Clippers men’s basketball sends four to four-year programs

South Puget Sound Community College men’s basketball — coming off its best finish in program history — will send four on to play at four-year universities next season.

Sophomores Deiondre Bird (California State University, East Bay), Topher Burian (Pacific University in Oregon), Dustin Meade (The Evergreen State College) and Tyler Watts (Linfield College) have each signed on to play for four-year programs after graduating this spring.

“The best and the worst thing is you get to see these guys sign letters of intent — they’re all going on scholarship, which is great,” SPSCC coach Aaron Landon said. “But, then you get home and have an anxiety attack because they won’t be in the lineup anymore.”

The Clippers finished 22-7 this season, and advanced to the Northwest Athletic Conference regionals. They will graduate all five sophomores on their roster.

“I think you get a lot more experience than you would at a four-year,” Bird said. “If you were to go up as a freshman you might sit on the bench a whole bunch or just practice with the guys.”

“The more years you play, the better you get,” Watts said.

SPSCC led the NWAC’s West region shooting 47 percent from the floor this season (41 percent from 3-point range).

“We got along really well,” said Meade, a Black Hills High School product. “It was really fun to play with these guys.”

Kyle Snyder, the fifth sophomore, will attend Portland State next year, but opted out of playing basketball with recurring problems from a torn ACL.

“I just hope that different players can use (SPSCC) to maximize their own path,” Landon said. “… Everybody’s different, but if they can use our program to get another great opportunity, that’s the point.”

Bird, Burian, Meade and Watts all shot 45 percent or better from the field this season.

“I’m a pretty good shooter, so I felt like I fit into the program (at Pacific),” said Burian, a Yelm product, who recorded 30 3-pointers this season.

“He’s being modest — he’s lights out,” Snyder said.

Landon said he thinks each player could have an immediate impact for their respective program.

“That’s the great thing about our level — you can work with different situations,” he said. “You don’t have to recruit just one type of player. There’s a lot of different personalities and stories in our group.”

Blazers’ Curry commits to SWOCC

Timberline High School’s Austin Curry — the reigning Class 4A Narrows League defensive player of the year — committed to Southwestern Oregon Community College on Thursday.

The Lakers, based in Coos Bay, Oregon, compete in the Northwest Athletic Conference.

Curry finished his senior season at Timberline averaging 12 points per game, five rebounds, three assists and two steals.

“I went down there for a visit, talked to the coaches. I liked the coaches, I liked the area,” Curry said to a room of coaches, teammates and family members. “It was a really nice place. I can really see myself there.”

Julianna Salanoa, a Timberline junior, is committed to play volleyball at New Mexico State University beginning in 2017. She announced her commitment in May via Twitter.

Olympia senior, Ian Hesse, signed his letter of intent to play men’s soccer at Bradley University — a Division I school in Peoria, Illinois, which competes in the Missouri Valley Conference — in May.

Hesse was a first-team selection on The Olympian’s All-Area boys soccer team this season.

This story was originally published June 3, 2016 at 6:39 PM with the headline "Clippers men’s basketball sends four to four-year programs."