out there, I worked on their farm. When I'm at home, I work for my buddy's mom. They have horses, goats, chickens, roosters, pigs, turkeys, and a barn, so I just keep things clean there, and do some handy work. Just pretty much anything that needs fixing. WH: Is there something you can tell WSU fans about yourself that we don't know? Hobbies, nicknames, or anything like that? BD: Haha. I can't think of anything. WH: What have you been doing with basketball this summer? BD: I've been lifting with my strength coach, shooting at my old high school, and playing at different open runs throughout Arizona. WH: Last year you were on the team as a redshirt. This year as a redshirt freshman you will be able to play in games. How exciting is this for you? BD: I'm very excited to be playing this year. It was hard to sit through all those games last year, knowing I wasn't going to be able to get in there and play. Now that I have gone through the redshirt year, I'm glad I did it. But now it's time to get in there and hoop. WH: Have you had the opportunity to meet the incoming freshmen and JC transfer Bamforth yet? BD: I met those guys while I was at Weber for June. They're really good guys, and Kyle Tresnek is actually from Arizona. I work out with him when we are home. WH: There is going to be a lot of youth and inexperienced players on the team this year. Who do you expect to step up and contribute this year? BD: Dame is definitely going to step up and be a key factor in our season. I also think Trev will have a good senior season and bring a lot of leadership. WH: How do you hope to contribute this year? BD: I hope to bring some fire and enthusiasm to the court. Do the little things to help our team win and knock down shots. WH: Can we expect to see Rahe and the Wildcats go dancing this year? BD: Oh yeah definitely.

Getting to Know Scott Bamforth

Weberhoops.com is excited to see what Scott Bamforth, JC transfer out of Western Nebraska CC, will bring to this year's squad. The only JC transfer in this year's recruiting class, Bamforth comes highly touted. Bamforth was planning on playing his sophomore year with Western Nebraska before a season-ending elbow injury prevented that from happening. While this was most likely devastating to him, it can be seen as a positive for the 'Cats. Now, instead of having Bamforth for only 2 years, Weber will have him for 3. In Bamforth's freshman year for Western Nebraska, he played great, averaging over 18 points per game with a 45.5% field goal percentage; he shot 41% from behind the arc, sinking 88 thee-pointers; and he was an 80% free throw shooter. If this these stats carry over to DI basketball, Bamforth will be a familiar and exciting face on the court for the next three years.

I sent Bamforth a few questions via email and he was kind enough to respond. Enjoy!

Weber Hoops: How has your summer been? Did you get to do anything fun?

Scott Bamforth: My summer has been pretty good, I've just been working out and getting ready for the season to come. I've been taking some summer classes so my summer hasn't been to exciting, but I think it has been very productive.

WH: Your Facebook status says you are engaged. Congratulations! When is the wedding?

SB: Yea I am engaged and our wedding is planned for July 15th, 2011 so it should be an exciting experience in my life and we are really excited.

WH: How do you and Kendra like Ogden?

SB: Me and Kendra are excited to be out here in Ogden. We have enjoyed our summer so far. Ogden is a place that reminds us of our hometowns, which Kendra is from Denver and I am from Albuquerque, so we are familiar with having mountains really close to us.

WH: What is your major?

SB: My major is Human Performance Management.

WH: Can you tell us something about you that the Weber fans probably don't know? Hobbies, nicknames, anything like that?

SB: When I'm not playing basketball or working out, I enjoy playing video games and watching movies. I also enjoy going home and seeing my family whenever I get the chance to because they are the ones who helped me get to where I am at in my life.

WH: Last year you suffered an elbow injury. How is it feeling now?

SB: My elbow is pretty much back to 100%; it has been a long process and going through surgery wasn't the funnest thing to do but I feel I have worked hard to get back to normal and I am ready to get the season going.

WH: How do you see yourself fitting in with the team this year? What do you see your role being?

