SJSU offers 2015 Indiana prep forward

From In The Gym Hoops: "2015 6'9 Tahjai Teague EG10/Pike HS gets offer from San Jose State tonight."

The lefty frontcourter also owns offers from Ball State and Western Illinois.

From a recent report:

6’9″ Tahjai Teague is a long, smooth shooting forward who was quite impressive. He’s active around the paint– grabbing rebounds and scoring on drop-off passes. He can run the floor well and put the ball on the floor and throw down a strong dunk when given the chance. Teague isn’t just a long wing who can stroke the three over small defenders, he showed a consistent mid-range game as well. Tahjai also has solid handles and moves the ball well on offense. He’s active and alert defensively and should be a very solid prospect.

This interview is from mid-May.

Below is video from his just-completed high school season:

San Diego State in a whole different recruiting realm

From Percy Allen:

Jeremy Hemsley, a consensus four-star 2015 prospect, shunned the Pac-12 and announced via Twitter that he’ll attend San Diego State.

The 6-4 guard from La Verne, Calif. also considered Washington, Colorado and Arizona State. It’s the second time in as many years the Huskies lost a significant recruit to the Aztecs. Last year, Zylan Cheatham chose SDSU over UW.

It’s one thing to lose top recruits to college basketball powerhouses like Kentucky, Kansas and Louisville. It’s even understandable when Washington is the runner-up in recruiting derbies that include Pac-12 heavyweights such as Arizona, UCLA and Oregon.

But the Huskies have got to question their standing on the west coast when San Diego State is viewed as a more favorable destination for top high school players.

Granted the Aztecs posted a 31-5 record, which included a 70-63 win over Washington last season. They routinely sellout the 12,000-seat Viejas Arena. They’ve made five straight NCAA tourney appearances and advanced to the Sweet 16 last season. SDSU also has three players currently in the NBA.

Still, it’s sobering to believe the new normal is a basketball world where a Mountain West team routinely trumps Pac-12 teams on the court and in recruiting...

The Runnin' Rebels changing philosophy of play

Mike Grimala writes of UNLV's plan to play four out - one in next season.

Kerry Keating gets it

Yes, the calendar is heading into June but look what Coach Kerry Keating and Santa Clara basketball is doing:

95.7 The Game: The head basketball coach of the Santa Clara University Broncos, Kerry Keating (@SCUHoops), joins @DamonBruce at 4:00! Tune in!

and

We will be announcing a corporate "team camp" leadership event revolving around basketball soon, anyone with interest pls call 408-554-4031

St. Mary's a model for so many

The Gaels basketball braintrust gets it -- you are either a f-a-m-i-l-y or you aren't and the bond didn't begin yesterday):

Some of the biggest names in Saint Mary’s athletics history are scheduled to return to campus this summer for a special event to celebrate a more than a decade as the state’s winningest NCAA Division I men’s basketball program.

On Sunday, June 29 at 6 p.m., Saint Mary’s will host the Gaels Basketball All-Star Classic.  The game will be preceded by a special alumni game that includes former SMC players from across several decades. The All-Star Classic will feature current professional players from the most recent era of Gaels basketball. Former Saint Mary’s stars Patrick Mills, Matthew Dellavedova, Omar Samhan, Mickey McConnell, Daniel Kickert, E.J. Rowland, Diamon Simpson, Rob Jones, Ian O’Leary and Stephen Holt are among the players who have committed to participate in the Gael Basketball All-Star Classic.

Tickets are available for $5 through SMCGaels.com (link should be active Thursday), at the SMC Athletic Ticket Office during business hours or at the door. Youth 12 and under receive free admission. In addition, SMC season ticket holders who have placed their deposit or fully renewed their seats for the upcoming season will receive complimentary admission.

Complete rosters, player participation information and other details will be released throughout the weeks leading up to the event.

 “Our program has developed such strong ties between players, coaches, alumni and the community that we wanted to find a way to continue to strengthen those relationships,” said head coach Randy Bennett. “With so many players currently on professional teams throughout the world, it has been impossible to get everyone back on campus during the season.  A number of former players indicated their schedules would allow them to make it back this summer and they wanted to be a part of something special. What better showcase of our program than through these special alumni and all-star games.”

