News Bits
Merritt College Hoops: "Another one! #merritthoops Let’s go Aziz Hantous."
Hantous is a 6-foot-6 wing who is headed to Doane University, an NAIA school located in Nebraska. He was offered in late March. A Tunisian, Hantous also received an offer from San Francisco State. His production this season: 7.1 points per game, 6.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists plus shooting 50% from the floor.
PLUS
Merritt College Hoops: "Another sophomore out! #merritthoops"
Out of James Logan High, 5-foot-10 Kayleb Manuel is headed to Fullerton in Orange County to attend Hope International University with a 3.3 grade point average. HIU finished this season with a 22-8 record, having reached the NAIA national tournament.
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Now this one is a shocker, a real stunner.
Portal Updates: "Pacific transfer Jazz Gardner has committed to Saint Mary’s. The 7’0” (230) sophomore center started 27/33 games played, averaging 4.6 points on 60.2% FG, and 3.8 rebounds per game this season."
Gardner failed to have much effect both in Stockton as a sophomore and also at Nevada in his previous season. In 33 games and 18 minutes a contest in 2024-25, he blocked just 19 shots. Gardner also hasn't displayed much hoops instinct (which cannot be taught) on the court and just hasn't contributed enough when provided with the opportunity but Gael Coach Randy Bennett has long proven to be an astute talent evaluator and he did need another big for the upcoming season. It will be interesting to see if Gardner or 7-foot-1 senior Harry Wessels starts and who plays the greater number of minutes. Where does 7-foot-1 redshirt frosh Andrew (Granada High) McKeever fit within the enter dynamic.
This answers one question: Delly Mouthguard: "Jelani Gardner, father of Jazz Gardner, says that Jazz will redshirt next season for Saint Mary's."
6-foot-6 Jelani Gardner played 12 years of basketball professionally so good bloodlines are there.
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Another surprise here. Is there a last time the Cardinal signed a D2 transfer?
Portal Updates: "Cal State Dominguez Hills (D2) transfer Jeremy Dent-Smith has committed to Stanford. The 6’1” junior guard started 36/37 games played, averaging 19.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. Shot 35% from 3, hitting 93 3-pointers this season. Dent-Smith was named a First Team D2 All-American. Had 27 points, and 10 rebounds in the D2 championship game against Nova Southeastern, and 33 points against Dallas Baptist in the final four."
Out of southern California, Dent came out last season but eventually returned to CSDH. He's productive but needs to better his shooting efficiency and reduce his turnovers. Stanford Coach Kyle Smith in known for employing sets that are designed for his guards but surrounding Dent-Smith with some solid frontcourt talent remains a task to be fulfilled.
Maybe best of all here is that Dent-Smith can earn a degree from Stanford. Curiously, St. Mary's took a run at him.
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Portal Updates: "Indiana State transfer Jahni Summers has committed to Sacramento State. The 6’6” sophomore guard appeared in 20 games for the Sycamores, averaging 5.7 points, and 1.9 rebounds per game. Summers shot 38.5% from 3 (26/65). Started off at Coffeyville CC.
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Verbal Commits: "2025 Golden State Prep (CA) F Joshua Dalton has committed to Loyola Marymount."
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Verbal Commits: "Former Montana G/F Jalen Foy is transferring to Cal State East Bay (DII)."
Foy is 6-foot-7, 215 pounds and played just 88 minutes last season.
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Liam Hanley: "French wing Ylan Esso is Saint Mary's latest portal contact. The 6-8 freshman was an NABC All-American at Modesto Junior College this season."
Wouldn't be surprised if Moraga soon becomes THE choice. But where were they before? Why the late contact? Esso has also tripped to Pacific.
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Sean Cunningham: "Mike Bibby & Sac State were able to secure Mikey Williams for $200k, sources tell me. The 6-3 guard just completed his freshman season at UCF. He has a huge social media following as an ex-high school phenom. He was initially set to play at Memphis in 2024 before the San Diego native dealt with an off-court legal matter stemming from his arrest in April of 2023." Williams will turn 21 in June."
Williams hasn't accomplished much in college although it's obviously early so my conjecture is it was the lure of playing for Bibby combined with the opportunity to be around Shaq likely really did the trick. But $200k ain't chump change vis-a-vis Williams production in his initial college season.
lCollege Basketball Content: "Mikey Williams chose Sacramento State over Long Island (LIU), per Nelson CastilloNY."
UNLV had some degree of interest.
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Matt Schwab: "Las Positas So. Jorren (Washington High-Fremont) Edmonds selected to NABC 3C2A All-American team. First Team All State. 12 ppg, 50.2% fg, 52.0% 3 pt, 80.3% ft, 6.8 rpg, 4.4 apg. “He did everything well” - LPC coach James Giacomazzi."
Underrated. Could help every NorCal D1 squad.
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Modesto Junior College Men's Basketball: "Malachi (Central Catholic High) Chico State Men's Basketball" Miller has received an offer from Division 2 Western Washington University (Great Northwest Athletic Conference)."
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Chico State Men's Basketball: "Introducing Jeremiah (Clayton Valley Charter High) Dargan to the #WildcatFamily!! Jeremiah brings experience from both the Division 1 and JUCO levels. He is coming off a junior season at the University of Montana, and was a key contributor to a historic 33-0 run with West Valley Junior College in 2023-24."
Dargan will really help in replacing a portion of Chico State's transfer portal losses.
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"Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon is carrying brother, family with him in NBA playoffs"
Marc J Spears outdoes his usual excellent creations with this Aaron Gordon piece.
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Jonathan Givony: "NEWS: UConn transfer Aidan (Campolindo High/St. Mary's) Mahaney had committed to UC Santa Barbara, agent Omar (San Ramon Valley High/St. Mary's) Samhan told ESPN."
Learned something from this Givony post. Certainly didn't know that Omar is now an agent.
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Nor Cal connected Miles Byrd, Maxime Reynaud and Darrion Williams are three of the invites to the NBA Draft Combine.
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Jake Lieberman: "6'8 freshman wing/forward transfer Hudson Yarbrough out of Hawaii Pacific (D2) tells me that he's heard from Pacific, Biola, Western Oregon, Seattle Pacific, MSU Denver, Southern Wesleyan, Upper Iowa, Colorado Springs & Trinity Valley."
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Jake Lieberman: "Lubbock Christian (D2) transfer guard Ethan Duncan tells me that he's heard from Liberty, Grand Canyon, Cal, Wyoming, Indiana State, Charleston, among others. Averaged 15.9 points (41.0% 3PT), 2.5 rebounds & 1.8 assists."
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Modesto Junior College Men's Basketball: "Excited to welcome 6’4 Guard Chadwick Johnson of Sheldon High School to the Pirate Family."
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James Madison transfer Bryce Lindsay is being recruited by St. Mary's among a list of 25 or so colleges.