Class Sizes Up as Possibly Best for Braswell

The fruits of Bobby Braswell’s labor in five seasons as Cal State Northridge basketball coach--crowned by the Matadors’ first NCAA tournament appearance last month--have blossomed into what might be Braswell’s best recruiting class at Northridge.

Forwards Ryan Sims of L.A. City College and Chris Davis of Crenshaw High signed with Northridge this week, joining forward Armand Thomas of Compton College, who signed last week.

Sims and Thomas, both 6 feet 9, played for Crenshaw and were members of the 1997 state-championship team. Davis, a 6-8 versatile forward, graduated in 2000 and spent a year attending a college preparatory school.

The trio will be a welcome addition to the Matadors, who lost six seniors to graduation, most notably center Brian Heinle, the Big Sky Conference’s player of the year who averaged 20 points.

Northridge, Big Sky champion, will move to the Big West next season.

Braswell said this group of recruits is “maybe the best class we’ve ever signed.”

“These are the most athletic guys I’ve had since I’ve been here,” Braswell said. “They run up and down the floor like deer. I’ve liked them for some time. They’re just the kind of guys I felt we needed going into the Big West.”

Northridge’s recent success has helped in recruiting. Sims, Davis and Thomas were heavily recruited by several schools, including Long Beach State, Pepperdine, Washington State, San Diego State, Wyoming, Idaho and Cal State Fullerton.

“Getting these three kids was something we wouldn’t have been able to do three years ago,” Braswell said. “We tried recruiting Chris out of high school.”

Sims, a wing, probably is the best defensive player of the newcomers, Braswell said. He averaged 12.3 points as a sophomore at L.A. City. Davis, an inside-outside threat, and Thomas will bolster the frontcourt.

Northridge signed 6-3 guard Joseph Frazier of Muir High and 6-6 Ian Boylan of Norman High in Oklahoma during the early signing period.

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The Northridge women’s golf team signed two players to national letters of intent last week, Adrienne Cipparone of Poway High and Emma Wahlgren of Hersby High in Sweden.

Cipparone was most valuable player for Poway in 2000 and has earned medalist honors in 11 of 19 matches.

Chris Rulfs, a senior from Desert Mountain High in Scottsdale, Ariz., signed with the men’s team.