Point guard will transfer to WSU
PULLMAN – Since Dick Bennett’s arrival at Washington State University, the Cougars have scoured American high school, junior college and international talent pools for recruits. Add transfers to that list, too.
Taylor Rochestie, a member of last season’s Conference USA all-freshman team for Tulane, has decided to take his collegiate career to WSU.
A Santa Barbara, Calif., native, the point guard dislocated his right kneecap and tore his medial collateral ligament in October. With Tulane’s practices moved to Texas A&M because of Hurricane Katrina and a new head coach in place after Shawn Finney was let go in the off-season, Rochestie decided to transfer.
After a short visit to WSU that included the Arizona game Thursday night in Spokane, the 6-foot-1, 175-pound sophomore has chosen to enroll at WSU on Monday, when the spring semester begins.
“There were a bunch of different things that came into play, but a lot was coming back here and playing in a league where I’m close to my family,” Rochestie told the New Orleans Times-Picayune. “Being back on the West Coast had a lot to do with it.”
As a freshman last season, Rochestie led the Green Wave at 30.5 minutes per game and was second on the team with 10.9 points per outing.
Because of the injury and NCAA transfer rules, Rochestie won’t play this season. He shouldn’t be able to start playing until the conclusion of the fall semester in December, although it remains possible that the Cougars will petition the NCAA to allow Rochestie to begin play as a redshirt sophomore before next season, given the hardships stemming from the hurricane and the injury.
The Cougars don’t have any scholarships available for the spring semester and have all of them doled out for next season as well.
But Rochestie has agreed to walk on for now, and should any current players decide to leave the program early, he would be a likely recipient of that scholarship.
WSU officials are not allowed to comment on Rochestie until he is officially enrolled in classes next week.
Gibson practices
Another new face has already appeared at WSU practices – freshman Brandon Gibson, a wide receiver on the football team.
Gibson’s place on the hardwood may not be permanent, but he has practiced with the team for about a week and will probably continue to do so for another week before he and the coaching staff decide on his basketball future.
“It also helps to stay in shape. I just wanted to see if I could play,” Gibson said Tuesday. “Offensively it’s hard and I’m kind of struggling. It’s different from high school. I just have to be more focused, and defensively I think I’ll be all right.”
Gibson caught nine passes and appeared in nine games this fall, starting in the latter portion of the season as a true freshman.
Notes
Point guard Derrick Low sat out most of Tuesday’s practice after turning an ankle, although the injury doesn’t appear serious. … Low is the only Cougar averaging double figures in points this season, but he’s been the team’s leading scorer just once. … WSU took two days off following its win against ASU on Saturday.