Blog matters
A sampling from the past week of entries in The Spokesman-Review Sports department blog, SportsLink. Check daily at spokesman.com/sportslink.
Vandals
Josh Wright
Come this fall, Don Verlin will never had this much youth. And, according to him, never this much talent. The Idaho men’s basketball coach announced the signing of three more recruits Wednesday to go along with the six signees that have already been announced.
The nine-player incoming class includes four true freshmen, a sophomore, and four JC transfers. Meanwhile, Tyler Egbert will be a redshirt freshman this season. “We’re younger than we’ve ever been, but I also think in time it will be our most talented group,” Verlin said.
Only three returners who saw playing time last season – Stephen Madison, Connor Hill and Joe Kammerer – are back with the team. Madison and Hill are the only regulars returning. Point guards Denzel Douglas and Robert Harris have left the program.
The latest additions are 6-foot-10 Robert Asencio, a transfer from Des Moines (Iowa) Area Community College; 6-3 guard Patrick Ball of Franklin High in Seattle; and 6-6 small forward Jordan Scott of Lewis-Palmer High in Colorado Springs.
Cougars
Christian Caple
Reports rolled in Thursday night that Braden Eggert, a 6-foot-7, 310- pound offensive lineman from Napa, Calif., has committed to play football for the Cougars. Rival.com and Scout.com each reported the news.
Eggert is rated a three- star recruit by Scout.com, and is currently rated as the No. 89 offensive tackle prospect in the nation. He’s WSU’s 10th known commitment of the 2014 class, and the first offensive lineman.
Indians
Chris Derrick
Most Spokane Indians fans left Avista Stadium long before Thursday night’s 9-3 loss to the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes was official. Rain started falling in the sixth inning, around the time the Volcanoes turned a 4-1 lead into a 9-1 edge with a five-run sixth that included five hits, two walks and an infield error. Anyone who stayed for the final three innings got soaked but watched Spokane score the final two runs. Travis Dean threw a scoreless eighth and ninth to give a tiny lift after a frustrating night for the Indians’ usually reliable bullpen.