2023 Recruiting

Teams are allowed 13 scholarships. We know Jack and Joey are done. We know Mike is in the portal, and has said goodbye. Current walk-ons are Chika, Coleman, Drew, Andrew and Jarrett. Will Wyatt Lowell return? He's finished 5 years (class of 2018) of basketball, is married, might be time to move to the next phase of his life. That leaves nine other roster players on scholarship: Moses, Tyler, Kristian, Vasilije, Juanse, Alden, Chris Austin, Vukasin Masic, and Bol Dendit. I don't recall hearing if Moses has committed to returning or pursuing a pro career. So we have eight to ten current scholarship players depending on Wyatt and Moses. We have three commits, but perhaps only two are scholarship players. I am guessing we have room for two more scholarship commits.

We'll see, as the portal gives and the portal taketh away.

up7587 wrote:

@PrepHoopsWA wrote:Brewster’s Kelson Gebbers officially commits to the University of Portland.

 Retweeted by UP MBB

Kelson Gebbers and his Brewster Bears HS team lost in the Washington 2B championship game for the second year in a row, and his next stop is UP this summer.

Gebbers scored 23 points in the final, and averaged 28ppg while scoring 614 points this season.

To provide a perspective of a 2B classification in Washington, it is a school with an enrollment of 105 - 224 students, on average.  The highest classification in Washington is 4A with over 1300 students.

Some might say that Gebbers coming from a 2B school cannot be that great, but there is another VERY good UP basketball player who went to a 2B school even smaller than where Gebbers attends.

Maisie Burnham attended Liberty High School in Spangle, a school with an enrollment under 150.  

“He (Gebbers) has a nice shooting style with a high release,” Taylor said. “He’ll probably be a wing or a shooting guard.”

https://www.wenatcheeworld.com/sports/gebbers-named-2b-boys-basketball-player-of-the-year/article_dcc1d958-bedb-11ed-8bc0-3b5cdde6db9d.html

up7587 wrote:  So we have eight to ten current scholarship players depending on Wyatt and Moses.  We have three commits, but perhaps only two are scholarship players.  I am guessing we have room for two more scholarship commits.  

We'll see, as the portal gives and the portal taketh away.

Talking to Kristian's dad and brother in Las Vegas, I think it is probable that Kristian will decide to take the money and turn pro.

Talking to Wyatt, who is one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet, I learned he is contemplating retirement because his body has just not been up to the grind.

IMO, the Pilots cannot finish out of the bottom-4 if the staff cannot find a better post player than Chika. We all love him and his attitude, but he is just too undersized to compete at a high level in D1. No, he's not on a scholarship, but if he were to go in the portal, I believe he would get some real interest from schools that would offer him a scholarship. There is no doubt in my mind, that the #1 priority for Legs and his staff is to find a post player for next season while Vasilije continues to improve enough to take over.

Talking to Moses' dad, I think Moses is still on the fence what to do next season, but if he were to leave UP, I believe it would be to go pro.

Mike is already gone, but as good a teammate, person, and player as he is, the return of Chris Austin and the debut of Vukasin Masic next season would have severely limited Mike's playing time.  I just wish Mike the best of health wherever he plays his final season.

One player I expect to go in the portal and for the Pilots to go after is Oklahoma's 6-9 and rangy, Jake Groves.  Jake will graduate in June, knows the Legans system well after playing for him for two years at EWU, and will have two years of eligibility.  I would imagine that Jake had a great time with his brother, Tanner, at OU but he is much more suited to the WCC than the Big-12.  Slam Dunk!

DoubleDipper wrote:IMO, the Pilots cannot finish out of the bottom-4 if the staff cannot find a better post player than Chika. We all love him and his attitude, but he is just too undersized to compete at a high level in D1. No, he's not on a scholarship, but if he were to go in the portal, I believe he would get some real interest from schools that would offer him a scholarship.

Chika is in the portal!!

You won’t find another Chika - a real loss for him to leave Offer him a scholarship. .

You won’t find another Chika - a real loss for him to leave Offer him a scholarship. .

Q
Good luck in the Portal, Chika. Some school is going to be very happy.
Watching “walk on”  Chika post up against Timme with scholarship Joey riding the bench  is a memory I will never forget!
I totally agree we need a good big man, and Chika is not that person.

DoubleDipper wrote:Talking to Wyatt, who is one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet, I learned he is contemplating retirement because his body has just not been up to the grind.

Wyatt Lowell is in the portal (again)!

Wyatt has such great potential and promise as a basketball player, and he has one more year of eligibility.

I hope he can get healthy, stay healthy, and find a team he can start on!

Coach Legans say, "I don't worry about scholarships," but with Mike and Wyatt gone, that opens up two in addition to the two that Jack and Joey vacated upon the end of their eligibility.

Chika, Wyatt, and Mike in the portal...

up7587 wrote:

@PrepHoopsWA wrote:Brewster’s Kelson Gebbers officially commits to the University of Portland.

 Retweeted by UP MBB

A 6'5" G, F, scores around 20 ppg.  

Those living in the local area can get a good look at Gebbers when he plays in the 27th annual WAVOR (Washington vs. Oregon) All-Star High School basketball game on Sunday April 2 at 3pm at Liberty High School in Hillsboro.

Never heard of the WAVOR game?  Me either.  I don't know if it was another sensitivity issue thing, but WAVOR is the new name for what used to be called the Northwest Shootout.