Over the past 13 seasons, Saint Mary’s has won 72 percent of its games, won two West Coast Conference regular-season titles and earned eight postseason appearances. The Gaels’ winning percentage during the decade is the best among Division I institutions in the state of California.

Since head coach Randy Bennett’s arrival at Saint Mary’s prior to the 2001-02 season, 14 different players have earned 28 all-WCC honors, while McConnell and Dellavedova were named the league’s Player of the Year. Kickert, Simpson and Dellavedova are among just five SMC players ever to receive all-WCC honors three times.

A total of 18 former SMC standouts played professionally this past/current season. Dellavedova and Mills played in the NBA for Cleveland and San Antonio, respectively, while McConnell was the final player released in the preseason by the Dallas Mavericks and played for the club’s D-League affiliate.

Kickert, Rowland, Simpson, Jones and O’Leary played with teams in the highest divisions of various European leagues, while four recent graduates participated in Australia’s National Basketball League.

A short look at the 2014-15 MWC

SI's Brian Hamilton looks at next season's Mountain West Conference, with yet another non-mention of Jordan Baker in the Impact Transfer category.

The roster movement in Sin City

Matt Youmans writes about the extensive comings-and-goings within the UNLV basketball program.

Under the radar transfers

I get it but I don't want to. Jon Rothstein writes about under-the-radar transfers for next season and, of course, Jordan Baker isn't among them.

But then again, a player coming to Massachusetts and another to Hofstra are among the quintet detailed and those aren't exactly historically lauded programs. Plus, Robert Upshaw is listed (at Washington) and he's just another drug test away from completely blowing his college basketball career and didn't make a positive impression at all on the court in his sole season as a freshman at Fresno State.

SJSU basketball simply isn't on the map right now in the minds of national college basketball analysts and it's impossible to argue against that status, But hey, that's unfair to players.

Right now, the only thing that can be done is for Baker to earn some headlines this season. May he do just that.

The status of Devenir Duruisseau

Reached out to Los Angeles Times prep athletics reporter Eric Sondheimer recently regarding the status of onetime San Jose State University commit Devenir Duruisseau and he offered that the young man is still undecided.

Wow. Especially at this point.

Some teams have filled their quota and simply don't have further scholarships to offer, possibly including location this young man might wish to land. So limitations are in place. Plus, it's now a matter of signing not a national letter of intent but a financial agreement, which isn't binding meaning no permission is needed from the school in order to transfer elsewhere and be on scholarship.

Sure would like to see Duruisseau land at Washington Square since another big is needed but he would first and somehow need to demonstrate that he's all in.

The big bucks entities and the rest of us

Marek Warszawski writes about the haves-and-have-not within NCAA athletics and the future looks ominous for the latter.

Clarkson & Keeton

Former Spartan great Steve Clarkson is working out Utah State senior quarterback Chuckie Keeton.

We know who to pile on if USU beats SJSU this season.

Just kidding.

DJ a San Jose State University graduate

From DJ Brown's Twitter account: "Officially a 2014 college graduate"

Congrats to DJ

Chris Murray on Wolf Pack hoops

Chris Murray provides excellent insight into how Coach David Carter is shaping his Nevada program. A snippet:

"...Size has always been a story for us in terms of recruiting, trying to find the right guys to play the four and five, guys with girth, guys who are 240-250 pounds, guys who have the size to defend and rebound," Carter said. In the WAC, you could get away with one legit big man. That doesn't work in the Mountain West. Look at the teams that thrive in the league: San Diego State, New Mexico, UNLV. Those programs win with defense, rebounding and frontcourt length...

Let's see if the Reno-ites can get baskets at tough points during games and at the end. There's nobody proven right now

Passion & perspective

So what does the phrase 'passion and perspective' mean in an away-from-the-court fan and spoets information/basketball staff sense?

It's what we as fans need to bring when a new regime takes over because a respectable Washington Square basketball will not be constructed anytime quickly.

