Air Force Basketball Signs 11 on National Signing Day

According to the Colorado Springs Gazette, Air Force Falcons head basketball coach Dave Pilipovich and staff have signed 11 high school players to possible letters of intent to play for the Falcons.

It should be noted that recruiting for the Air Force Academy is always a fluid situation when compared to other Mountain West teams. Athletes who sign letters to the Academy are not bound to those signings like they are at other schools and the athlete must still complete the appointment procedure for the Academy which includes a congressional nomination. The athlete might not be able to secure the appointment and the Academy usually does not release names because of the strict policy in gaining admission.

As for the players that were reported by the Gazette, ten of them will be directly assigned to the Air Force Academy Prep School. Only Tyler, Texas forward Garrett Thibodeaux is a direct-enter recruit, meaning he will be on the team as a true freshman.Thibodeaux is a prototypical Falcon frontcourt player. He is a square up shooter who can handle the ball and is a good passer. The Falcons do not typically recruit the bruising frontcourt player who has a good back to the basket game. Thibodeaux will have an opportunity for playing time next year as the Falcons will graduate six seniors off of the current team.

The rest of the players believed to have signed with the Falcons today are:

• Conner Avant - 6'7 Forward from Edmond, OK
• Melvin Brooks - 6'6 Forward from Ft. Lauderdale, FL
• Keegan Culp - 6'6 Forward from Carmel, IN
• Grant Pitman - 6'3 Guard from Cincinnati, OH
• Drew Romich, 6'9 Forward from Marietta, GA
• Garett Scheer, 6'7 Forward from Las Vegas, NV
• Lavelle Scottie, 6'6 Forward from Ft. Worth, TX
• Sid Tomes, 6'3 Guard from Woodbury, MN
• Ryan Swan, 6'7 Forward from Aurora, CO
• Nicolas Wells, 6'6 Forward from Marietta, GA