SB: This year I think we have a great chance to be very good. I think that the returning players will be ready to get back at it, especially after the hard loss that they went through at the end of the season last year. We have all been working hard, getting ready for the season and I think all of this hard work is going to pay off. I see myself fitting in really good with the team and I am willing to take on any role that I can. I can't predict what role I will have as of now, but I think that as practice starts and the season comes closer, I will be able to find my role and help the team win.

WH: There are going to be a lot of young, new players on the court this year. Do you have an idea of which ones will step up and get some playing time?

SB: I think that there are going to be a lot of new, young players who will step up and play good this year. But like I said before, as the season comes around each one of us will be able to identify our roles and we will be able to try and help this team get to where we want to go. I think that everybody on the team will have to step up if we want to win, and I think we have the talent and willingness to do that, so I am really excited.

Tourney Time

Got My Tourney Tickets!

It's official. I have my two tickets for the Big Sky tournament--a ticket for the semi final round on the 9th and a ticket for the championship game on the 10th. I know it may seem somewhat presumptuous for me to buy a ticket for the championship game when I still don't know for certain that the Wildcats will be playing in it. Even my boss was giving me a hard time for requesting to take off work a little early on the 10th to see Weber play in the championship.

I guess I figured it was bad etiquette, bad luck, bad karma or something like that to not go ahead and plan on the Big Sky champions playing in the finals of the Big Sky Championship. And besides that, I do feel very confident that Coach Rahe and the boys will get it done this year. I feel good about their chances of winning the championship and going dancing for several reasons.


1. Weber State is hosting the tournament at the Dee Events Center. The Wildcat's have yet to lose a conference game at home this season. They are a perfect 8-0 in the Purple Palace. Having the largest fan base and an always rowdy student section can only strengthen the home court advantage.

2. Big Sky MVP, Damian Lillard, and Big Sky Newcomer of the Year, Franklin Session. Weber State is the best team in the league because they have the best player in the League. Lillard, though only a sophomore, leads the Big Sky in points per game. He has managed to do this while all year having to face double-teams and defensive schemes designed with the sole purpose of stopping him. Session brings non-stop energy to the team and the arena. If he gets a breakaway dunk early, you can bet on a big night from him. One thing that I have observed all season long is that if both Session and Lillard are on, the Wildcats are virtually unstoppable.

3. The Seniors. Throughout much of this season Nick Hansen and Steve Panos have been somewhat overshadowed by Lillard's ability to score almost at will. Just because they may not be the best players on the team doesn't mean that they aren't great. In fact it was their senior leadership, maturity and poise that carried this team through the last four games of the season. And it was these seniors that were instrumental in beating UNC in a high stakes game and in leading the Wildcats in a blowout of Idaho State to clinch the Big Sky title. In the UNC game the two combined for 16-19 shooting. Panos scored 29 points and Hansen scored 18 on a perfect 6-6 shooting night from behind the arc. Since that game, Hansen has been on a 3-point shooting hot streak--he's made 22 out of his last 30 attempts!

4. Coach Rahe. His nickname isn't "The Wizard of Weber" for nothing. Rahe's Wildcats have been Big Sky Champions three of the last four years. Rahe has shown a consistency of excellence here at Weber. A gambler would be a fool to bet against this two-time coach of the year.

Some may think I'm cocky or at least a fool for having spent money on a game I can't be sure the Wildcats will even be in. But that's a risk I'm willing to take. On the 10th I may have ripped my championship ticket up and thrown it away, and maybe I will find myself at home watching two teams that aren't Weber State playing for the championship on national television. But I don't think that is going to be the case. I think this cocky fool will be at the Dee Events Center watching the Wildcats take the tournament trophy and clinching a spot in the NCAA tournament where they will be doing some dancing.

Lillard, Panos End Losing Streak

Yesterday Weber State broke an 8-game losing streak to the Utes and beat the University of Utah at home with a score of 83-76. The game was a thrilling one. The Wildcats came back from a 14-point deficit midway through the first half to ultimately win by 7 points. It was a game that every fan who saw it will remember for years. It was a game that every Weber State fan should have been in attendance to see. It was a game that, unfortunately for me, I did not see.

