The Bobcat Nation

BOZEMAN, Mont. -- Montana State added immediate perimeter help
and a host of young players on Thursday, the second day of the spring
National Letter-of-Intent signing period. Mick Durham announced the
addition of junior college guard Derrick Edmonds, high school guard
Jacques Wilson, and prep center Chawn Johnson and forward Branden
Johnson.
Edmonds, a 6-1, 175 lb native of Baton Rouge, La., transfers to
MSU from Los Medanos College in Pittsburg, Calif., where he averaged
20.1 points a year ago. Edmonds shot 41% from three-point range, earning
First Team All-Conference and Honorable Mention All-State honors.
"We've really added some nice experience on the perimeter with
Derrick," Durham said. "We wanted to increase our depth there, and
Derrick is a shooting guard with great range who can also get to the
basket. He's fast and athletic, and should be one heck of a defender.
He's an important piece to next year's team, and he understands where
he'll be needed. I really like what he's all about off the court and
that was as important to me as his ability to play."
Edmonds hit 111 three-pointers for Los Medanos, and his coach,
Derek Domenichelli lauded his range. "Derrick has been a phenomenal
shooter for us the past two seasons," Domenichelli said. "He's a very
explosive scorer, and has been an absolute pleasure to coach. He is very
unselfish, he always tries to get his teammates the ball. He has a knack
for being in the right place at the right time. He will be able to come
in and knock down shots from a long ways away."
Branden Johnson comes to MSU from Eisenhower High in Yakima,
Wash. The 6-8, 215 lb forward averaged 17.2 points, 11.3 rebounds, and
1.9 blocked shots a game last year, shooting 59% from the floor. He
earned First Team All-League and Regional Tournament MVP honors, and was
named to the second five of Washington's All-State team.
"We feel Branden's best basketball is ahead of him," Durham
said. "Branden really finished his senior year strong, which is a great
statement about his future. He's long at 6-8, and can play big inside
and also has a good-looking three-point shot. He needs to get stronger
and has the frame to do that. Coach Pat Fitterer has done a great job
developing Branden the past two years, and really has Branden believing
in himself. We'll work hard to develop him as a power forward with the
ability to play center in certain situations. We're excited about his
basketball future and his 3.8 GPA shouldn't be overlooked."
Eisenhower coach Pat Fitterer agrees with Durham's assessment.
"I think (Montana State is) getting a great kid," said Fitterer, whose
26-4 squad won league, district and regional titles this year on its way
to a fourth-place finish in the state tournament. "He's a diamond in the
rough. He's come on like gang-busters, and if he keeps improving at that
rate he could be a real special player. He likes to shoot the three. In
the All-State game in Key Arena last week he scored 18 points and
grabbed nine rebounds, and four of his baskets were on three-pointers.
We needed him to be an inside-oriented player because of his size. He
did that, and that made him that much a better player. Now he has the
full game offensively. I know the Montana State coaches were impressed
that he went inside and got physical with the big guys, and was still
able to step outside and shoot the three."
Chawn Johnson is a 6-8 center from Antelope Valley Christian in
Lancaster, Calif. He averaged 19.2 points, 10.4 boards, and 4.2 blocks
last year, earning All-CIF Southern Section Division V-A First Team
honors.
"We really like Chawn's potential," Durham said of Johnson, who
doesn't turn 18 until October, "and the direction he's headed. He's very
young and we feel he has the potential to grow. We felt we needed a high
school center to bring balance to our program, and he'll be able to
learn and develop behind Al Beye and Ted Morris. Chawn is just realizing
the potential he has on the basketball court, and he's excited about his
opportunity at Montana State. Chawn's a big, strong kid with a huge
upside. We were really looking for a young center to develop in our
program, and we're excited to have the opportunity to work with and
develop Chawn's potential."
"As a player, Chawn is one of the harders workers we've had,"
said his prep coach David Nurse. "He really wants to get better, and he
has been focused on playing on the Division I level. He is a great
player to have because of his character. He's a very coachable young
man."
Jacques Wilson is a 6-1, 190 lb guard from Century High School
in Pocatello, Idaho. He earned Southeast Idaho and Great Basin
Conference Player of the Year honors and was a First Team All-State
choice. He averaged 18.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.8 steals, and 4.0
assists as a senior.
"We're excited to bring Jacques into our program," Durham said.
"He's someone we followed all season, and we are impressed by his growth
as a player. Jacques is explosive and brings a lot of energy to the
game. He's a quality person who understands our league and what it takes
to play at this level. He'll have a great experience playing against our
veteran guards next season. We're projecting him as a point guard with a
scoring mentality. Jacques has played both guard positions in high
school, and is very capable at either."
"Jacques had to be one of the most difficult players in Idaho to
guard," said Century High Coach Cody Shelley. He played the point for me
this year, and played a wing last year. He can really finish at the
basket, and shoots very well. He has ballhandling ability and great
quickness, and I think he'll fit in nicely at Montana State."


