Wyoming basketball received what has been anticipated over the last several months, their best class on paper since UW head coach Larry Shyatt arrived three seasons ago.
While the UW coaches won't deem it the best class and the new signees still have months before they arrive in Laramie, plus the true outcome of the 2015 class won't be known for a some time. On the flip side, it does look like a good group to build toward the future after the Pokes graduate six seniors this spring.
The players the Cowboys inked on Wednesday were Colorado guard Austin Conway, California big man Jordan Naughton and two Floridian teammates in wing man Justin James and athletic forward Andrew Moemeka. All signees are current high school seniors.
"Colorado and Florida are logical states for us to recruit simply because of the relationships our staff has cultivated there over the long haul," Shyatt said. "Because of our location, we have to continue to spread our wings and find those players that are a good fit for our university."
Shyatt credited his assistant coaches for mining three states where they strongly connected. Jeremy Shyatt diligently worked on Conway for nearly three years, where he was Colorado's top prep athlete, picking basketball over football.
Allen Edwards has done well in Florida over the last few years with closing on recruits and associate head coach Scott Duncan helped get Naughton.
"I've said this before, but the coaching staff we have put together here with Scott Duncan, Allen Edwards and Jeremy Shyatt are as good as it gets in the country," Shyatt said. "They are as good a fit as Wyoming could have and I trust them with my life. They did a very thorough job with this recruiting class, knowing its importance with six seniors on the roster this season."
The Cowboys have a fifth scholarship to give and Santa Fe College (Gainsville Fla.) guard Morris Marshall, who is visiting this weekend and appears to be the top candidate. It would probably be a surprise if he doesn't commit.
Read below Shyatt's comments on each signed future Wyoming Cowboy.
Austin Conway (5-11, 170 Guard - Aurora, Colo.)
"We have been familiar with Austin the last two-and-a-half years as our staff did a great job of recruiting him as he chose between a football or basketball career. Austin is a blur in terms of speed. He travels up the floor as fast as any guard in the country. He will enter the University of Wyoming with nearly 25 college credits already and is another great fit in a group that wants to focus on developing during their collegiate careers."
Justin James (6-foot-7, 180 Guard - Port Saint Lucie, Fla.)
"Recruiting Justin was a pleasure because his parents were not only involved, but very understanding during the process. Justin has as good a motor as anyone we have recruited and has the versatility to play four positions, which gives him an early advantage as a young player in our program. We had a battle with Mississippi State, but fortunately the relationship that our coaching staff has developed with James and his family had a convincing effect."
Andrew Moemeka (6-foot-9, 200 Forward - Lake City, Fla.)
"Andrew possesses the most athleticism in the front court that we've brought in in a long time. He's long. He's quick. He's agile. He, too, seemingly fits the mold of what we are trying to build here in terms of a young man early in his basketball growth. Almost every time he set foot on the floor this summer he did something new and something acrobatic, whether it was blocking a shot or gathering a rebound out of his area."
Jordan Naughton (6-foot-10, 220 Forward - Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.)
"Coach Duncan and I had a chance to see Jordan play repeatedly early in the recruiting process, before his injury sidelined him all summer. We were very impressed that he is a player with tomorrow written all over him as a potential scoring big man. Coach Duncan was very aware that he played for one of the top, if not the best, basketball coach in the West, who also coached former UCLA star Darren Collison. We are also really thrilled that Jordan, as with all four of these young men, possesses a wonderful family with strong values and an excellent academic background."
UW's 2015 Signees
While the UW coaches won't deem it the best class and the new signees still have months before they arrive in Laramie, plus the true outcome of the 2015 class won't be known for a some time. On the flip side, it does look like a good group to build toward the future after the Pokes graduate six seniors this spring.
The players the Cowboys inked on Wednesday were Colorado guard Austin Conway, California big man Jordan Naughton and two Floridian teammates in wing man Justin James and athletic forward Andrew Moemeka. All signees are current high school seniors.
"Colorado and Florida are logical states for us to recruit simply because of the relationships our staff has cultivated there over the long haul," Shyatt said. "Because of our location, we have to continue to spread our wings and find those players that are a good fit for our university."
Shyatt credited his assistant coaches for mining three states where they strongly connected. Jeremy Shyatt diligently worked on Conway for nearly three years, where he was Colorado's top prep athlete, picking basketball over football.
Allen Edwards has done well in Florida over the last few years with closing on recruits and associate head coach Scott Duncan helped get Naughton.
"I've said this before, but the coaching staff we have put together here with Scott Duncan, Allen Edwards and Jeremy Shyatt are as good as it gets in the country," Shyatt said. "They are as good a fit as Wyoming could have and I trust them with my life. They did a very thorough job with this recruiting class, knowing its importance with six seniors on the roster this season."
The Cowboys have a fifth scholarship to give and Santa Fe College (Gainsville Fla.) guard Morris Marshall, who is visiting this weekend and appears to be the top candidate. It would probably be a surprise if he doesn't commit.
Read below Shyatt's comments on each signed future Wyoming Cowboy.
Austin Conway (5-11, 170 Guard - Aurora, Colo.)
"We have been familiar with Austin the last two-and-a-half years as our staff did a great job of recruiting him as he chose between a football or basketball career. Austin is a blur in terms of speed. He travels up the floor as fast as any guard in the country. He will enter the University of Wyoming with nearly 25 college credits already and is another great fit in a group that wants to focus on developing during their collegiate careers."
Justin James (6-foot-7, 180 Guard - Port Saint Lucie, Fla.)
"Recruiting Justin was a pleasure because his parents were not only involved, but very understanding during the process. Justin has as good a motor as anyone we have recruited and has the versatility to play four positions, which gives him an early advantage as a young player in our program. We had a battle with Mississippi State, but fortunately the relationship that our coaching staff has developed with James and his family had a convincing effect."
Andrew Moemeka (6-foot-9, 200 Forward - Lake City, Fla.)
"Andrew possesses the most athleticism in the front court that we've brought in in a long time. He's long. He's quick. He's agile. He, too, seemingly fits the mold of what we are trying to build here in terms of a young man early in his basketball growth. Almost every time he set foot on the floor this summer he did something new and something acrobatic, whether it was blocking a shot or gathering a rebound out of his area."
Jordan Naughton (6-foot-10, 220 Forward - Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.)
"Coach Duncan and I had a chance to see Jordan play repeatedly early in the recruiting process, before his injury sidelined him all summer. We were very impressed that he is a player with tomorrow written all over him as a potential scoring big man. Coach Duncan was very aware that he played for one of the top, if not the best, basketball coach in the West, who also coached former UCLA star Darren Collison. We are also really thrilled that Jordan, as with all four of these young men, possesses a wonderful family with strong values and an excellent academic background."
UW's 2015 Signees
