With Boise State’s top two leading scorers from last season, Anthony Drmic (15.9 ppg, 4.5 rpg) and Derrick Marks (14.9, 3.4), being seniors there’s a need for head coach Leon Rice and his coaching staff to add some pieces on the perimeter in advance of their departure. Newcomers Chandler Hutchison (freshman) and Montigo Alford (JUCO transfer) will help the Broncos moving forward, as will sophomore Dezmyn Trent, and Sunday evening Boise State landed a verbal commitment from a guard capable of doing the same.
6-foot-3 guard Malek Harwell, who hails from Pocatello, Idaho and helped lead Century HS to the state 4A title game as a junior, announced that he has verbally committed to Boise State.
S/o 2 God 4 this opportunity I'm blessed 2 say that I will B a Boise State Bronco & continue 2 rep the 208 #BleedBlue pic.twitter.com/FiilkMjEry
— Malek Harwell (@malek_harwell3) September 15, 2014
Harwell’s a three-star prospect who averaged 21 points per game last season, and keeping a player of his caliber home was important for Boise State. Scouts have made note of his quickness off the dribble, and the ability to create offense for himself (he’s a good perimeter shooter) and others will be important considering the key players Boise State will lose at the end of the 2014-15 season.
According to Dave Southorn of the Idaho Statesman, Harwell picked Boise State over Colorado, Lehigh, San Francisco and Wyoming. He is Boise State’s first verbal commitment in the Class of 2015.
Harwell played for the Utah Basketball Club this summer, alongside fellow Division I commits Noah Togiai (Utah), Jarriese Blackmon (UCSB), Jake Lindsey (Baylor), Riley Court (Weber State)