KVNU’s Full Court Press

That is great he received the award. Here is the
WAC release:

Utah State’s Quayle Named WAC Men’s Basketball Player of the Week
Courtesy: WAC

DENVER - Utah State’s Jared Quayle has been named the Western Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Week for Dec. 29-Jan. 4. The honor marks the first career WAC Player of the Week award for Quayle.

Quayle, a junior guard from Perry, Utah (Box Elder HS), was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2008 Duel in the Desert hosted by Utah State last week as he led the Aggies to the tournament championship with wins against Howard (85-45), Houston Baptist (94-77) and Wyoming (90-85 OT). Quayle posted his first double-double of the year with 17 points and a season-high 11 rebounds against Howard while adding seven assists. Versus Houston Baptist, he scored 15 points to go along with six rebounds, five assists and two steals. In the final game against Wyoming, Quayle had another double-double with a season-high 24 points and 10 rebounds.

On the week, Quayle averaged 18.7 points, 9.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.7 steals per game. He shot 53.8 percent from the field (21-of-39), 41.2 percent from three-point range (7-of-17), and 87.5 percent from the charity stripe (7-of-8).

Other nominees: Boise State senior forward Mark Sanchez; Fresno State freshman guard Paul George; Hawai’i junior guard Roderick Flemings; and New Mexico State sophomore forward Wendell McKines.

- WAC -

It’s too bad that Utah State only has Quayle for
2 more years. Keep the honors and wins coming.
Big game tonight in the Spectrum versus Idaho.
Idaho just beat Nevada in Reno over the weekend
and are looking to go 2-0 in the WAC. GO AGGIES!!

-HURRICANE JOHN

Fourth away W in a row for Teramo, actually in the final eight even if not mathematically clinched.
Teramo wins in Montegranaro 73-75, though Jaycee doesn’t play his best game.

He plays the starting minutes, when Teramo suffers a huge impact from the opponents, even 24-10.
In the team system that Teramo is, every game shows a different man of the match, so that Jaycee can personally take his values to the attention of the whole league until now, and playing just a game under his level doesn’t mean anything.

He played 14 minutes, scoring 4 pts, 2/4 2 pts, no 3 pointers attempted, 6 boards, 1 stolen, 3 lost, 3 fouls.

Here are the stats
http://195.56.77.210/game/63737.html

And this are the fabulous standings

1 Siena 13 0
2 Roma 8 5
3 Teramo 8 5
4 Virtus Bologna 8 5
5 Treviso 8 5
6 Montegranaro 7 6
7 Avellino 7 6
8 Cantù 7 6
9 Milano 6 7
10 Pesaro 6 7
11 Biella 5 8
12 Caserta 5 8
13 Fort.Bologna 5 8
14 Udine 4 9
15 Rieti 4 9
16 Ferrara 3 10

-HURRICANE JOHN

Here is a great column written by Kyle Whelliston, who runs a website midmajority.com, about his experience at the “Duel In The Desert”.   His column has been featured on espn.com.

This is great exposure for the program and hopefully the Aggies will have a great WAC season and be able to crack the top 25 sometime and make some noise in the postseason tournament.

-HURRICANE JOHN

Here are some highlights of Brady Jardine in high school

Home losses for Teramo vs. Avellino, 78-91.
Team who played better got the W, it’s a pity it was not Teramo.
Avellino took advantage from its deep Euroleague roster, winning the game in the second half of the match, forcing Teramo to have its weakness in evidence.

Jayce plays a little worst game than previous, like the entire team.
He scores 16 pts, 6/7 2 pts, 1/2 3 pts, 1/2 FT, in 28 minutes, adding 4 rebounds.

A bad year ending, but in a season actually positive until now.
The final eight clinch is postponed, hoping to the next game, on next sunday in Montegranaro, the nearest away game, on national live broadcast.

These are the stats

-HURRICANE JOHN

Andersen Adds Fourth Offensive Assistant To Aggie Staff

Gerke Moving WAC Schools, Coming To USU From Hawai’i

LOGAN, Utah - Utah State head football coach Gary Andersen announced Saturday that Alex Gerke (pronounced gur-Key) has been named the Aggies’ new offensive line coach. Gerke, who comes to USU from Hawai’i, becomes the fourth offensive assistant to join Andersen’s staff.

