Gonzaga signs guard Bouldin, 7-foot-3 Foster

Gonzaga University gathered up a couple of signatures on Wednesday, and Washington State signed a prospect out of New Zealand.

But other than that, the region’s four NCAA Division I universities didn’t have much to squawk about on the first day that junior college and high school basketball recruits can sign national letters of intent with four-year colleges.

Matt Bouldin, a 6-foot-5 combo guard from ThunderRidge High School in the Denver suburb of Highlands Ranch, Colo., and Will Foster, a 7-3, 235-pound center from White River High School in Buckley, Wash., signed with GU.

Thomas Abercrombie, a 6-6 wing from New Zealand, signed with WSU.

Neither Idaho nor Eastern Washington announced any signings, although both schools were expected to acknowledge at least one, perhaps as early as today. In addition, Gonzaga is expected, in the near future, to announce the signing of Abdullahi Kuso, a 6-9 center from Nigeria, who is a sophomore at Tallahassee (Fla.) Community College.

GU coach Mark Few seemed most pleased with signing of Bouldin, who averaged 15 points and eight assists as a junior last winter, leading ThunderRidge to a 24-4 record and into the finals of the Colorado 5A State Tournament for the fourth year in a row.

“He’s a national-caliber recruit,” Few said of Bouldin, Colorado’s 2004-05 Gatorade Player of the Year, who was rated as the 10th-best shooting guard prospect and 45th overall, at all positions, by Rivals.com. “He’s has a great feel for the game is probably the best passer we saw among all of the high school kids we looked at over the summer.”

ThunderRidge coach Joe Ortiz said Bouldin received scholarship offers from at least 20 Division I schools, representing every major conference in the country.

“He’s a big guard who plays the game at a very pure level,” Ortiz said. “He’s a distributor, and he’s so graceful, it’s almost like he plays the game in slow motion.”

Bouldin said he canceled a scheduled recruiting trip to Notre Dame after committing to Gonzaga.

Foster, who averaged seven points, 4.5 rebounds and two blocked shots in two State 3A tournament games last winter, is considered a project. But Few said he has a chance to have an effect if he puts in the effort. He has helped White River make it to the State 3A tournament each of the past three seasons, and the Hornets are 57-21 during that span.

“He’s a big kid who can run the floor,” Few added. “It will probably come down to how much he likes basketball. If he really likes it, and he’s willing to put the time in, he could help us down the line.”

WSU associate head coach Tony Bennett called Abercrombie “the best player right now, of his age, in New Zealand.”

“What excites us about Tom is that he has a tremendous upside,” added Bennett, the son of Cougars head coach Dick Bennett. “He’s a very smart, sound player. As he matures, he has a chance to be a real good one.”

With only one scholarship available, Bennett indicated Abercrombie might be afforded the luxury of redshirting next season.

“He’ll be able to learn his way the first year, and then he’s got some opportunities,” said the younger Bennett, who is in line to succeed his father as the Cougars’ head coach. “So it’s set up real nice for him.”

Abercrombie is not considered to be a dominant scorer, but Bennett expects him to contribute in a variety of ways.

“He’s real athletic, he’ll rebound, and he’ll make the extra passes,” Bennett said. “He’ll be a nice addition.”