No, Montana is not the inner city. It's not Oakland, L.A., Chicago, New York or any other of the major basketball hotbeds in America. But before we write ourselves off completely, let's take stock of the D1 talent, both recent, current and future, that has come out of Montana.
--Ryan Edwards: Good enough to get a scholarship to Gonzaga.
--Tres Tinkle: Oregon State star, nuff said.
--Kendal Manuel: Also Oregon State, so a Pac12 talent by definition.
--Mack Anderson: Future Griz, future star in my opinion.
--Rollie Worster: Another future Griz.
--Phillip Malatare: The book is still out on him but not in my book: He's a D1 talent.
--Brendan Howard: Eastern Washington, they're D1, no?
--Ladan Ricketts: Livingston grad, just finished his first year at Sheridan JC where he started, averaging
11 ppg and shooting 40% on three's. The Cats are hot after him.
--RayQuan Evans: Son of former Griz Israel Evans, failed to qualify academically, so went to
North Idaho JC where he averaged 21.4 per, and had one game of 27 points, 13 boards, ten assists.
--Braxton Hill: Broke the scoring records at Anaconda of two Montana basketball legends, Ed Kalafat
and Wayne Estes. Okay, he'll be playing football, but he's not a D1 basketball talent? C'mon!
No doubt I've forgotten others as well. I'm sure the board will fill me in, quickly.
--Ryan Edwards: Good enough to get a scholarship to Gonzaga.
--Tres Tinkle: Oregon State star, nuff said.
--Kendal Manuel: Also Oregon State, so a Pac12 talent by definition.
--Mack Anderson: Future Griz, future star in my opinion.
--Rollie Worster: Another future Griz.
--Phillip Malatare: The book is still out on him but not in my book: He's a D1 talent.
--Brendan Howard: Eastern Washington, they're D1, no?
--Ladan Ricketts: Livingston grad, just finished his first year at Sheridan JC where he started, averaging
11 ppg and shooting 40% on three's. The Cats are hot after him.
--RayQuan Evans: Son of former Griz Israel Evans, failed to qualify academically, so went to
North Idaho JC where he averaged 21.4 per, and had one game of 27 points, 13 boards, ten assists.
--Braxton Hill: Broke the scoring records at Anaconda of two Montana basketball legends, Ed Kalafat
and Wayne Estes. Okay, he'll be playing football, but he's not a D1 basketball talent? C'mon!
No doubt I've forgotten others as well. I'm sure the board will fill me in, quickly.