This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Logan • In the what-have-you-done-lately world of college basketball, Tim Duryea's first season as Utah State's basketball coach is already ancient history.
The wins.
The losses.
The lessons learned — more than you'd expect for someone who spent 14 years as an Aggie assistant before sliding over one seat on the bench.
Today, Duryea and his staff are looking ahead, having already laid the foundation for the 2016-17 season.
The hectic spring recruiting period is finished. The roster is mostly finalized. Players report June 13 for a seven-week summer schedule filled with classes, camps and conditioning. Supervised work with the coaches is limited to two hours per week.
"We're really pleased about where we are," Duryea said. "We have a group coming back with good experience. We have guys slotted into their proper positions. We're not size-deficient at any position. We feel like we've got a little depth. … It's exciting."
Utah State finished 16-15 last season and expects to return three starters: wing Jalen Moore (15.2 ppg.), point guard Shane Rector (9.3) and blue-collar power forward Quinn Taylor (4.2). Sixth man Julion Pearre (8.0) and center Elston Jones (4.2) are also back.
Moore's final status depends on whether he stays in the NBA draft pool. He made himself eligible but did not hire an agent, so he can still return to school for his senior year. If he does come back, which seems likely, Moore could finish among the top-10 scorers in school history.
Utah State's key losses included senior wing Chris Smith, who averaged 15 points per game, point guard Darius Perkins and forward Lew Evans. He left as a graduate transfer with one year of eligibility remaining.
"I sure didn't want to see Lew leave," Duryea said. "I thought this would be a chance for him to take advantage of his experience. He's made so many moves in his basketball career that I thought he could really cash in on it this year — in the same program, with the same coach, with the same system."
Duryea's recruiting class could fill the void, however.
The headliner is Wasatch Academy guard Koby McEwen. Last fall, he was listed as one of the top 100 recruits in the country. He picked Utah State over Baylor, Wake Forest, Ole Miss, George Tech and many others.
"He's a phenomenal prospect — and I call all players prospects until they prove they can play on his level," Duryea said. "But the guys who have coached him say he's a phenomenal competitor.
"He's competitive on an every-day basis. That's music to any coach's ears. If guys compete every day in practice, you know there's going to be a natural transition take place as far as improvement is concerned."
Another guard, Sam Merrill, returns from an LDS Church mission. He could help replace Smith's long-range shooting.
Inside, Utah State struggled against big, strong, oversized teams last season like Duke, San Diego State and UC Irvine. Recruits Ngor Barnaba (6-foot-8), Norbert Janicek (6-11), Klay Stall (6-9) and Daron Henson (6-8) should improve the Aggies' ability to match up with their opponents.
Barnaba, who averaged 14.7 points and 7.5 rebounds at Missouri State-West Plains, was also recruited by Memphis, Nebraska, Texas Tech and Illinois State.
"Ngor was a big recruit for us, after Lew [Evans] decided to go out and explore his options," Duryea said. "Defensively, he's big and strong enough to defend around the basket and rebound. On the offensive end, he's good on the block, he's a very good 3-point shooter and he's a good passer. … He fills a void at both ends."
Twitter: @sluhm —
About USU basketball
• In coach Tim Duryea's first season as head coach, Utah State finished 16-15, including 7-11 in conference.
• Jalen Moore (15.2 ppg.) is eligible for the NBA draft. But he's expected to return.
• The new recruiting class is led by Wasatch Academy guard Koby McEwen and JC forward Ngor Barnaba.