The 2021 Idaho Vandals men’s basketball team had a very up-and-down 2021-2022 season as they finished 9-22 overall and 6-14 in conference. They will look to improve this season as they have added a plethora of new players.
The Vandals lost a few players to graduation after last season, including their leading scorer, guard Mikey Dixon, who now plays in Cyprus, and six players to the transfer portal.
On the other side, the Vandals added six transfers, a key one being junior forward/center, Isaac Jones. Jones transferred from Wenatchee Valley College, where he put up amazing numbers of 25.3 points and 13.2 rebounds per game. His play will be crucial after the Vandals lost their top scorer and top rebounder this offseason. Jones also brings a defensive aspect as he was voted the Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Year, East Region MVP and defensive player of the year.
Another key transfer was fifth year senior guard Divant’e Moffitt, who came from Seattle Pacific where he averaged 19.3 ppg, shot 47% from the field and 80% from the free throw line.
Although the transfer portal was huge for the Vandals, they also have some key returning players. Senior guard Rashad Smith was third on the Vandals in scoring with 28.9 ppg last season while sophomore guard Yusef Salih averaged 23.8 ppg. These two players will be key to the veteran leadership and experience that this Vandal team will need while going through this transition period.
Transfers and returning players are great to have, but every good team also needs recruits. The Vandals have four incoming freshmen, one of which received the Idaho Gatorade Player of the Year. Freshman guard, Titus Yearout. was a tremendous player at Lapwai High School as he averaged 24 ppg, 5.5 assists, led them to back-to-back state championships and finished last season with a 27-0 record.
Another standout recruit, freshman forward Nigel Burris, averaged 13.8 ppg and 6.6 rebounds per game at Archbishop Mitty High School, making him a key bench depth to this Vandals team.
Not only did the players transition, but Coach Zac Claus also made an assistant coach hire in Jermery Harden. Harden was the head coach at Wenatchee Valley College, and a key piece to the Boise State broncos first Mountain West championship as their director of player development in 2015. Harden brings experience, which will help coach Claus, and the players, through this transitional period.
The Vandals need to improve on a lot of things, but one key thing that needs to improve is their defense. They allowed 79 points per game and gave up 90 plus point games. Winning at home was one of the only bright spots for the Vandals last season as they went 8-7 at ICCU arena. It was a completely different story on the road as they went 1-12
The Vandals journey to improvement in the 2022-2023 season will start in an exhibition game against Evergreen state on Nov. 1 at 6 p.m. in ICCU arena. They will start regular play on Nov. 7 at 4 p.m. away against the University of Denver. After a long non-conference schedule, the Vandals will open Big Sky play against Montana State on Dec. 29 in Boseman.
The Vandals will have some key games, and will have to grow up quick, as new transfers and new recruits gel with returners in an attempt to make this season better than the last few.
Jayden Barfuss can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @JaydenBarfuss10