I have been attending night school for the last two and a half years and have missed multiple WSU games because of it. Unfortunately yesterday's intense battle was one of them. But I am proud to say that in two weeks I will be done with my Master's program. I will never miss an intense in-state game due to school again! But unfortunately I will never be able to get back the games and great team and individual performances I have missed. I will never get to see Steve Panos score 20 points and grab 7 rebounds in his last game against the Utes. Nor will I get to see first hand WSU Sophomore, Damien Lillard's 28 points, 7 assists and 5 rebound performance.

Both Panos' and Lillard's performances were ones for the ages. Ones that will be ranked up there with performances from Weber greats such as Eddie Gill, Howard "The Show," and Jermaine Boyette. And I missed them!

While I did miss seeing the game, I was able to have a positive experience listening to the second half on the radio on my commute home from Salt Lake City. I love Carl Arkie. The dude is the best play-by-play guy in the state. Hands down. I would like to share one thing he said during the play-by-play that almost made me glad I was listening to the game on the radio instead of witnessing it in the Purple Palace.

Weber State's Damien Lillard had just made a 3-pointer to put the 'Cats up by 3 with about two minutes left. On Weber State's ensuing possession Lillard found himself with the ball again. He put his shoulder down, penetrated, and made a driving bank shot to put the 'Cats up by 5 points. After this happened Arkie yelled, "Oh my, Damien Lillard is hotter than Lady Gaga!" What an awesome thing to say!

Purple Pak Has Big Shoes to Fill

Dave Baker on the Left poses with Cody Olson at Rice Eccles Stadium Last year


As a new athletic season at Weber State is upon us, Wildcat fans will be paying close attention to new faces and missing last year's seniors who no longer are with us. While Weber State fans and students will be missing last year's senior athletes such as former football players, Marcus Mailei and JD Folsom (Both of which are currently on NFL rosters) and basketball stars, Kellen McCoy and Daviin Davis, they are surely going to miss one David Baker, Chair of the student Purple Pak organization.

At every basketball game one could see Baker in the front row of the student section, clad all in purple, leading students in cheers, heckling opponents, and screaming at referees. For years Baker has been one of the biggest student fans the Wildcats have known. So it was not a surprise when a couple of years ago he was named as Chair of the Purple Pak.

Bev Rudd, Director of Alumni Relations and advisor for the Student Alumni Association and Purple Pak said Baker's enthusiasm as a fan also carried over to the way he carried out his responsibilities as Purple Pak Chair. Rudd said that under Baker's leadership Purple Pak enrollment increased as well as student attendance to games. She also said Baker was instrumental in beginning a tradition of taking students on road trips. "Never in the history of the school has Purple Pak attended so many away games. Dave was instrumental in filling the buses. He will be greatly missed."

Baker also said he will miss his association with the Purple Pak, "I will miss the association with the students and meeting new people on the various road trips we went on."

Now that Baker has graduated from Weber State, Rudd knows that finding someone who can build on what Baker has started will be difficult. Perhaps that is why she has named two Purple Pak Chairs to take Baker's place. Bryan Weir will be Chair of football and Louis Anderson Skillman IV will be the chair of basketball. Rudd is very impressed with both Skillman and Weir and says they are just as passionate as Baker and bring with them some great ideas for Weber State students. With these two in place as Purple Pak Chairs Rudd said, "The passion for Weber basketball lives on. We have some great guys to keep Purple Pak on track."

One of Rudd's focuses for this year is to keep the tradition of student road trips going. She already has a trip planned to go to Laramie for the Wildcats' football season opener, and she is working on other road trips for both football and basketball.

While Baker is no longer a WSU student or Purple Pak chair, he said that won't make him any less of a fan. He plans on being a season ticket holder for both football and basketball as well as attending several games on the road. "I will continue to bleed purple until the day I die. Weber state will always be near and dear to my heart."