But it's also a two way street.

Because staff in any way involved in men's basketball also need to demonstrate, among other elements, passion and perspective and the latter involves both understanding and appreciating what Spartan fans have endured for decades -- flat out futility cloaked under the guise milking supporters for this and that while the product was never going to succeed.

Any new coach and staff get a clean slate -- that's only fair and appropriate. Garnering respect will require a period of years.

But it's critical to give reasons to continue caring and that includes consistent communication, honesty to the highest degree possible and inclusion.

Take the San Jose State MBB official Twitter account. At present, its latest post is dated April 11. Before that, March 11. Now maybe this is low hanging fruit but don't establish an outlet for fan information dispensation and then either ignore or shutter it. That's just more of the same failure from the past.

Here's some unsolicited advice from Coach Bob Walsh. He writes about "Championship Culture: Run a Transparent Program."

It closes:

Transparency can be hard and even uncomfortable at first when you are trying to establish your approach, but it's a big part of a long-term championship culture. Inviting the local community inside and giving them a piece helps create momentum and an energy that is invaluable. Your program becomes a brand, something that everyone wants to invest in. Many coaches are insecure and sensitive about letting people know what they are doing every day, paranoid that giving people access is only going to lead to negative. But the exact opposite is the case. You should be proud of what you are doing and invite people to learn about it. Running a transparent program is a great way to build and maintain a championship culture.  

Is this happening with both San Jose State University men's basketball and the sports information staff supporting it?

+++++++

As discussed earlier, not having an end-of-the-season basketball banquet was just more of the proverbial same old-same old. That must end.

Grammer with some 2014-15 predictions

From Geoff Grammer, News Mexico athletics beat reporter for the Alb. Journal: "Won't be on national radar, but Mountain West hoops 1-7 next year should be fun w/ BoiseSt, ColoSt, FresnoSt, UNM, SDSU, UNLV & Wyo."

Eke not academically eligible

From Zach Ewing, the sense is that Fatai Eke hasn't academically qualified and therefore will be going the JC route. He's a 6-foot-7  Bakersfield area prep power forward connected to SJSU and many others.

Huggins goes with New Mexico State

From Zach Ewing: "Mira Monte's Braxton Huggins will sign with New Mexico State on a basketball scholarship tomorrow."

That solves one mystery. Huggins must have been placed on SJSU's very early recruiting list and remaining even after interest waned. That's always one thing to keep in mind: whether it be Scout or Rivals or Verbal Commits, connection of player to schools is never retracted until that prospect actually signs somewhere.

The Spartans nab a big

From Spartan athletics:

Leon Bahner (BAA-nah), a 6-11 center who is a 2013 graduate of CJD Konigswinter in Bonn, Germany, has signed a National Letter-of-Intent to play men's basketball at San Jose State University beginning with the 2014-15 season, as announced by Spartan head coach Dave Wojcik.

Bahner played the past year for the RSV Eintracht Stahnsdorf U19 team in Berlin, Germany.  He led the team in scoring at 12.6 points, rebounding at 10.1 boards and blocks at 2.9 per game.  He scored a season-high 28 points and pulled down 13 rebounds in a win versus BBT Gottingen.  Bahner also received an invitation to tryout for the U20 national team in 2013-14.

"Leon helps us solidify our depth at the post position while adding another high-quality individual to our program," said Wojcik.  "What I love about Leon is his contagious personality, strong character and the success he has shown in the classroom and on the basketball court.  He speaks three languages and carried over a 3.0 grade point average in a tough German academic system.  On top of that, he has played and succeeded against some of the top competition in Germany.  I am excited about Leon's future and what he will bring to our program."

Bahner chose the Spartans after being offered numerous contracts from professional teams in Germany.

Most sites have him listed as 6-foot-9 so it's likely he has been given the college bumpup. 220 pounds is also the predominate weight given. One site had him at 40% from the foul line but 60% shooting accuracy overall. 

Former Spartan Mort Schorr has passed

Mort Schorr, a member of San Jose State University's first nationally ranked basketball team, has passed. Here is his obituary (and it's nice to see his photo in a Spartan uniform). Our condolences to the Schorr family.

