Your team next year

[tsull]

Cool stuff, I think UAA is loaded next year; GNAC should be very good, IMO. It would be fun to watch those summer games.

[Anchorage]

[tsull]

Good replies. I think one thing with D2 is there are a few recruiting models: as noted the SPU 4-year player model. I'm not sure all schools can pull that off, though I greatly admire them for doing so. Even some of their great teams had transfers -- Andy Poling of Gonzaga, WSU 6-8 guy, and so forth.

The thing about D2 is I think the JC market is even more attractive now as D-1 is hitting the 4-year and grad transfer portal more. It makes more JC's available for D2. As I said, some of the guys NNU has been bringing in from the Arizona JC's are basically D-1 guys. All three I mentioned -- Arms, Migwa, Alley -- would start in the Big Sky, no problem, and Arms would be one of the conferences top players. (He's at D1 Winthrop now, betcha he starts next year.) There's solid JC talent in the Northwest; there's great JC talent in California and Arizona. With today's fluid roster changes (especially in D1), a D2 school can get good rather quick with transfers, look what Shabazz (Seattle prep player/Iowa JC player) did for UAF, he made them immediately relevant.

[Anchorage]

[tsull]

I would say based on the internet Alaska-Anchorage and Central Washington of been the most active on the recruiting trail this spring.

Western Oregon really help themselves in the size department in my opinion and with the red shirts coming up.

I'm curious on whom Northwest Nazarene will bring in. They always add a super talented JC guy from Arizona ranks, Arms, Migwa, Alley, etc., guys who are really good right out of the gate.

Also curious on a few other schools, St Martin's being one, UAF the other if they will bring in more players or not.

[Anchorage]

[tsull]

Basketball in Alaska should be exciting next year. Alaska-Anchorage has one of the better freshmen on the west coast in Moses, and UAF has in my opinion the best division 2 player in America in Shabazz.

[Anchorage]

[SGAstumpJ]

I'm here, just haven't been in the mood to think about much of anything right now. As for APU, Rymer is the only starter who wasn't a senior this season, so there's a lot of rebuilding to do. Which hurts, because I would've loved to just have a shot at UCSD.

So, yeah, Rymer is back at the point and has a capable backup in Becvar. Ken West looked promising off the bench as a stretch 4 as a freshman and I look forward to seeing how he develops, and Ben Avera can play either forward spot as well. That said, at a minimum we need a new rim protector and a shooting guard, and I haven't heard anything yet in terms of recruiting as obviously that hasn't been high on anyone's radar lately.

[tsull]

Great highlight reel, Moses is a serious player, he'll contribute right away, might start.

[Anchorage]

I thought UAA had a great off-season of recruiting. Just read Isiah Moses' bio today -- wow, what a player. Wonder if he's a D-1 guy who slipped through the cracks because he was in Alaska? Nevertheless, I'm glad he's in the GNAC. The Seawolves really helped themselves on the recruiting trail.

I also don't get Osuigwe (sp?) transferring out, that will be four schools? I wouldn't touch the guy if I was a coach. He was going to start at UAA, right? The transfer portal has over-inflated kids' views of themselves, IMO. Some of the portal is good, some not. I think Moses, however, will make them forget about the guys transferring out, great signee.

https://twitter.com/ashleyramothh/st...210966016?s=21

The matchup with #1 PG in the country Daishen Nix (UCLA bound) in which Moses had 42 was something. If you search Alaskan Athlete on Twitter on Jan 26th he has some clips of that game on there.

[tsull]

I thought UAA had a great off-season of recruiting. Just read Isiah Moses' bio today -- wow, what a player. Wonder if he's a D-1 guy who slipped through the cracks because he was in Alaska? Nevertheless, I'm glad he's in the GNAC. The Seawolves really helped themselves on the recruiting trail.

I also don't get Osuigwe (sp?) transferring out, that will be four schools? I wouldn't touch the guy if I was a coach. He was going to start at UAA, right? The transfer portal has over-inflated kids' views of themselves, IMO. Some of the portal is good, some not. I think Moses, however, will make them forget about the guys transferring out, great signee.

[Anchorage]

[northernGNAChoopfan]

Yeah, just to keep this going (and to keep it more basketball themed) and maybe even milk it a little, here's one player from each team I'm keeping an eye on next season:

WOU: Gant. I'm not sure the nature of his injury in why I didn't see him play till the end of the season when UAF played them twice in a row, but he's fundamentally sound and pretty good. He caught my eye more than anyone else late in the season.

MSUB: Maduakor. Sure Howard and Richmond return, but it's really who people don't know a lot about that make a difference for teams. Maduakor had some promising moments late in the season.

NNU: Reidy. As a R. frosh, he was already making a big impact this year. I noticed him a lot in Fairbanks when these guys absolutely destroyed us here.

CWU: Hudson or Poquette? I'm at a loss with CWU this year. I'm not sure this is who is looking promising for next year, but the year before I liked these two guys and they weren't generally around this year. I'm not sure, I'll defer to Nation on this one, because this team is a mystery and I didn't follow them very close.

SMU: Adams. Again, not super sure on this team, but Adams was something for everyone else to have to plan for.

SPU: Anderson. He hit it big a few times early in the season and if he can be more consistent and diversify his game, he'll be a terror in the GNAC.

WWU: Ayala! It'll be interesting to see how he fits with WWU and if he gets time. I liked Green too.

SFU: Balata?

UAA: Sweet. Again, interesting to see how he fits in and if he gets time and finds a place in just one season.

UAF: Banks. Lots of promise, work on that confidence!

[tsull]

Great post, Northern, and I'll say you're usually right about all things basketball here. I remember when you predicted Tanner Omlid of WOU was a future superstar. I saw good player, you saw star -- he ended up being the West Region D2 player of the year and a first team All-American (maybe 2nd, can't remember). I'm hoping your similar prediction for WOU's Emanuel Gant comes true next year.

Regarding health and the virus, I get on college football message boards -- yeah, perhaps this is a hobby of mine, I don't know how to play video games -- and they are batty. One guy today says they'll be starting up in May. Americans insatiable appetite to be constantly entertained is going to put us in another lockdown. I'd rather lock everything up right now -- maybe even tighter -- like have cops harassing me on my daily walk, so in a couple months we're really out of the woods. We already wasted 2 1/2 months dorking around doing nothing, letting up in May, June, or even July and August is going to raise the body count. I'd rather be ready to go January 1st or even later and be waiving this virus goodbye forever. But we're the U.S., we need our movies, our sports, our entertainment, and we're going to screw this up, I just know it.

* One of California's top health experts said no way football starts in that state until November -- by then it's getting colder, even in Cali, and the virus will spread in that weather. I say shut football down this fall and hope to start hoops by January 1st. Knock it out on the front end so you don't have to keep opening and closing for the next 3 years.