Eyre Hands Out Grades for Big Sky Basketball Recruiting

June 20th
To be thoroughly candid, this is the first time that I have ever attempted a project like this, and I hope it turns out to be fair, honest, and balanced, unlike The Bergers' favorite news media outlet; Fox. I'm sure Cheese or one of the twins will take offense to that line, but nonetheless, it is definitely true.

So, here is my disclaimer...I am a huge Weber State fan, especially basketball, and for me, it is extremely difficult to say that someone else in the conference, or state, had a better recruiting season than the Wildcats. With that being said, I am determined to be honest and impartial. For me, the best way to accomplish this feat is to see what each team needs for it to be successful. That's done by looking at what each team accomplished last season, and the teams remaining players. Recruits are supposedly to plug holes. Of course none of us know how good a player really is until the season starts. The purpose of this piece isn't to talk about players that have left a Big Sky program, or who have graduated. The purpose of this piece is to analyze each school's 2009 recruits. Some schools I will be able to talk more about, since I have been able to learn more about their respective program. Unfortunately, there are a number of programs that I haven't been able to gather much information on, so I won't be able to be as thorough as I would want to be. Regardless, I have been able to find out about each programs' recruits and will be able to grade them accordingly.

What needs to be stated is the fact that the Big Sky is improving. Last season the Conference's RPI jumped from 23 (2007-08) to 17, and if MSU would have beaten Cal State Fullerton in the bracket buster, then the Sky would have finished 16 barely edging the Big West out. Automatically, one can then assume that the Big Sky will only get better this season. You can argue this, because of two reasons. First, and most important, each Big Sky team is returning the majority of their impact players. Only Weber State lost its team leaders. Second, the Sky is starting to compete more effectively with the bigger programs. PSU's victory over No. 7 Gonzaga and Idaho State's win over Utah are clear examples of the Sky's ability to compete with bigger schools. Even though wins are a clear indicator of improvement, close victories can also be indicators. There were a number of close, or overtime games with DI majors that can also be signs of how the Big Sky is improving. Anyway, here goes:

Easter Washington D+
Former Weber State assistant Kirk Earlywine led the Eagles to an overall 12-17 record, compiling a 6-10 mark in conference play. Their conference record earned them a 7th place finish and an early offseason. EWU went through some stretches, which should be familiar to many Wildcat fans, where the team seemed to lose focus and played poorly (Coaching?). Earlywine's team has adequate talent, and actually returns 2 of the Big Sky's best players in guard Benny Valentine and center Big Baldy (Brandon Moore). Other than that the Eagles roster is composed of glue players who play their roles well at times. For Kirk Earlywine's team to compete for a tournament spot it is in desperate need of a stronger and deeper backcourt. Earlywine, due to his seasons at Weber State, recognizes the affect good guards can have on a Big Sky team. Success in the Sky happens because of a team's guards. Earlywine went out and found a number of guards who will add depth to the lineup, but they don't look to be anything special; right now. Of course, with some experience and development each recruit has the potential to being really good. None of them will ever be considered great that would be a definite exaggeration. Unfortunately for the Eagles, a number of their signed players ended up not qualifying academically, which has caused Earlywine to scrounge for players after the late signing period had ended. Earlywine was able to sign 4 guards in the early signing period, but only one of them Jeffrey Forbes qualified. Fortunately for him, he was also able to steal a player who had agreed to play for PAC-10 powerhouse Arizona, in JC transfer Tremayne Johnson. Along with Johnson EWU signed Lorin Griffin who was a teammate of Johnson. Along with Johnson and Griffin, in the this late period EWU has been able to sign Sean Fischer, Alden Gibbs, and Glenn Dean who Earlywine says "is as talented as the most talented of the Sky" (Wishful Thinking?). None of the incoming guards wowed scouts. Most scouts actually say that Earlywine has been forced into his plan B option.