Graham picking up the honors hardware

Talk about being bestowed with honors -- per EuroBasket, Justin Graham has been named the Finals Most Valuable Player, the Player of the Year, the Import of the Year, and the Guard of the Year playing for Inter Bratislava in the Slovakian League.

USU's Kyle Davis to BYU

From Jay Drew:

Kyle Davis, a former Utah 5A basketball MVP from Alta High School, is on the move again.

This time he will land at BYU, it appears.

Greg Wrubell of KSL Radio reported via Twitter on Thursday night that Davis, a 6-foot-7, 225-pound forward, will transfer from Utah State to BYU. Davis, who began his college career at Southern Utah University, where he averaged 8.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game for former BYU coach Roger Reid, announced in late March that he was leaving Utah State.

Davis must sit out one season per NCAA transfer rules.

Davis will attend BYU in 2014-15, but must pay his own way and cannot have any contact with the coaching staff until he is enrolled at the school because USU would not release him to BYU or any instate schools, according to Wrubell.

The Aggies also would not release him to any Mountain West Conference schools. The situation is much like the one where Hawaii coaches would not release safety Michael Wadsworth to BYU so Wadsworth was on his own his first year in Provo.

Davis will be put on scholarship before the 2015-16 season and will have two seasons of eligibility remaining.

Davis started in 27 games for the Aggies last season and averaged 9.1 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocked shots per game. He transferred to USU after his LDS Church mission.

The Utah State signing class

Utah State men's basketball head coach Stew Morrill announced Thursday that junior college transfer Trace Cureton (Cure-uh-ton) and high school standout Stefan Rosic (Steff-in Row-sitch) have signed with USU for the 2014-15 season.

Cureton is a 6-4 wing from Indianapolis, Ind., who comes to USU from Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio. He earned the Ohio Community College Athletic Conference (OCCAC) Most Improved Player Award and was a second-team all-OCCAC selection, helping the Tartan Pride post a 21-9 record last season. As a sophomore, Cureton averaged 16.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game, while shooting 51.1 percent from the field, 48.6 percent from three-point range and 75.0 percent at the free throw line. As a freshman, Cureton posted 8.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game, netting 32 percent of his three-pointers. Cureton played high school basketball at Cathedral High School.

"Trace is versatile in that he has the skills to play all three perimeter positions. He is a good shooter, solid ball-handler and a willing defender," Morrill said. "He is a high-character young man from a great family, and we are delighted to have him as an Aggie."

Rosic is a 6-7 forward from Kragujevac, Serbia, who played at the North Central Texas Academy in Granbury, Texas. He earned Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) all-State 1A honors, as well as being named the district Most Valuable Player for Class 2-A and first-team all-district after leading the Panthers to the state championship. Rosic averaged 29 points and nine rebounds per game, while shooting 69 percent from the field and 45 percent from three-point range.   

"Stefan has a very positive upside as he matures physically and adapts to Division I basketball in America. As a big, he will give us an excellent shooter and ball-handler, who is developing his low post game," Morrill said. "Stefan is a very good student who understands the value of getting an education. We are confident he will have a very solid career at Utah State."

Utah State Men's Basketball 2014 Signing Class
Name, Year, Pos., Hometown (Previous School)

Henry Bolton, FR, G, Portsmouth, R.I. (St. Andrews School)
David Collette, FR, F, Murray, Utah, Murray High School
Trace Cureton, JR, W, Indianapolis, Ind., Cathedral High School/Sinclair Community College
Elston Jones, FR, C, Goodyear, Ariz., Millenium High School
Sam Merrill, FR, G, Bountiful, Utah, Bountiful High School
Julion Pearre, FR, G, McKinney, Texas, McKinney North High School
Darius Perkins, JR, G, Fort Myers, Fla., Chaminade-Madonna Prep School/Miami Dade College
Stefan Rosic, FR, F, Kragujevac, Serbia, North Central Texas Academy
Chris Smith, JR, G, Sacramento, Calif., Center High School/Yuba Community College

Provincialism

If charged, I would have to plead guilty.

