Broadnax Commits

The Brigham Young University-Hawaii men's basketball team signed a pair of California High School prep stars to play for the Seasiders next year. Shawn Broadnax and Tyree Gardner, both from San Leandro High School in the Bay Area, have signed letters-of-intent to join Coach Ken Wagner's team following their high school careers.

Broadnax, a 6-3 shooting guard, averaged 19 points per game as a junior and was named to the HAAL All-Conference Team. Gardner, a 6-0 point guard, averaged 15 points per game. The two are being counted on to lead San Leandro to the playoffs for the first time in 15 years this season. San Leandro Assistant Coach Donald Williams says of the two, "Shawn is a tremendous athlete with a 38-40 inch vertical and Tyree is a tremendous shooter and a great defender." He says both players are outstanding young men and expects them to do well at BYU-Hawaii.

Gardner and Broadnax formed an exciting alliance when Broadnax transferred to San Leandro from Redwood Christian a year ago. The duo helped each other be noticed by the coaching staff of BYU-Hawaii and both accepted full-ride scholarship to the Division II program on Monday.

"They are getting a tremendous athlete in Shawn," said San Leandro coach Aaron O'Brien. "They are getting a guy that can get to the rim and knows how to score, and I think down the road a great defender.

"With Tyree they get an outstanding shooter, a floor leader and a great one-on-one defender and most importantly two outstanding young men."

A lot of high school athletes can get caught up in the idea of needing a Division I scholarship, but Gardner and Broadnax both decided to accept BYU's offer because of the possibility of the free ride and the quality of education at the school.

"I liked the campus and the people over there," said Gardner. "There were a lot of nice people and a great gym."

The nice setting and the ability to travel to foreign countries and far off states like Alaska also attracted the duo.

"(The school and basketball) will be a great learning experience," said San Leandro coach Aaron O'Brien. "They will come out of there well-rounded young men."