Yellowjackets Announce Basketball Recruiting Class (5/18/06)

BILLINGS, MT – Montana State-Billings basketball coach Craig Carse announced his 2006 recruiting class this week.  Six players, three transfers and three freshman, have signed to join the Yellowjackets next season. 

Transferring to MSU Billings as juniors are Ammar Harknell of Stockholm, Sweden, Russell Steplight of Lacey, Wash., and Colby Sedlar of Lake Havasu City, Ariz.  The Jackets’ incoming freshmen will be Jeffrey Miner of Gresham, Ore., Michael Barton of Havre, Mont., and Troy Ruff of Custer, Mont.

Harknell is a 6-foot-6 forward who graduated in 2004 from Jasper Place High School in Edmonton, Alberta.  As a high school senior he averaged 26.4 points and 20.1 rebounds a game.  Harknell played the last two seasons at University of Maine, appearing in eight games as a freshman and five games as a sophomore.

Steplight is a 6-2 guard who graduated in 2004 from River Ridge High School.  He played one season at Southwest Oregon Community College and one season at Umpqua Community College.  Last year at Umpqua he averaged 16.3 points, 1.7 steals, and 1.2 assists per game.

Sedlar is a 6-4 guard who graduated from Lake Havasu High School in 2004.  He earned all-conference honors twice and averaged 22 points and 13 rebounds a game as a senior.  Sedlar played the last two seasons at Phoenix College, which won the NJCAA Region 1 Division II Championship last year.

Miner is a 6-3 guard who will graduate in June from Sam Barlow High School.  A three-year letterman in basketball, he was the Mt. Hood Conference Player of the Year as a senior.  Miner averaged 23.8 points and 4.7 rebounds a game as a senior, earning first team all-conference and second team all-state recognition.

Barton is a 6-8 forward who will graduate from Havre High School.  He was a two-year letterman in basketball.  As a senior Barton averaged 9.5 points and 8.8 rebounds a game to earn all-conference honorable mention honors.

Ruff is a 6-5 guard who will graduate from Custer High School.  He was a four-year letterman in football, basketball, and track.  He earned basketball all-conference and all-state honors and both a junior and senior.  As a senior, Ruff averaged 22.7 points and 11.2 rebounds a game.

The Yellowjackets were Heartland Conference regular season co-champions last year with a 9-3 league record.  MSUB was 20-8 overall.  The Jackets will open the 2006-2007 season December 1 and 2 at a tournament in Nampa, Idaho.  Their home opener is scheduled for December 16 against West Liberty State College.  The Hilltoppers edged the Yellowjackets for the NCAA Division II national scoring title last season.