Western Nebraska Update

Trace Bevell's Western Nebraska squad made its second trip to the NJCAA Tournament in the past three years, so it's not surprising to learn that many Cougar sophomores are being looked at by Divsion I programs this spring.

Tony Helton, a 6-2, 190 pound shooting guard from El Paso, Tex., is visiting Louisiana-Monroe along with 6-8, 220 pound Olivier Haranga from Douala, Cameroon. The visit will take place from Apr. 30 through May 2.

Helton, an accomplished perimeter marksman, averaged 11.9 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. He shot 49 percent from the floor, 46 percent from beyond the three point arc and 82 percent from the foul line.

James Madison University is slated to come in and take a look at Helton on Tuesday, Apr. 29.

Haranga, who is raw offensively, averaged 2.7 points and 2.4 rebounds per game for the Cougars. He is a big body who could provide depth at the Division I level.

Haranga is slated to visit Radford from May 9-11 following his Louisiana-Monroe trip.

Rodrigo Segantim, a resourceful 6-7, 220 pound power forward from Brazil, is taking an official visit to Stephen F. Austin this week. Segantin will visit SFA from Apr. 29 through May 1. He previously visited Bethune Cookman (Apr. 23-25).

Segantim averaged 7.6 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game for the Cougars in 2002-2003. He shot 52 percent from the field and 60 percent from the foul line.

Brandon Key, a 6-1, 175 pound combo guard from Aiken, S.C., is slated to visit Winthrop in the near future. Key averaged 8.5 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game for the Cougars in 2002-2003. He shot 44 percent from the floor and 33 percent from beyond the three point arc.

The future of two other Western Nebraska sophs appears a bit more cloudy at this time.

Golden Corner, a 6-0, 180 pound point guard from Beaumont, Tex., is being looked at by Texas Southern but is wide open, Bevell said. The younger brother of Paris Corner, Golden averaged 7.7 points and 3.2 assists in 2002-2003. He shot 44 percent from the floor and 33 percent from beyond the three point arc.

Australian big man Brad Ryan, a 6-9, 215 pound power forward, visited Division II Regis University earlier this spring but is still wide open, Bevell said. New Mexico State has expressed recent interest in the Sydney native, who averaged 4.3 points and 2.7 rebounds per game for the Cougars.

Ryan shot 53 percent from the floor and 62 percent from the foul line.

His fellow country mate, 6-6 swingman Ryan Thompson, is profiled in an article elsewhere on this website.

Stay tuned to JUCO Junction for follow-up on all of the Western Nebraska players as they head toward spring decisions.