To be candid, I believe it's lucky he was able to sign anyone this late. The Eagles have been a very difficult team to track. This class brings the Eagles players who actually qualified academically. F. D'Vonne Pickett PG (combo) (ESPN 72) Non-QualifierF. Jeffery Forbes PG (ESPN 70) F. Sean Fischer Combo Guard (Gonzaga Prep) F. Chris Holmes SG (combo) Non-QualifierJr. Stevie Hendrick PG (Land of Lakes CC) Non-QualifierSoph. Tremayne Johnson PF (Southwest CC) *Top Recruit*Soph. Lorin Griffin (Southwest CC) Soph. Glenn Dean

Idaho State A-
Idaho State made huge strides this past season with a fairly young team. The Bengals made it to the Big Sky tournament and beat the Utes for the first time in 40 years. Fortunately for the Bengals, Joe O'Brien's team is senior laden and will bring back 7 veteran players. The 2009-10 team would have had 9 seniors on the team; yet, former Colorado and senior to be Kal Bay left the team in April and Phillip Taylor -backup PG- has opted to red-shirt this next season in hopes of improving his academic standing. Unfortunately for the Bengals, ISU loses senior star Matt Stucki to graduation. Stucki, along with guard Amorrow Morgan were the Bengals most consistent players last season. Already, the Bengals will start the season down, since senior to be, and the best three point shooter on the team, Austin Kilpatrick, has had surgery and will not be able to play or shoot till October. No matter, the Bengals will return as one of the most dangerous and athletics teams in the Big Sky field. Coach O'Brien knew what he needed for the team to find success -a true PG-- and went out and got two players who will, hopefully, automatically make an impact. Eric Segert is being tabbed as one of the best recruits to go to Pocatello, since Ron Boone the witless blinker. Segert is a two-star recruit who is a definite long range threat. The other recruit is a JC transfer from Frank Phillips CC and will provide the Bengals with an experienced veteran PG to backup sophomore Sherrod Baldwin. If Orlando Little is cleared to play by the NCAA...LOOK OUT! This class brings toughness to the listless Bengals. Maybe Ron Boone will make the trip to the Potato Barn to watch his beloved Bengals.F. Eric Segert SGJr. Broderick Gilchrist PG (Frank Phillips CC) Jr. Orlando Little (Memphis) Hasn't been cleared to play, but looks mean and good.

Montana A-
Tinkle can recruit, but the question shouldn't be how good of a recruiter is he but whether or not he can coach and develop the players once they have been recruited. To be fair to Wayne, he inherited a bunch of players that excelled as under-classmen for the coach that recruited them, but were merely average as upper-classmen for Wayne. Fortunately for Tinkle, he has the services of AJ: Anthony Johnson for another year. All Tinkle needed to do was to bring in a number of players who could automatically help Johnson. He might have done that, but with Freshmen one never knows how they will turn out. Yes, Montana has, most likely, next season's Freshman of the Year on the team, but will the returning and role players contribute enough to help the Griz get over the hump? I don't think Montana fans should get overly excited yet. Of course, I'm not a prognosticator --I am a pugilist-- but in my opinion Montana has an amazing veteran player, but a lot of under-classmen that haven't been tried or haven't shown their potential as of yet. There really isn't anyone else on the Montana team that has the experience, talent, and athleticism needed to make a run. In a few years that might be different. I'm giving Montana an A- because Tinkle needed more veterans to help this years team; however, Tinkle, did get 3 recruits who should be playing next January at bigger schools and in more prestigious leagues. This class brings athleticism to the Griz. F. Eric Hutchinson (ESPN 85 C) F. Will Cherry (ESPN 80, rivals.com have him as a three-star PG) F. Thurman Woods (ESPN 79 PF) Jr.
Rassum Young: he hasn't signed, but the UM faithful are pretty sure he will, if he qualifies. (Haggerstown JC. PG)

