Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Meet Gary Williams Jr.

Here's a link to our article on Gary Williams Jr. and his signing with San Jose State University.


Offer out to a 2016 guard

San Jose State University has offered a 2016 prep shooting guard from down south - 6-foot-3 Bryce Peters out of Long Beach. He also has offers from Arizona State, UTEP, Wyoming, Pepperdine, San Francisco. One analysis described him as tough and competitive with a dribble-drive game but needing a lot of work on his jumpshot.

Monday, April 27, 2015

James honored for academics and humanitarian work

Jalen James has been named an Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar.

Another new assistant coach

Jeff Goodman broke this: "San Jose State's Dave Wojcik has hired Joe Wallace - who was on his brother's staff at Charleston. Wallace also worked with Wojcik at Tulsa."

Here is his College of Charleston biography. He has a history of employment with Doug Wojcik, Dave Wojcik's brother, and stood by him when the ugliness at CofC became known.

Beddeo connected to SJSU

Ryan Beddeo, a 6-foot-2 2015 point out of West Ranch High in southern California, was just connected to SJSU basketball - Coach McKillop: "Pg Ryan Beddeo terrific at #PangosSweet16 picking up interest from SJSU, LIU Brooklyn, Marist, IdahoSt ."

Here's a January 2015 feature.

Not sure why the interest in another point.

-- ADDED -- Ronnie Flores wrote this: "Ryan Beddeo (H-Squad/West Ranch) 6-2 G has impressed college coaches 2 April viewing periods. Whether reclassifies or stays 2015 1 to track."

More on MaCio Teague

Mike Dyer on MaCio Teague: "Eastern Kentucky offered Walnut Hills combo guard MaCio Teague and he plans to take an unofficial visit there on April 28, according to his father Sean Teague.

Former Summit Country Day coach Michael Bradley, who coached MaCio Teague earlier in his high school career, was named Associate Head Coach at Eastern Kentucky earlier this week.

MaCio Teague, one of the area's top players this past season, is also scheduled to take an official visit to Kent State next weekend.

UNC Asheville, which recently offered MaCio Teague, was in town today to watch him."

Sunday, April 26, 2015

One more

It's looking like SJSU men's basketball has one more scholarship to offer. The target will be a big. Juwan Anderson is out after the Gary Williams Jr, signing and the need isn't really there at this point for a shooting guard (MaCio Teague). Such are my predictions and I'm sticking with them.

Saturday, April 25, 2015

File this in the neither here, nor there department:

Jaycee Hillsman, a 6-foot-5 forward, out of Chicago but currently attending school in Indiana, tripped to SJSU in late March after being offered earlier in that month.

Matters apparently didn't work out as Hillsman remains unsigned.

Friday, April 24, 2015

Teague with another offer

From All Ohio Basketball: "2015 Walnut Hills G MaCio Teague ... picks up an offer from UNC-Asheville!"

At this point, who knows the status of SJSU's interest in Teague and Juwan Anderson. With Gary Williams aboard, pursue a big or keep the schollie and use it after a more successful season which theoretically should make the Spartans a more viable landing spot.

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Chuck Driesell added to SJSU coaching staff

From Hoop Dirt: "It sounds like former Citadel head coach Chuck Driesell is involved with the open assistant spot at San Jose State."

The son of former Maryland Coach Lefty Driesell, he was recently let go as the head coach at The Citadel.

Someone, apparently in the know, already has Driesell at SJSU.

The Post and Courier provides confirmation.

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Williams Jr. goes with the Spartans

6-foot-5 215 guard/wing Gary Williams Jr. has signed with San Jose State University. Coming out of Castlemont High in Oakland, he enrolled at Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa, Iowa, then spent a non-playing year at Midland Junior College in Texas before heading back to Iowa.

This season, he averaged 12.9 points, 4.7 assists and 4.5 rebounds a game while shooting 51%, 32% and 88% respectively in an up-tempo offense. This production earned him National Junior College Athletic Association third-team All-American honors.
William's Jr. had offers this season from Nevada, UAB, Montana and Hawaii.

Monday, April 20, 2015

Wilson to depart

Per Jimmy Durkin: "San Jose State men's basketball player Devante Wilson will graduate in May and look to transfer. He sat out this year on a medical redshirt."

