Big Sky Conference

Montana signs three in DeCuire’s third class

on

Since returning to his alma mater as its head coach three years ago, Travis DeCuire has been trying to build the Grizzlies into a program equipped to win in March. On the first day he can welcome his third crop of recruits into the fold, DeCuire feels like he might have found the pieces that will finally allow that to happen.

On the first day of the early signing period, Montana received National Letters of Intent from a high-scoring guard from California, a high-motor forward from Texas and a rim-protecting center from Wyoming. All three provide a piece DeCuire and his staff have been working tirelessly to recruit.

“One of the biggest things for us with recruiting — to me — each individual that we go out after is like a chess piece so each kid is a little different,” DeCuire said Wednesday. “They bring something different. There might be a lot of similarities, but they’re guys that can play multiple positions and might be a little bit different than the guy you brought before or the guy you bring them with.”

Timmy Falls, the guard who committed after an official visit in February, was first identified as a sharp-shooting 2-guard, but has since developed into an athletic player capable of playing on or off ball, while still providing energy at the defensive end. DeCuire sees Falls as a nice compliment as sophomore Ahmaad Rorie transitions into a role as the team’s primary point guard next season.

“He’s headed more into combo guard territory as he’s shown his ability to create plays for others, play in ball screens,” said DeCuire. “But at the end of the day I think he has the potential to be a prolific scorer.”

Falls is already familiar with the team he’ll be joining after making three trips to Missoula since last August. He was in town again this past fall when the Grizzlies brought Karl Nicholas, an athletic 6-foot-8, 200-pound forward, in town from Houston on an official visit in September. Though their time on the court was limited, Nicholas and Falls quickly developed a chemistry.

Nicholas was discovered essentially by accident by associate head coach Chris Cobb, displaying a skill set that convinced the coach into spending much of this past summer following him around the country from one AAU tournament to another.

“(He) finishes about the rim, which we lack in that area right now,” DeCuire said of Nicholas. “Karl runs the floor with guards so when you have a guy like him that is playing inside that can move with your guards now you have a team that is built to play uptempo on a more full-time basis.”

Eventually Nicholas will play alongside Rock Springs, Wyoming’s Kelby Kramer, who committed on Halloween after coming to town to watch the Grizzlies’ annual Maroon-Silver scrimmage. A former tennis player who sprouted to 6-11, Kramer is still just 17 years old and was on the brink of qualifying for the 2018 class.

Montana views Kramer as a presence that will force opposing teams to think twice about driving at the rim. And once he gets his feet under him, Kramer will give Montana an offensive tool on the block as DeCuire has asked the center to develop a hook shot.

“When you look at him playing next to guys like Karl and Alphonso (Anderson) then we’ve got speed and athleticism on the floor with him and he can coexist at 7-feet,” DeCuire said. “Now you’ve got a team that is built to win in March.”

About Kyle Sample

Recommended for you