A busy basketball season didn't keep Highlands Ranch (Colo.) center Zach Braxton from making a trip to Laramie to check out the Wyoming basketball program this winter.
Braxton, a 6-foot-8, 230-pound big man averaged 12.8 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3.2 blocked shots per game for the Falcons of Highlands Ranch which ended the season with an 18-7 mark. Braxton has maintained a scholarship offer list of four schools - Wyoming, Denver, UW-Green Bay and Weber State.
"I got stronger and faster and just having a whole year of experience made things a lot easier," Braxton said. "Just that whole year and knowing that I could play with kids that are as big as me and being older overall made the season easier."
Braxton said he was in Laramie on Feb. 23 to watch the Cowboys host the UNLV Rebels and get an inside look at the Wyoming program. He came away impressed.
"We watched Wyoming play UNLV and that was fun," Braxton said. "We got to Laramie and we met with the coaches right away. We went into the arena and the offices to talk. We went down and went through the locker room and basketball weight room. We talked about the renovations they are going to do to the arena. Then we talked to an academic advisor, had a break for lunch and went back to the game.
"I really liked the coaching staff a lot. The guys are great. Coach Larry Shyatt is awesome and Coach Jeremy Shyatt is cool too. Coach (Scott) Duncan gets down here a lot. he is friends with a coach from my high school. Feeling like they really wanted me was pretty cool."
Braxton said he has also taken in games in Boulder and at Denver University. He was able to do an unofficial visit to the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay when he was in town visiting family.
Thus far there are no favorites and his only cut down criteria is that the schools he is considering are Division I schools.
"I want to see where this summer takes me and form a decision by the end of the summer."
Braxton said he is now getting ready to concentrate on his game before starting club basketball practice in about two weeks. Braxton said he plans to play this summer for Billups Elite with fellow Wyoming recruit Ronnie Harrell. Before he gets started he has some work to do on his game and he knows exactly what he wants to work on.
"I want to get my left hand stronger around the basket," Braxton said. "I want to extend my shooting range to at least 15 feet and I want to be able to handle the ball if need be. I want to be more of a power forward if I can't play center at the next level."
Zach Braxton
Braxton, a 6-foot-8, 230-pound big man averaged 12.8 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3.2 blocked shots per game for the Falcons of Highlands Ranch which ended the season with an 18-7 mark. Braxton has maintained a scholarship offer list of four schools - Wyoming, Denver, UW-Green Bay and Weber State.
"I got stronger and faster and just having a whole year of experience made things a lot easier," Braxton said. "Just that whole year and knowing that I could play with kids that are as big as me and being older overall made the season easier."
Braxton said he was in Laramie on Feb. 23 to watch the Cowboys host the UNLV Rebels and get an inside look at the Wyoming program. He came away impressed.
"We watched Wyoming play UNLV and that was fun," Braxton said. "We got to Laramie and we met with the coaches right away. We went into the arena and the offices to talk. We went down and went through the locker room and basketball weight room. We talked about the renovations they are going to do to the arena. Then we talked to an academic advisor, had a break for lunch and went back to the game.
"I really liked the coaching staff a lot. The guys are great. Coach Larry Shyatt is awesome and Coach Jeremy Shyatt is cool too. Coach (Scott) Duncan gets down here a lot. he is friends with a coach from my high school. Feeling like they really wanted me was pretty cool."
Braxton said he has also taken in games in Boulder and at Denver University. He was able to do an unofficial visit to the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay when he was in town visiting family.
Thus far there are no favorites and his only cut down criteria is that the schools he is considering are Division I schools.
"I want to see where this summer takes me and form a decision by the end of the summer."
Braxton said he is now getting ready to concentrate on his game before starting club basketball practice in about two weeks. Braxton said he plans to play this summer for Billups Elite with fellow Wyoming recruit Ronnie Harrell. Before he gets started he has some work to do on his game and he knows exactly what he wants to work on.
"I want to get my left hand stronger around the basket," Braxton said. "I want to extend my shooting range to at least 15 feet and I want to be able to handle the ball if need be. I want to be more of a power forward if I can't play center at the next level."
Zach Braxton