“Alex has spent years coaching the spread offense, so he is very knowledgeable and well-rounded on the type of offense we’re going to run here at Utah State,” Andersen said. “He is an excellent offensive line coach and an exceptional recruiter, with significant experience recruiting the state of Utah, California, as well as Polynesian players in addition to all over the country. His coaching beliefs are the same as mine as far as taking quality care of the current players in the program and recruiting high-caliber players for our program.”
Gerke joins offensive coordinator Dave Baldwin, running backs coach Ilaisa Tuiaki (pronounced E-lye-sa Too-ee-ah-kee) and quarterbacks coach Kevin McGiven on the USU staff.
“I can’t wait to work with Gary Andersen,” Gerke said. “I think that Utah State has the right guy for their program. He understands Utah and knows what type of players to recruit here to make a successful program. He’s a high-energy, very detailed coach and he understands this business very well. I look forward to being a spoke in the wheel as we get the USU program rolling towards continued success.”
Andersen completed his defensive staff earlier this month with the additions of linebackers coach Kevin Clune and defensive line coach Chad Kauha’aha’a (pronounced Cow-ha-a-ha-a), who were also Weber State assistants. The other two defensive coaches are new defensive coordinator Bill Busch, while retaining John Rushing as USU’s cornerbacks coach.
Gerke is familiar with the Western Athletic Conference, spending the past season at Hawai’i, where he coached the running backs and assisted with the offensive line, helping guide the Warriors to a 7-7 record, losing to Notre Dame, 49-21, in the Hawai’i Bowl on Wednesday, Dec. 24.
Prior to his stint at Hawai’i, Gerke spent two seasons at Weber State, where coached the offensive line with McGiven, who was the Wildcats’ offensive coordinator at the time. At Weber State, Gerke also coached with current USU linebackers coach Kevin Clune and defensive line coach Chad Kauha’aha’a.
“I’m excited to be back in Utah,” Gerke said. “I have a strong affinity for the state, I love it. I’m extremely honored to help Utah State achieve its goals for success.”
While at Hawai’i, Gerke helped coach three-time first-team all-WAC honoree John Estes, who this past season was on the Rimington Award Watch List for best center, the Outland Trophy Watch List for best interior lineman and the Lombardi Award Watch List for best lineman/linebacker. Estes was a three-time Rimington Award Watch List member.
At Hawai’i, Gerke also coached running back Daniel Libre, who in limited action, led UH with 443 yards on 99 carries and six TD’s.
At Weber State Gerke coached right tackle Dave Hale, who earned All-America honors for Football Championship Subdivision (former Division I-AA) and Dimitri Tsoumpas, the second overall pick in the 2008 Canadian Football League Draft. The Wildcat offensive line allowed only 12 sacks and their offense featured the Big Sky’s leading rusher.
Gerke’s coaching career began in 1985 at South High School in Salt Lake City, where he coached both the offensive and defensive line. The following year, he went to Golden West Junior College to serve as the assistant offensive line coach and weight training coach.
In 1994, Gerke returned to the state of Utah where he coached the offensive and defensive line at East High School in Salt Lake City. The next year, he was a guest coach with the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders before returning to coach the offensive and defensive lines at Hunter High School in Salt Lake City for three years.
Gerke served as a graduate assistant for Utah in 1998, coaching the Utes’ offensive tackles and tight ends for two seasons. In 2000, he joined the Cal Poly staff as offensive line coach, mentoring All-American Dustin Kroeker. The Mustangs ranked 15th in Division I-AA in passing offense and quarterback Seth Burford ranked sixth in passing efficiency.
Gerke’s stint with Cal Poly was a short one as the following year he returned to Utah’s staff to serve as offensive line coach for two years. Gerke returned to Golden West in 2004 before moving to Weber State in 2006.
Additionally, Gerke has also coached several players who have earned All-America accolades and have gone on to play professionally. Notables include Jordan Gross (Utah), a 2003 first round draft choice of the Carolina Panthers and Outland Trophy runner-up. Chris Kemoeatu (Utah) was a sixth-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers while Ed Taamu (Utah) was a 2002 fourth round pick by Minnesota. Glen Parker (Golden West JC), an All-American at Arizona, later played for the New York Giants, Buffalo Bills, and Kansas City Chiefs. Alfred Pupunu (South High) was a member of the San Diego Chargers Super Bowl team and also played for the Chiefs and Giants.
Gerke, a native of Westminster, Calif., was a two-year starter on the offensive line at Golden West Junior College in 1980-81. In 1982 he signed with Utah where he was a two-year offensive lineman.
Utah State finished the 2008 season with a 3-9 overall and 3-5 WAC record, marking the first time since 2005 that the Aggies have three wins in a season. USU won three WAC games in a season for the first time in the Aggies’ four seasons in the league. It is also the first time since 2003 that USU won three conference games and just the third time in the 2000’s.
The Aggies return 47 letterwinners (24 offense, 20 defense and three special teams) after losing 12 lettermen (five offense, seven defense) among the 17 seniors from this season’s roster.