Teague with another offer

From Mike Dyer: "UNC Asheville offered Walnut Hills 2015 combo guard MaCio Teague this past weekend, according to Walnut Hills basketball coach Ricardo Hill.

Teague, named Associated Press Division I second-team all-state and first-team all-district, averaged 25.7 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.8 steals this past season for the Eagles (19-6).

"He's planning on visiting several schools over the next couple of weeks before making his decision," Hill told Cincinnati.com."

Sunday, April 19, 2015

Anderson tripping in May

Latest Juwan Anderson tweet: "Final visit will be to San Jose St May 6."

New Mexico chooses assistant

From Jeff Goodman: "Tremendous hire for Craig Neal at New Mexico -- sources told ESPN he will bring on Nebraska's Chris Harriman as his associate head coach."

And: "Chris Harriman will be a head coach. Just a matter of time. This move gives him more west coast options."

Geoff Grammer offers a feature.

Ben Weiximann tweets.

Let's see what SJSU does with its opening.

More on Juwan Anderson

From Juwan Anderson: "Excited for this visit to LIU Brooklyn Tuesday."

This in itself makes it seems like St. Mary's didn't offer. -- just a guess/no evidence - because wouldn't that have been agreed to by a young man out of the East Bay?

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Welage makes it official

Wisconsin prepster Ryan Welage took care of business today, signing his National Letter Of Intent to attend SJSU.

Nevada has a second assistant coach

University of Nevada head men's basketball coach Eric Musselman has added Jay Morris to his new Wolf Pack basketball staff.  An assistant coach Morris joins Doug Stewart and Anthony Ruta as the third member of Musselman's staff.

"Jay was highly recommended by CSUN head coach Reggie Theus," Musselman said.  "He is known for being a tireless worker and has great recruiting ties in California."

 "The position that I now occupy at the University of Nevada was a highly coveted position by a number of respected coaches all across the country," Morris said. "I am truly honored that Coach Musselman trusted in me to be a part of the Wolf Pack family. I'm ready to get to work and my wife and I are excited to embrace the Reno community." 

Morris comes to the Wolf Pack after spending the last five seasons as an assistant coach at Cal State Northridge.  During his time as a recruiter at CSUN he signed Stephan Hicks the Big West Freshman of the Year.  On the court he worked with the guards along with assisting in both offensive and defensive game plans.  

Prior to his time at CSUN Morris spent two seasons as the Director of Basketball operations at Long Beach State University.  He coordinated team travel, film exchange, served as camp director, maintained the recruiting data base and monitored academic progress.  The 2009-10 49ers team advanced to the Big West Conference Championship.

A member of the NABC, Morris has twice coached in the NABC Reese's All-Star games played at the Final Four.  He has worked with two legendary basketball coaches, Billy Tubbs and Bill Hodges.

Morris was the assistant basketball and strength coach at his alma mater, Westchester High School (Los Angeles) for three years prior to joining the staff at LBSU.  While at WHS he implemented and supervised the strength and conditioning routines.  He coached six players who went on to play NCAA I basketball.

He also spent time as a personal trainer and founder of DREAM, where he focused on training high school and professional athletes.  Morris worked with NBA players Trevor Ariza and Jason Hart.

Morris was a standout basketball and football star at Westchester High School. In 1998, Morris gained all-league and all-city honors as a quarterback. He played one year of college basketball at Citrus College before transferring to Cal Lutheran. Morris played two years of football as a cornerback and punt returner. He then played for the Bakersfield Blitz of the Arena Football League for one season in 2004.

In 2010 he received a bachelor's degree in kinesiology from Cal State Dominguez Hills.  Currently he is completing a master's degree in athletic administration at Concordia University.

Teague honored

MaCio Teague has been honored by his selection to the 2015 JJHuddle Division I All-Ohio Supreme Team.

He's coming in for a visit this weekend. Wish it would be snowing in Cincinnati when he boards the plane or returns home but the forecast is only rain and thunder on Sunday. It will be sunny and 83 degrees during his Washington Square stay.