Montana State C-
State got what they were looking for, but not what they needed. They aren't great recruits, and may not even be good enough to help a senior laden team to be more consistent next season. In the long-term (2 or 3 seasons), these recruits may develop into being great additions to the MSU program. As for next season, I don't think so. Fortunately for State, they may not need them for a few years. Due to last seasons remarkable run in the Big Sky tournament --not since Boise State virtually bought a Tournament Championship (1994 BSC), and Weber State behind Longshot Lance Allred, has a 6th seed been in a conference championship-- State should return with some confidence. MSU is a veteran team, and is recruiting hard for the 2010-11 season. MSU went out and got players that could give them needed depth, players who might develop into good role players, and height. However, MSU was looking for an instant impact player. For MSU to be successful they needed to find a player that could take Mbunga's spot, which is virtually an impossible thing to do. So instead of trying to find one to count on MSU got three "Bigs," who might combined, make a new Mbunga. Out of this class, Budinich seems to be the best recruit. Budinich is too young and raw and Swita, yes he is 7'0, but isn't even average. The purpose of this class was to bring depth to the center and power forward position. Without a strong post the Bobcats will struggle. Jeff Budinich (ESPN 70 C 6-10) Marco Bourgault 6-8 FMichel Swita (Northern Idaho JC 7-0 C)

Northern Arizona C
None of these recruits look to be overly impressive. However, "Baldras" (Coach Adras) has a tendency to get the most out of his players. Adras arguably could be the best coach in the Big Sky. He has a reputation for being a coach that gets the absolute most out of his players. Former Lumberjack Kyle Landry is a notable example of Adras's coaching abilities. Landry would have been an average glue player if it hadn't been for Adras's genius. By Landry's senior year he had developed into an all-conference player, and the leader of his team. Landry is only one example. Under Adras's tenure there are many many more. However, Adras will have an extremely difficult time rebuilding his team. Gratefully, he will have a number of his role players returning, only Josh Wilson (one of the Big Sky's best Assist men ever) graduated. For Utahn's, Stallon Saldivar should be a familiar name. Stallon prepped at Judge Memorial and played with future Wildcat Dee Crandall. Fortunately for Stallon, he will not be depended upon to contribute next season as much as the JC signees. For NAU to compete they will definitely need the services of their new JC's, and regrettably for the Jack, none of them look to be that great. None of the JC's were overachievers at their respective schools. What will make or break them is their willingness to follow their coaches instructions. Because of these recruits, I don't see NAU being a force in the Sky next season. With that being said, I wouldn't be surprised if they compete for the conference title either. Speed is what this class brings to the Lumberjacks. Not only does this class bring speed, but will be depended upon to paint the giant Paul Bunyon like Lumberjack on the NAU campus. Also, I hope they like Buffalo Wings...F. Stallon Saldivar (ESPN 80 6-0 PG) F. Reid Wallace (ESPN 78 6-6 SF) Jr. De Angelo Jones (Cochise College 6-5 SF) Jr. Isaiah Jackson (Mississippi Gulf Coast CC 6-5 SF) Jr. Julian Olubuyi (Northwest College 5-9 PG)

Northern Colorado A
UNC got exactly what they needed, and became that much deeper due to these recruits. Connor Osbourne and Emmanual Addo are being touted as the best signees in UNC history. These two players along with Unruh and Arnold will be the foundation for UNC success in the upcoming years. UNC is extremely lucky to have the services of perhaps one of the best Mid-Major coaches in Tad Boyle. Along with being one of the best recruits in UNC history, Osbourne is also, possibly, the best recruit coming out of the state of Colorado this year. Connor should be playing at a bigger program, but based his decision on coaching. He really likes Boyles style of coaching and believes that Boyle will help him develop into an excellent players. Also, he believes that UNC has the best chance of success out of all the other Colorado schools. In his opinion, UNC is the best one out of the other DI Colorado programs to make it to the NCAA tournament. Depth is the number one quality that this class gives to the Bears. I hope they like the dancing suga bears...to bad they grow during the year to the point that their uniforms no longer fit, damn that beer. Connor Obsourne (ESPN 83 6-9 C) Emmanual Addo (ESPN 81 6-8 PF) Tate Unruh (ESPN 76 6-2 PG) David Arnold (ESPN 74 6-1 PG)