Pronouncer
Chawn: like shawn
Jacques: jock-wezz


Montana State's 2004-05 Signees
Junior College Signees
Name, Pos. Ht Wt Class* '05 Pts/Reb Hometown (JC)
Derrick Edmonds, G 6-1 175 Jr 20.1/7.2 Baton
Rouge, LA (Los Medanos)

High School Signees
Name, Pos. Ht Wt Class* '05 Pts/Reb Hometown (High
School\JC)
Branden Johnson, F 6-8 215 Fr 17.5/10.8 Yakima,
WA (Eisenhower)
Chawn Johnson, C-F 6-8 240 Fr 19.2/10.4
Lancaster, CA(Antelope Valley Christian)
Jacques Wilson, G 6-1 190 Fr 21.0/4.0
Pocatello, ID (Century)'
*-class as of 2005-06 season

Good looking class there, well done to Durham and company. I am really excited to see us going with younger high school kids so they can have time to grow into the program.

I am interested to hear your take on Edmonds, msla, since he is the one that you didn't have in your earlier guess at the recruiting class and I don't recall any info on him previously.

Don't know about you mslacat, but I don't recall a better list of freshman...pretty impressive. I can see why some other freshman weren't offerred.

Boy I am impressed.

Either one of the big guys we signed are better than any freshman big men we have signed since Holmquist. I think in a few years people in the Big Sky are going to be talking about the Johnson and Johnson brothers. Branden is one of those players who flew under the radar. Any of the "National recruiting folks" who have not seen him don't have them on their list. Those who have just rave about him. His Coach I am told was selling Durham that he was better than Andrew Strait (he played in the same city, Yakima, ), but a better shooter. Now I will believe that when I see it (I really like Strait). Just my Guess, but Chawn, Branden, will push Pratt for playing time the Loser of the three way battle will get redshirt.

Wilson, is also a great get he averaged 18.5 points a game, but struggled with his scoring the first half of the season, because his dad wanted him to rework his shot. The second 1/2 of the season he was a scoring machine, while playing point guard. He is a solid defender. From what I have heard is that he is a Frank Brown who can score big time.

Derrick Edmonds is the guy I know little about, I am not sure if he was a higher priority than Dykes. He is a scorer/shooter, and real quick player. He is a typical Durham recruit under sized swing guard who the big guys thought was too small to play off guard.

On "paper" this is the best recruiting class I can remember, couple that with the best "actual" recruiting class last year, we are cooking with gas!!

Hey Durham, Carsen , and Brown Great Job!!!

on landing Jacques... I am a friend to him, his father, and step-mom, and hope you all realize that you are not only getting a quality ball player that can create, but a solid citizen that comes from a very disciplined household. He and his family are well-respected in our community. Looking forward to seeing you guys for football here next year, because I can't make the trip to Bozeman because I will be at the ASU vs. USC game on Oct. 1st watching my friend Jordan Hill, DT for the Sun Devils try to punish the Trojans, but good luck to you guys every other game, and please show know mercy to the queers from UM...

I am very happy and excited about this class! Great job, coaches --- keep it up!

I thought that we wanted a JC big man

longhorn_22 wrote:I thought that we wanted a JC big man

I have not talked any of the coaches, but from what I heard through the grapevine, that was their initial plan. When push came to shove though when they compaired the JC big men that they might be able to land Braden Johnson was just to good of a prospect to pass over for a mid level JC prospect. They also felt pretty comfortable with this descition since Chawn had commited. Chawn with his size (6-8 & 235) and skill, he will play next year and will be in the running for freshman of the year. I am sure the coaches will admit by doing this will sacrifice a little on next year's team but benifiting the program long term. My opinion!

I think the recruits look great, but I am curious. Did Chaz Dykes pass on MSU or did MSU pass on Chaz Dykes. A 6'4 slasher driving the key (ie. Nico Harrison) would have been nice addition. Assuming of course that Chaz Dykes was a slasher-type....

I almost forgot, I wanted to give a big hearty "good job" to the Chronicle for all the hard work it must have taken to put out the 100 word essay on the MSU Bball signings in todays paper. Must be tough having to fit all four of those names into such a small amount of space...and to hide it at the end of an article about a track/cross country recruit, pure genius.

As one who's been openly critical of Mick, I will admit that this Fab 4 appears VERY solid on paper. Congrats to Mick & his staff for bringing these 4 to Bozeman. It definitely looks like a quality group of players.

Very nice! I too wanted a JC PF, but it sounds like we are getting two big men that should be here for 4 years. I can't remember the last time we had a big man for a full 4 years, let alone two of 'em. Kudos to Durham for a brilliant job of recruiting. WOW. I just realized how stocked we are with talent. Next season might be just the beginning to four more stellar seasons of MSU basketball. Next year should be fun to watch, both FB and BB!