By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Point guards Blake Nash and Anthony Collins signed with USF on Wednesday, wrapping up a four-member recruiting class that Bulls coach Stan Heath said "may be our best" in his four years in Tampa.
Nash, who comes from Williston State College in North Dakota and will have three years of eligibility at USF, is perhaps the best scoring option of USF's four point guards for next season, having averaged 22.3 points and shot 42 percent on 3-pointers this past season.
"Blake is an outstanding leader from the point guard position," USF assistant Jeremy Cox said in the Bulls' announcement. "... He's a guy that has played for quality teams in big games and he found ways to win. That was something we needed. He's a pass-first guy, but he can score the ball ... He's going to be a welcome addition and asset to our team."
Collins, a four-year starter from Houston's Westbury Christian School, led his school to two state championships for private schools, returning to the state championship game his senior year. As was the case with Nash, the Bulls cited his leadership skills as a strength.
"(Collins) is a guy who can lead and run the team," assistant Reggie Hanson said. "His basketball IQ is off the charts, and he has amazing speed. In games, he's full speed ahead and he makes everyone around him better. He's a great passer and he creates shots for all the other guys. He loves to defend and he understands winning."
The two guards join a pair of big men signed in the fall -- 6-foot-11 junior college center Andre Jackson and 7-foot-3 prep center Jordan Omogbehin, as well as 6-foot-8 guard Victor Rudd, who transferred last summer from Arizona State and is now eligible with the Bulls.
"This may be our best recruiting class," Heath said in USF's release. "We've addressed the areas we felt we needed to improve in, and in a big way. The guard play will be extremely strong next season with the addition of these two players and Victor Rudd ... Then we added two gigantic players who are going to give us a physical presence inside."