To provincialism.

In basketball.

Regarding San Jose State University.

Just the latest example is reading a while back that Las Vegas point Noah Robotham decided to go with Akron University.

What the he....?

Rubber City over Silicon Valley?

The Zips over the Spartans?

35 degrees in January and February -- after residing in Vegas?

The Mid-American Conference over the Mountain West?

Yes, but then there is this:

Matters are rosy in the San Joaquin

Fresno State basketball is liking its APR improvement and recruiting class as Robert Kuwada reports.

Trying to track some of the players feeding into the low APR

So the SJSU men's basketball APR dropped bigtime. The individual outcomes will never be known due to privacy laws but here are the scholarship players who departed after the 2012-13 season and, if applicable, what happened with them in 2013-14:

* Aalim Moor graduated after the 2012-13 school year.

* Don't know about Chris Jones, Levanne Pennington and James Kinney.

* Louis Garrett played his senior season this year at DII Dixie State (Utah), averaging 9.6 points and 3.9 rebounds in 18.1 minutes a contest.

* Stephon Smith played as a junior at NAIA-affiliated Northwood in New Orleans, averaging 4.8 points and 3.0 rebounds in 13.3 minutes a contest.

* David Andoh ultimately decided to play at Merritt College in Oakland, put up 13.9 points and 8.3 rebounds a contest and recently signed a national letter-of-intent to play next season at DI Liberty University. 

* Xavier Jones transferred to DII Florida Southern College but doesn't appear on the 2013-14 roster or in the statistics.

* Alex Brown transferred to DII Kentucky Wesleyan and participated in summer basketball activities there as well as an exhibition game but was soon after suspended and never returned to the team.

Utah State lands a shooting guard

Trace Cureton, a 6-foot-4 sophomore backcourter out of Sinclair Community College in Ohio, has signed with Utah State. He averaged 16.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists this season, shooting 51%, 49% and 75% respectively.

Got to love his Twitter handle: Mocha Mamba
.

The 2014-15 post season ban is official

A Jon Wilner tweet: "Due to single-yr APR of 807, San Jose State men's bball has multi yr of 911 and postseason ban in 2014-15"

The metrics:

* 2009-2010 - 907

* 2010-11 - 933

* 2011-12 - 1,000

* 2012-13 - 807

Playing with the big boys

Intriguing headline: "Can Boise State afford another $687,000, or more?"

The Bulldogs with a junior college addition

Fresno State has landed a JC backcourter, one affiliated with Boise State last year -- Robert Kuwada reports.

Nevada signs a heralded JUCO

Via Brad Winton: "Tyron Criswell (2014) of Central CC (NE) has committed to and signed with Nevada. Criswell was NJCAA D2 National POY"

Criswell is a 6-foot-4, 210 sophomore who had offers at least from Kent State and Utah State, besides Nevada. He averaged 20.2 points and 7.2 rebounds a game this past season.

Coach David Carter desperately needed a points producer and it looks like he got one.

The latest on Braxton Huggins

6-foot-3 backcourter Braxton Huggins has long been connected to SJSU recruiting but it appears that was first noted long ago and not current. Here's an item on what Huggins is up to:

The Hoops Whisperer: "Braxton Huggins (2014/Guard/Bakersfield,Calif) will be visiting New Mexico State this weekend per source"

Basor walking on

Yasmine Mahmoud breaks the news that 6-foot-8 Monterey Peninsula College frontcourter Ivo Basor is transferring to San Jose State University as a junior. He will walk-on to the basketball team.

Basor didn't play much for MPC this past season but has demonstrated a degree of a face-the-basket offensive game. He is strong and filled out but lacks explosiveness and maneuverability which limits his back-to-the-basket contributions, rebounding and defensive effectiveness. On the good citizen scale, he's a wonderful young man.

Here's an article on him from 2011 when he was at Watsonville High.

What happened?

Was there an end of the season banquet for SJSU men's basketball?