-USU-

A quote I read in Saturday’s Herald Journal from Logan High Boys’ Basketball Coach Jeff Brimhall really rubbed me the wrong way. It was in a story about Charles Abouo and two other former Grizzly basketball players being inducted into Logan High’s basketball hall of fame.

“For Charles, he likely could be the greatest athlete to come through Logan High School,” Brimhall said. “And then as far as a basketball player, the things he’s done on the court certainly puts him up there as one of the top players — maybe him and Bob Lauriski as far as things they’ve accomplished and could do.”

What?

Charles Abouo, while a great basketball player for the Grizzlies, is NOT “the greatest athlete to come through Logan High School.” I’ve got to defend my alma mater and call out Coach Brimhall on an utterly ignorant statement he made. Charles Abouo, while not diminishing his accomplishments on the hardwood, was a one sport athlete for the Grizzlies. He didn’t play anything but basketball. Let’s look at some other Grizzly athletes like, oh say, Merlin Olsen, a FOUR SPORT athlete, a 14-time NFL pro-bowler, and one of the great college players of the 20th century. Let’s look at Chris Cooley, an All-American wrestler, a great football player and now Pro-Bowl NFL tight end, let’s look at guys like Blair Hodgson, any of the other 11 players from Logan High who played in the NFL, or other great athletes.

Moreover, I don’t want to criticize Brimhall and his hall of fame selections, and frankly, it’s nice that he has started this hall of fame tradition, but WHY is a guy less than two years out of high school being inducted to the hall of fame? There are guys on the current basketball team who played with Abouo two years ago. Even more, Charles won’t be able to attend the induction ceremony on Monday because he’ll be playing with BYU.

This doesn’t make sense at all. I completely disagree with the quote in the paper from Brimhall and think it was a slap in the face to many other great athletes at Logan High, and I think it was a shame for Abouo, who should have the opportunity to attend the ceremony after he’s been able to realize his full range of accomplishments, at least having finished his D-1 basketball career.

We are the team of the moment. Every national papers is speaking loud about Teramo Basket and Jaycee.

Here is another interview released by Jaycee to a national paper. (Usual adaption from Google translation)

The italian text

Tuesday 23 December 2008
from “Corriere dello Sport”

Carroll, on a mission on behalf of God

One evening five years ago, with a warm and humid that take your breath away, JayCee managed to lower his head just in time, avoiding shots fired from a passing car. He was lucky, like that time that he faced the blade of a knife, spotted by blood of his companion. No, that of JayCee Carroll, the gunner who led the small Teramo in second place in the standings, is not the usual story of the young living in slums, with a difficult past. He, well educated baby face American, the son of two professors of mathematics and geography, has never sought trouble. It was on a mission. In mission on behalf of God.

THE CHOICE - “I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. When I was 19 years the church asked me to leave, go on a mission to bring the word of God. It was a personal choice. I said yes. Because I felt that I had received much from the Lord: my life was a very happy and I wanted to share this feeling with others, bringing the word and the message of God. “I had to stay away from home for two years. I was sent in Chile in Santiago and in two other “villages”. My day began at 6.30 am: I wake up, read the scripture for an hour, then studied along with other missionaries for another hour. At 10.30 went in couples on the streets, to hear young people, to confront them. Some of us listened, heard the word of God. Others did not want to have anything to do with us: they throwed us stones, and insulted us. ”

KNIFE ATTACKED- ‘One day a boy attacked with a knife my companion to stole something. I am big, I am going to his aid and I shout: that was scared and fled away. One night, missing only three days after my two years, came a car, heard the shots: they were targeting a group of young people near us.

