Four high school standouts are set to join the Corban men's basketball team for the upcoming season. (Photo Credit: Doug Pfeiler)
SALEM, Ore. – Corban University head men's basketball coach Austin Johnson announced his 2017 Warrior men's basketball recruiting class on Friday afternoon, naming four high school standouts that will be joining the Corban squad for the upcoming season.
"Finding players that love basketball and love to invest time in improving was a priority in recruiting this past season," said Johnson. "I believe each of these four young men bring those program-impacting qualities which will help immediately. These guys are gym rats and have a desire to maximize their talents and potential."
A second wave of Warrior recruits as a part of the 2017 Corban men's basketball recruiting class will be announced soon.
"Each of these high school players have been leaders and tremendous teammates on their previous teams, and I expect that to continue on here at Corban," said Johnson. "This is a special class in terms of winning, as they have combined to play in six State Championships and win four of those. We are thrilled to have these four incoming freshmen commit to Corban."
Beau Roggenbach – 6' 6" – F – Kentwood High School – Washington
Hailing from Kent, Wash., Roggenbach comes to Corban ready to make an impact right away. While averaging 12.5 points per game to go with 8.4 rebounds per game, he led his team to the Washington 4A State Title games during both his junior and senior seasons, helping the squad capture the 4A State Championship during his senior year. For his efforts on the court during the 2017 State Tournament, he was named to the 4A All-Tournament First Team.
He also averaged nearly two assists per game to go with one block per game and a 54% field-goal percentage. In addition, he shot 39% from beyond the arc and 74% from the charity stripe. During his time at Kentwood, he led the team to a 49-10 overall record.
"Beau capped off his senior year and high-school career in the best way possible, with a state championship," said Johnson. "Beau is an active player that worked his way into a very important role for Coach Blake Solomon at Kentwood over the last two years. Beau rebounded and defended at a very impressive level, which I believe will translate well to the college level. We are excited to see the impact he will make over the next four years."
Jaxon Hughes – 5' 9" – G – The Ambrose School – Idaho
Hughes comes to Corban after averaging 18.1 points per game at the high school level and led his team to a State Championship during his time. During the 2016-17 season, he was named the WIC Player of the Year and was a First-Team All-State performer. In addition, he garnered All-State honors during each of his four years while racking up 1,342 career points, 232 career three-pointers, and an 88-17 career record.
On top of his scoring ability, he recorded 4.1 rebounds per game, 3.4 assists per game, and 3.6 steals per game. On multiple occasions, he received All-Tournament Team honors at the State level.
"Jaxon has played in and won big games in every season/role that he has had during his time at Ambrose where he was coached by his father, Jay Hughes," said Johnson. "He will benefit from competing with the great guards already in our program, and spending more time in the weight room. Jaxon has worked hard and turned himself into a high-level shooter which will help his transition to the college game."
Jett Sobotta – 6' 0" – G – Clarkston High School – Washington
Sobotta comes to play for the Navy and Gold following an accomplished high school career. While being named the 2017 Great Northern League's MVP, he led his team to the State Championship during the 2015 and 2016 seasons. In 2017, Sobotta was named to the 2017 WIBCA All-State Team. He averaged 17.9 points per game, 3.9 rebounds per game, 4.0 assists per game, and 2.4 steals per game during his career.
On top of basketball, Sobotta was a standout in the High Jump for the Track & Field team, winning the District Championship in the High Jump (6' 5") and the Triple Jump (42' 6").
"Jett had a special high school career, both individually and as a member of the tradition-rich Clarkston High School basketball program coached by Justin Jones," said Johnson. "Jett has continued to improve his game as over time he has become an even better athlete and scorer. We have high expectations for him as both a player and person during his time here at Corban."
Tyler Simmons – 6' 1" – G – Riverside Poly – California
Simmons, who hails from Riverside, Calif., is set to come to Corban after a standout career at Riverside Poly. While collecting First-Team All-League honors during his senior season, he led his team to a 19-9 overall record. Following his high school career, he played at International Sports Academy (Fla.) for a year while developing his game. During that year, he averaged 14.5 points per game, 4.3 assists per game, and 3.0 rebounds per game while leading his team to a 34-12 overall record.
On top of his on-court accolades, Simmons was also a four-time Scholar-Athlete during his high school career.
"Tyler comes to us from prep school after finishing a standout career at Riverside Poly," said Johnson. "He had a very productive post-grad year both on the court and in the weight room. He has added a lot of muscle, which has helped him make progress defensively and has allowed him to take more contact on his drives. His energy and passion for the game make him a great addition to what we are trying to do here at Corban."