Were any pre-game functions designed for fans or, more appropriately, season ticketholders, in 2013-14? You know, the ones who demonstrated their continued support in spite of a frightful season on top of decades of proverbial punches in the stomach.

Why not?

Regarding the first query, this would be understandable if the student-athletes didn't want one. Then, it's fine and the decision should be respected.

Otherwise, this is embarrassing.

It's thoughtless.

And wrong.

But it's the continued state of SJSU men's basketball relations where the coin of the realm remains neglect.

More on the Jeremiah Ingram situation

The following are various posts on the Keaney Blue Rhode Island sports message board (so buyer beware):

* "OK, word today is, this kid is getting out of his LOI with San Jose State, and we're recruiting him again."
 
* "He has asked for his release but the school hasn't given it yet. From what I hear a school has to respond in 30 days and they're about halfway through that time."

* "Andrade told me he was released due to APR issues at San Jose."

* "I think it was his choice to ask for his release because of upcoming sanctions, didn't want to go to a program with no possibility of post-season play"

* May 10 "Was just told that Ingram will take one more visit this week. He's down to URI and that school. Ingram and his mom both loved URI. He said Ingram is a good ball handler. That's why he can play on the perimeter. He thinks he will play 3/4 rather than 2/3 at the division 1 level. He's more of a slasher than a shooter. He also said he's a freakish athlete and rebounding is a strength. He's likely to come here."

Shamburger announces for Missouri

Maryland had also offered but former Spartan Keith Shamburger has gone with Missouri.

SJSU offers Fritz

Via Verbal Commits: "2015 Westwind Prep (AZ) F Shaquillo Fritz has received an offer from San Jose State" Hey, sign him up on his name alone!

Fritz is listed as 6-foot-8, 185 pounds and also has offers from Mississippi., Mississippi State, Southern Mississippi and Oklahoma.

From Arizona Preps in November 2013: "He is very athletic and explosive. He has a 40' vertical along with a 7-foot 2 wingspan. He is a great shot blocker and finishes above the rim. He has a huge up side. He is still very raw and needs a lot of work, but is improving every week. He could play at a low-major to a mid-major. He has a high ceiling."

Jeremiah Ingram no longer a Spartan

Just learned that Colby College forward Jeremiah Ingram has been released from his San Jose State University national letter-of-intent. Don't know the background as yet -- maybe has to do with a loss of scholarships because of the subpar APR or a parting of the ways by one or both parties involved. Whatever is the background, cross him off the roster.

Oliver with 42

Nobody in New Zealand is complaining now as Adrian Oliver totaled 42 points against the Super City Rangers in a 123-90 victory.

Singer makes it official

Ryan Singer signed his national letter-of-intent on Thursday, making his commitment to San Jose State University complete.

AO working to better his scoring

Murray Hills reports that Adrian Oliver isn't scoring at the level his New Zealand team needs.

Robotham to Akron

As expected, Las Vegas prep point Noah Robotham announced today he is going with Akron University of the Mid-American Conference.

Alexander heading to a JC

Just learned that Dylan Alexander has decided to attend Casper College in Wyoming for his sophomore year. He was a walk-on for SJSU out of Weston High in Stockton this past season.

Being Pluto in the galaxy of Jupiters

Chris Murray writes about the burgeoning differences between the haves and the have nots -- no, not in real life but within the NCAA.

Nevada nabs a project big

Nevada has a new frontcourt commit.

Shamburger to Maryland?

Daniel Martin reports that Maryland has offered Keith Shamburger. Like or don't like him (hey he wants to play for a winner and against the best competition), the mercurial Shamburger keeps moving up the college basketball food chain (SJSU to Hawaii to Maryland).

A little background.

A bit more.

Utah State wanting a SoCal 2014 forward

Via Verbal Commits: "2014 Cathedral (CA) F Derrien King has received an offer from Utah State."

The Aggies really need help upfront and this is a start. King is 6-foot-7.

Gustys goes with Hofstra

Rokas Gustys has made his choice.

The Colonial Athletic Association is a good level for him and there is no one taller than 6-foot-7 on the Hostra roster.

Always thought he would stay in the East.