ISOLATED - “Throughout the period when I was a missionary in Chile had little chance to keep in touch with my family. An email a week and two phone calls a year, at Christmas and Mother’s Day. Now they ask me if I would be willing to redo that experience, and could not find a university willing to welcome, after two years of inactivity. Of course I would make it again: in Chile I saw many things, I grew spiritually and as a man. And now, every day, for at least five minutes I think about my mission and I am happy. ”

20,000 shots - ‘Two seasons ago, I spent the summer shhoting at least 20,000 shots. This gave me confidence, and now I’m more confident in me. Do I seem a 80s style player? It’s true, I try always to make things simple, essential. Last summer, after university, I spent three weeks in the camp of the Nets, and seven days to Toronto. I did everything I could to have me recruited, but it was not enough ‘

TERAMO -’ I chose Teramo, because the Italian league is very good here and why I do play a lot. I like the city, is surrounded by mountains and yet has the sea nearby. Then my daughter Bella was born here. The secret of our success is the team concept coach Capobianco was able to send. And of course PG Poeta, who’s able to help everyone. ”

Blasphemy - ‘I do not like to hear curse in the field or in the changing rooms. Sometimes I’m quiet and I am away. But sometimes you must say something. Behold, so I am”

Andrea Barocci

-HURRICANE JOHN

LOGAN, Utah ­ Utah State men’s basketball coach Stew Morrill announced Monday that Richard Sirju has left the team due to personal reasons and will not rejoin the Aggies.

“Richie wants to be closer to home with a better opportunity for playing time,” said Morrill. “He is a quality young man and we wish him all the best.”

Sirju, a junior guard from Sunrise, Fla. (Piper HS) has played in three games this year for Utah State and had five points and three rebounds in 23 total minutes.

Sirju transferred to Utah State this past fall from Daytona Beach (Fla.) Community College where he earned second all-conference honors as both a freshman and sophomore. During his sophomore season, he averaged 19.5 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.

Utah State hosts in-state rival Utah tonight at 7 p.m. in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.

-USU-

Head Coach Jim Boylen asked the media in his weekly
press conference “is it really tougher?” (to play in
the Spectrum)
Boylen also went on to say “A lot of guys in the profession tell me don’t schedule that game,” Boylen said with a laugh. “Don’t play up there. That’s what I’ve heard most about that, don’t ever play up there.”

Michael C. Lewis, on the SLTRIB Blog, also wrote the
following things about the Spectrum record and why
Coach Boylen should be worried about visiting the
Spectrum tonight.
The Aggies are 146-12 at home under coach Stew Morrill, and the Utes have lost five straight to them in Logan, even with some of their best teams. They’re 4 1/2-point underdogs tonight, too, in their second straight game without suspended point guard Luka Drca.

“We have been talking about this Utah game since the beginning of the season,” Utah State’s Javon Williams said, because the Aggies remember their embarrassing 72-48 loss to the Utes last season in the Huntsman Center.

The Utes will be facing former assistant coach Chris Jones for the first time, after Jones left Boylen’s staff after last season to join coach Stew Morrill. In their last game, the Utes beat former assistant Randy Rahe, who’s now the head coach at Weber State.

“We watched Utah some in preparing for Idaho State,” Morrill said. “We’re well aware of the challenge with their athleticism and size. They will come in geeked up. It should be fun. There is always a great crowd for that game. I think our fans and kids will be excited.”
Also Lewis added in a more recent post about Utah’s
Freshman guard, Jace Tavita, the following:
Freshman Improving at the Point
With point guard Jace Tavita due to make probably his last start for awhile tonight against Utah State, it’s worth noting that he enjoyed his most productive performance in the victory over Weber State on Saturday.

The freshman handed out a career-high four assists (though he committed three turnovers), grabbed two rebounds, blocked two shots and made a steal in 18 minutes of the 74-64 victory at the Huntsman Center. That was more than he had done in his previous three games combined, in place of injured and suspended Luka Drca.

Drca is serving the second game of his two-game suspension tonight, and should be back in the starting lineup when the Utes play at UC Irvine on Saturday.

Oh, and if anybody has seen Kim Tillie, will you please call the number on the back of the milk carton?

Though the 6-foot-10 forward had started the season well, he has all but disappeared lately, averaging just 1.8 points and 3.0 rebounds in his last five games — including a scoreless and reboundless 17 minutes against the Wildcats.

It ought to be a great game tonight in the Spectrum.
Let’s just hope that the snow and wind doesn’t keep
the USU students who are still around away from the
game. It would be a shame if Coach Boylen doesn’t
get welcomed to Logan and the Spectrum the right
way.

UTAH STATE vs. Utah tonight in the Spectrum
6:06 PM for the pregame and 7:00 PM for the tip-off
tonight live on 610 KVNU AM and 95.9 KLZX FM and
also listen chat online live right here on USUAGGIES.COM

-HURRICANE JOHN