Portland State B+
After losing the "Bone" to the Washington State Cougs, the Vikings did a fairly decent job of keeping most of his recruits. Two of his most sought after recruits decided to stick with their commitments and attend Portland State. Max Jacobsen and Melvin Jones look like 2 excellent recruits. However, Jones is instantly going to feel pressured to play at the same level as the 2 time first teamer and former Big Sky MVP Jeremiah Dominguez. However, with a new coaching staff, and a number of key players returning for the Vikings, I don't think Jones will be too overwhelmed. However, PSU's recent success has virtually been created on the guard line. For PSU to continue being competitive in the future, they will need instant production from their JC transfers. Personally, I think Jones is capable for the task. The quality that this recruiting class brings to the Vikings is depth. These recruits were lured to PSU by the prospect of playing in front of a sold out crowd for each of their home games...too bad for them they weren't told how many sold out means. At PSU sold-out games equals less than 2K. Then again, that's an average arena in the Big West. Chris Harriel (ESPN 74 6-4 SG) Max Jacobsen (ESPN 73 6-7 PF) Melvin Jones (Northern Idaho JC 5-10 PG) Phillip Thomas (College of E. Utah 6-7 PF/C)

Sacramento State C+
Hornets Coach Katz must not have liked his players since he is signing, virtually, a new team. Katz signed 5 JC players, four from the California system that he is so familiar with, that should make an immediate impact on the lowly Hornets. Katz's team was a determined lot, but one that definitely lacked talent and ability. Hopefully these new recruits will make the Hornets more competitive. John Dickson and Dani Lopez are Katz's Freshmen. At Mid season, Lopez was being rated as a mid 80s recruit, but once AAU ball got under way Lopez's marks began to fall. I don't know if it was necessarily his abilities, or the fact that he signed with Sacramento State that dropped his overall numbers. Dickinson; however, is being touted as one of the best pickups for the Hornets in 5 or 6 seasons. He should get minutes as a freshman. The other five are nothing special. Duro Bjegovic could turn out, but the other 4 are merely fillers. The quality that this recruitment class brings to Sacramento State is new faces. John Dickson (ESPN 79 6-5 SF) Dani Lopez (ESPN 73 6-9 C) Walter Jackson (San Joaquin 6-5 SG) Duro Bjegovic (Highland CC 6-7 PF) Alpha N'Diaye (Ohlone CC 6-8 C) David Norris (Riverside JC 6-6 SF) Sultan Toles-Bey (Fresno City College 5-10 PG)

Weber State A-
The defending conference champion Wildcats will have a difficult time replacing the current Big Sky MVP Kellen McCoy and Defensive Player of the Year Daviin Davis. Fortunately for the other members of the Big Sky these 2 players have finished their eligibility, and have graduated; however, unfortunately for the Sky, the Wizard of Weber recruited exceptionally talented players to replace these losses. In my personal opinion I think Weber State has assembled one of its best recruiting classes in a decade. The Wizard has done an excellent job of balancing his class between freshmen and JCs. How Rahe got the three JCs is shocking to me. Franklin Session, Josh Nobel, and Lindsey Hughey all were conference 1st teamers with Session and Nobel attaining MVP honors for their respective conferences. Fulton, Davis, and Coro all are good freshmen players who with good coaching and some experience can really bring toughness and effort to the team. None of these players are quitters, each of them will bring much needed depth and experience to a championship caliber team. Rahe knew that all the other teams would get better in the off-season, and for the Wildcats to continue to compete, Weber had to get some great players who could help the Wildcats stay on top by adding toughness and speed to his lineup. However the qualities the Wildcats have improved on the most through this recruiting class is rebounding and defense. The next thing that the Cats need to improve on is student attendance...Big Papa and Weir best be helping Bev, if not Willie is going to punch them.Blake Davis (ESPN 78 6-5 SG) Byron Fulton (ESPN 74 6-8 PF/C) Dee Crandall (Judge Memorial PG) Pablo Coro (First Chilean DI player) Linsey Hughey (Seminole State College)Josh Nobel (Snead State JC)Franklin Session (Saddleback College JC