More on Carter going with FSU

Via The Fresno Bee, here's more on the Bulldogs signing of frontcourter Terrell Carter.

Robotham to decide Friday

Las Vegas prep point prospect Noah Robotham will be announcing his college decision on Friday: "This Friday, I will be announcing where I'm attending college! Thank you to everyone who supported me throughout this whole process!"

Never came across anything indicating SJSU was dropped from Robotham's trio of Akron and Boston College after the signing of Darryl Gaynor and the addition of Danny Mahoney but the Spartans need another big first and foremost.

This Friday, I will be announcing where I'm attending college! Thank you to everyone who supported me throughout this whole process! - See more at: http://verbalcommits.com/players/noah-robotham#sthash.3ZZBV2Fq.dpuf

This Friday, I will be announcing where I'm attending college! Thank you to everyone who supported me throughout this whole process! - See more at: http://verbalcommits.com/players/noah-robotham#sthash.3ZZBV2Fq.dpuf

Carter to the Dogs

Southern California prep frontcourter Terrell Carter has gone with Fresno State. He was there on his official visit this weekend and he apparently chose between the Raisin Capital of the World and Utah State (a program which has imploded).

RI drops pursuit of Gustys

Dave Ascoli has the latest on Rokas Gustys' recruitment.

Who knows what other factors are in play but why would you rather be in Birmingham, Hempstead or New Orleans than San Jose?

May 21 men's basketball social

Join Coach Wojcik for special inside look and updates on the men's basketball program. Discussion topics will include:  New coaching hires, recruiting, updates on current squad and upcoming schedule, The event is limited to 50 people so get your reservation in early.

Where:  Original Joe's in San Jose
When:   Wednesday, May 21 at 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Details:  $25 includes entrance, food and drinks

Email: bsasaki@sjsu.edu

Murray seeing not a lot to like in the 2014-15 MWC

The Nevada sports beat reporter, Chris Murray, takes another look at the Mountain West Conference and his team forecasts are primarily bleak.

Clifford leaving Logan

youngblueaggie has posted that 6-foot-7 junior-to-be Ben Clifford is also departing the Utah State basketball team. He has his limitations on the court but was often asked to play in the middle at 6-foot-7 and always gave  a concerted effort.

Utah State is just decimated in its frontcourt and next season is looking even more iffier.

Tobe Okafor

Don't know if the SJSU interest is still there (but another frontcourter is needed) -- via Brad Winton: "Tobe Okafor, a 6’10 forward out of Western Texas College, has also seen his recruitment pick up after a very good showing in Dallas. Okafor is taking a visit to Houston this weekend and Long Beach State next weekend. Okafor is also hearing from Memphis (has shown heavy interest of late), Florida Gulf Coast, North Texas, Tulane, Utah St, San Jose St., Morehead St, UIC, Grand Canyon, Western Illinois and Charleston Southern among others."

The 230 pound Okafor's numbers this season: 4.2 points and 4.9 rebounds a game on 55% and 50% shooting respectively. He's from Nigeria.

A description from 2012: "...Tobe’s best basketball is ahead of him ... He’s a raw talent, he can block shots and rebound the basketball but offensively his skills are very green..."

We'll ground the Air Force

Brent Briggeman reports that Air Force is losing two players, including leading scorer Tre' Coggins.

The 6-foot-2 Coggins led AF with 16.0 points per game on 42%, 39% and 78% shooting respectively plus his 32 steals topped the squad. But he finished with a 71/73 assist-to-turnover ratio. Coggins prepped in Orange County.

With that in mind, Keegan Pope tweeted: "Going to a long year for Nevada, San Jose State, Utah State and now Air Force. Huge drop-off between 1-7 and 8-11 in the MW."

Go from 18 to 16 MEC contests?

San Diego State Coach Steve Fisher is pushing for his fellow WAC coaches to drop to 16 conference matchups rather than 18.

Go for it if as long as it doesn't mean we'll be seeing St. Mary of the Blessed Poor and its twin, The Peter and Paul Disciples, coming to Walt McPherson Court.