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Monday, April 13, 2015

Williams Jr. offered

SJSU has offered Gary Williams Jr., a 6-foot-5 215 sophomore guard out of Indian Hills CC (Iowa) who graduated from Castlemont High in Oakland. Williams Jr. was named a Third Team National Junior College Athletic Association Basketball All-American after averaging 12.9 points, 5.0 assists and 4.5 rebounds this season. Overall, he shot 52%, 32 % from long distance and he was the team leader in free throw percentage at 88%, making 140-of-158 attempts.

Get one and the odds for another increase

From KP: "2018 guard Naseem Gaskin picks up his first offer from BOISE STATE! Congrats Naseem!"

Boise State got a commit from Gaskin's state champion Bishop O'Dowd teammate Paris Austin who will sign soon with the Broncos and be in the mix to start at the point. Once you land a kid, the percentage of getting another from the same school/area is multiplied. Recruits recruit recruits. SJSU must get in the game in northern California.

SJSU commit Welage honored as all-stater

Welage named first team All-State


Thursday, April 9, 2015

Maybe SJSU is still in the running

Juwan Anderson, in cryptic mode: "Great talk with San Jose St."

Musselman hires assistant

Per Chris Murray, new Nevada Coach Eric Musselman has hired Doug Stewart who possesses experience in the professional level, Pac-12, Ivy Leagues, etc.

A Murray tweet: "Musselman said he pooled the AAU coaches in Pack's recruiting area for feedback and they all loved Stewart, who has Pac-12 experience, too."

Smart idea.

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Anderson with another trip

NERR Hoops: "unsigned G Juwan Anderson is set to visit LIU this week."

Long Island University, a 12-18 Northeast Conference program this past season, is located in Brooklyn. Don't know the attraction for Anderson.

New USU coach Tim Duryea retains existing staff

From Jeff Goodman: "New Utah State head coach is retaining Chris Jones and Tarvish Felton on his staff." He certainly knows what to expect since he has already worked with both for years now.

Filling the assistant coach opening

The opening for assistant basketball coach is up -- LINK

"Position is open until filled. Screening of applications to begin on April 7, 2015. For full consideration send a letter of application, resume and three recent letters of recommendation by April 21, 2015 to:

Dave Wojcik - Men's Basketball Head Coach
Division of Intercollegiate Athletics
San Jose State University
One Washington Square
San Jose, CA 95192-0062"

This is a critical hire and one that has to be gotten right. The turnover bleed of assistants must be staunched. It has to be someone with northern and southern California recruiting connections and credibility as the Spartans cannot continue being shut out from either talent pool.

Also, looking at the current makeup of the coaching staff, the odds certainly favor a minority candidate.

The legal matter with former Associate Head Coach Chris Brazelton must have been settled one way or the other. Good to have that in the rearview mirror.

Saturday, April 4, 2015

Schwartz honored

Cody Schwartz was just honored as an Associated Press Third Team All State Wisconsin selection. Here's the article.

A snippet:

"...Schwartz, the Bay Conference player of the year, led West De Pere to the Division 2 state tournament for a second straight year. The 6-foot-8 San Jose State recruit led the league by averaging 20.6 points per game and finished his prep career as the Phantom's all-time leading scorer with 1,639 points."

Friday, April 3, 2015

Inside Eric Musselman

Chris Murray does a fine job of positioning readers to understand the essence of Eric Musselman.

Visit by 6-foot-7 forward

At Inside Sparta on the basketball message board, goldxblooded has posted that a 6-foot-7 Texas prep forward tripped to Washington Square last weekend.

Here's a 2014 evaluation:

"Deandre Abrams, a 6'6 2015 lb prospect of Creekview (,TX), big time wing player with a smooth athletic game. A lot of length and can handle the ball to get to the rim and finish over top of people. Looking to get out in transition and dunk with authority. A capable shooter from distance, with repetition can become very good shooter and will take his game to another level."

Here's video from 2014:

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Teague visiting in mid-April

Per Mike Dyer: "Walnut Hills 2015 combo guard MaCio Teague will take an official visit to #SanJoseState the weekend of April 17."

He's a fine student and a solid prospect. Some are labeling him a changemaker which is a stretch. Schools such as Liberty, Akron, Bryant, Winthrop, Oakland and Seton Hall have offered so keep expectations as they should be.

Also, Juwan Anderson's tweets are singing the praises for St. Mary's so it's easy to read the tea leaves that Moraga is his first choice. Let's see if the Gaels feel the same.