Originally published April 15, 2009 at 12:00 AM | Page modified April 15, 2009 at 11:58 AM
Comments (10)
E-mail article
Print view
Share
High school guard Xavier Thames says he'll stick with Cougars
Sacramento-area player originally wanted out of letter-of-intent commitment when coach Tony Bennett left, but says now he wants to play for new coach Ken Bone.
Seattle Times staff reporter
Washington State basketball coach Ken Bone has secured a piece of WSU's immediate future with the affirmation of Sacramento-area point guard Xavier Thames to make good on his November letter of intent.
Thames' father Ray had indicated his son wanted a release from his letter when WSU coach Tony Bennett departed for Virginia on March 31. WSU denied the request, and Bone, hired last week, successfully recruited Thames back into the fold with a home visit Saturday along with assistant coach Ben Johnson, retained from Bennett's staff.
Thames said Tuesday he made his decision based on that meeting, Bone's up-tempo style of play, and "also the guys I'm going to have around me," mentioning freshmen DeAngelo Casto, Klay Thompson and Marcus Capers.
"It just felt like the best fit," Thames said.
Thames' retention is important for WSU, which graduates all-conference point guard Taylor Rochestie and doesn't return a true point guard. Thames, 6 feet 3, averaged 20.1 points and 3.7 assists.
Ray Thames said "several teams in the Pac-10" — which he declined to name — had expressed interest in his son on the rebound through an AAU coach.
John DuPont, Thames' coach at Pleasant Grove, said, "The one word I use to describe him is 'competitor.' He has the ball on a string. He's very special.
"He'll put people in the seats."
Meanwhile, 2010 recruit Patrick Simon of Ephrata, who committed to WSU as a ninth-grader in 2007, said Tuesday he has told Bone he is reopening his recruiting "because the whole program has kind of changed over there.
"I told him that with the intent that I'm still highly interested in WSU," said Simon, "but I just want to explore and see what else is out there."
Simon, ranked 12th among Scout.com's small forwards in that class, says he might listen to pitches from other Pac-10 schools and Gonzaga.
Bud Withers: 206-464-8281 or bwithers@seattletimes.com
Copyright © 2009 The Seattle Times Company
UPDATE - 09:05 PM
Oregon State rolls past Cougars, 42-10
NEW - 07:38 PM
Bundle up: 2010 Apple Cup will be played in December in Pullman
Women's College Hoops | WSU loses at Kansas State
WSU seniors prepare for final home game

Raw Video | Real Salt Lake receives the MLS Cup trophy
Real Salt Lake is handed the 2009 MLS Cup trophy at Qwest Field, November 22, 2009.
nwjobs

Post a comment

Michelle Goodman blogs about work/life balance.
How to tell your office you're gravely ill
Post a comment
nwautos

Choosing a new sedan? Weigh the impact of your choice on your wallet and on the planet.
Post a comment
- 'The Road' takes Viggo Mortensen to Mount St. Helens and Astoria, Ore.
- Craigslist adoption ad: A plea by young mother-to-be? A scam?
- Tugboat sinks on Seattle's waterfront
- Child-support error costs nearly $21,000
- Italian lead prosecutor argues Knox motive was hatred
- Italian prosecutors request life sentence for UW student
- Man shot in chest on E. Union Street in Capitol Hill
- Washington state wines make annual best-of list
- Chase shrugs off loss of CD investors
- Mariners Blog | A Mariners-Tigers swap makes a whole lot of sense for both teams
- Senate vote clears hurdle
239 - Vikings easily beat the Seahawks
128 - Child-support error costs nearly $21,000
121 - Tight Senate vote launches health care over hurdle
120 - Palin excitement builds in Tri-Cities
119 - Cutting through breast-cancer confusion
90 - Game thread
70 - New York terror trials will restore faith in rule of law
56 - Historic health care bill clears Senate hurdle
51 - Chase shrugs off loss of CD investors
50
- Washington state wines make annual best-of list
- Nonprofits get creative using Twitter and Facebook to make donation easier
- It's possible to recover a life lost to hoarding
- Lynnwood is reinventing itself — again
- Great places to cross-country ski for free (or almost) in the Methow
- 'The Road' takes Viggo Mortensen to Mount St. Helens and Astoria, Ore.
- Child-support error costs nearly $21,000
- Recipes: Sesame Pork Roast, Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes, Gingerbread with Lemon Sauce and more
- Banff: powder, peaks & purity
- 175 foster kids in Washington get 'forever families'






