Aggie newcomers ready to contribute right away
In his first year at the helm of the Utah State men’s basketball program, head coach Craig Smith will be looking to do a pair of things – win basketball games, and establish an identity as a team.
Both of those goals go hand-in-hand, and both are easier said than done.
For Smith and the Aggies to accomplish these goals, an incoming class of five newcomers is going to have to rise up to the occasion.
With last year’s leading rebounder and second-leading scorer Koby McEwen gone, Utah State has some openings in the backcourt. A pair of Aggie newcomers are hoping to establish themselves as playmakers with the ball in their hands during their first season in Logan.
Nobody has a better opportunity than incoming junior college transfer John Knight III, who will be competing for immediate playing time at the point guard position.
It hasn’t taken long for Knight III to establish himself as one of the premier athletes on the team. Knight III’s unique blend of size, proven production and athleticism has Smith and his staff excited for the future.
“John Knight III is a freakish, freakish athlete,” Smith said. “… He can really play off of two feet. When he just attacks and explodes to the rim, he can really finish. He just hangs and hangs on the way up, and he has such ferocity at the rim.”
John Knight III soars above the rim in a inter-squad scrimmage.
Knight III will have three years of eligibility left as an Aggie after spending the first year of his college career at Southwest Mississippi Community College. Knight III put up 14.3 points per game for the Bears in 2017-18, to go along with 4.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists per contest.
Not only can the 6-foot-2 guard put the ball in the hole, but he’s a tenacious defender as well.
“He can really get into the ball,” Smith said. “He’s so athletic sliding. He can really get into the ball and find the ball with his length, athleticism and strength.”
When asked about what Aggie fans can expect from him in 2018-19, Knight III did not hesitate.
“It’s going to be plenty of athleticism and exciting dunks that bring everybody out of their seats,” Knight III said. “That’s the strength in my game – I can really get to the basket. Going downhill, it’s hard to stop me.”
Joining Knight III in the backcourt this year will be Tauriawn Knight. The 6-foot-1 guard will be joining the Aggies straight out of high school after originally committing to play for Smith at South Dakota before Smith took the USU job.
“We think very, very highly of (Knight),” Smith said. “He’s a very loyal person and he’s a tough kid. He’s got a big heart. Tauriawn, quite frankly, was very under-recruited coming out of high school. He was coming to South Dakota and we built a great relationship with him. For us, character matters. When you really believe in someone, like we do in him, you really want to coach him and having him move here really made sense.”
The feeling of loyalty is mutual.
“What led me to come here is that Coach Smith is outgoing and loyal,” Knight said. “He trusts in all of his players and he believes in all of us. I already had a connection and a bond with him. This is going on my third year knowing him. I trust in him and I didn’t want to go to any other program except his. He was my guy, and he was loyal to me. I want to be loyal to him.”
Knight put up great numbers in high school. He led Edmond Santa Fe High School (Edmond, Okla.) to the 6A Oklahoma State Championship game after averaging 19.2 points per game his senior season, to go along with 3.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game. Knight finished his career at ESFHS as the third-leading scorer in school history, and he will use his scoring abilities from both guard positions for Utah State in his freshman season.
“I expect to bring a lot of energy,” Knight said. “I can get to the hole. I expect to bring a lot of energy, and I’m going to bring it in every game and every practice.”
The duo of Knight and Knight III will have the opportunity to make plays with the ball in their hands, especially as they share the backcourt with Sam Merrill and his catch-and-shoot prowess.
“I think it’s going to be really difficult for teams to stop us,” Knight III said. “Once I get into the paint two times in a row, the guy’s going to have to help. That will leave Sam (Merrill) open for the three, and he’s probably one of the best shooters in the country. That’s going to be hard for teams to stop.”
Tauriawn Knight (1), Abel Porter (15) and Neemias Queta (30) celebrate during an inter-squad scrimmage.
Utah State’s literal biggest addition in 2018-19 is Neemias Queta. The 6-foot-11 post player has made the jump from Barreiro, Portugal to USU’s campus, bringing with him a wealth of experience against some of the top competition in the world. Queta spent the summer playing with Portugal’s U20 national team in the European Championships, and he played well. Queta recorded a team-high 10.9 rebounds per game as well as 14.3 points per contest and an incredible 2.9 blocks per game, good for the best mark in the entire tournament.
With the Aggies lack of depth at the post positions, Queta will be asked to step in alongside fellow big man Quin Taylor and contribute immediately. Queta’s 7-foot-5-inch wingspan will aid in the process, undoubtedly.
“Neemias has great speed,” Smith said. “He runs well, he slides well and he communicates well. He has a very good feel for the game. Obviously, there are some things he’s got to get better at, and he will. Neemias has a tremendous attitude, he’s so coachable.”
Queta’s experience playing against world-class talent will help him to adjust to the Mountain West, a conference loaded with talent at the post positions. As Queta prepares to battle with star big men such as the Martin twins from Nevada, or Jalen McDaniels of San Diego State, he will draw on the things that he learned this past summer.
“We are very privileged to be able to do what we like and to represent our country doing it,” Queta said. “It’s good because you’re playing against great players from other countries, and you get to learn from them and their culture, too.”
Joining Queta as new faces in the frontcourt will be Ben Fakira and Roche Grootfaam. Fakira, a native of Sydney, Australia, will have a full four years of eligibility after averaging over 12 points and 10 rebounds per game at Baker College. The 6-foot-10-inch and 260-pound big man possesses a wingspan that tops out beyond 7-feet, and he moves exceptionally well for a man of his size. Fakira’s intellect and maturity were praised by Smith.
“Ben Fakira is eighteen years-old going on thirty six,” Smith said. “What I mean by that is that if you name it, he can sit and have a conversation about you with it. It doesn’t matter who you are. He can sit and talk away, and he’s very engaging. He is a great teammate. Ben brings a different level of physicality to our team.”
Grootfaam joins the Aggies after spending two years at the College of Southern Idaho. He won’t see the court in 2018-19 – Grootfaam will redshirt after injuring his knee in his final game as an Eagle. Nevertheless, the hard-working post player will have the chance to make his presence felt as he demonstrates his leadership while he heals. The 6-foot-8-inch Grootfaam averaged 7.6 points per game in his final year at CSI. Grootfaam is a perfect example of the player that Smith has sought to develop at Utah State – one who embodies Smith’s “get after their ass” (G.A.T.A.) team motto.
“He’s a G.A.T.A. guy,” Smith said. “He’s tough, he has relentless pursuit of the ball and great competitive spirit. He’s a tough guy, and I think that he can play an undersized five or a big four. He’s really stout and he’s stuck together.”
With the 2018-19 approaching and the opportunity to fly under the radar in the Mountain West, the Aggies are going to rely on some key contributions from a spread of newcomers.
They can’t wait for the opportunity.
“It’s coming fast,” Queta said. “We’ve worked hard, and we’re ready for it.”