Recruits hope to provide scoring boost

Is it premature to tab Marcus Banks as UNLV's point guard of the next millennium? And is it too early to anoint Kenny Dye as the Rebels' immediate savior and the man who will help bring the program back to the NCAA Tournament next season?

Ask the two latest players who committed to play for Bill Bayno and they shy away from such talk. Yes, they both believe they can help make UNLV better, both in the short and long term. But they also believe neither has an 'S' painted on his chest or tattooed on his biceps.

In other words, they'd prefer to share the burden rather than shoulder it alone.

"Pressure's nothing to me," Dye said Wednesday. "I've had pressure on me all my life. Whatever they need me to do, I'll do, as long as we win."

Banks said: "I'm not looking to take over. I just want my game to blend in with the other guys."

Dye, a 6-foot-3, 185-pound swingman who played small forward at Connors State College in Oklahoma but will likely play shooting guard at UNLV, doesn't need to average 24.5 points a game for the Rebels, as he did in JC. He, along with Lou Kelly, Trevor Diggs and Mike Garrett, can fill the void left by Shawn Marion and his 19-plus points a night.

What's important for UNLV is that Dye can shoot the ball with range and consistency. He was a 39-percent shooter from 3-point land this past season and it will be essential for that trend to continue at this level.

"I chose UNLV because they need scoring and I'm a scorer," he said. "I want to come in and put up numbers."

Dye's national letter of intent arrived at UNLV Wednesday, making him the seventh official member of Bayno's eight-man recruiting class. He chose the Rebels over Iowa State and Texas Tech.

"I just felt comfortable with the situation," said Dye, who added he'll be in town by the end of June. "I'm going somewhere where I can step in and play and make a difference."

Banks' contribution may come down the road. With Garrett, Diggs and senior Mark Dickel all expected to see time at the point guard spot, the senior who helped lead Cimarron-Memorial to this year's Nevada 4-A state championship may have to wait his turn.

"We talked about me redshirting this year," he said. "I don't mind waiting a year if I have to. I know I can play at that level. I've always played against older guys."

In addition, the 6-2, 195-pound Banks has yet to take the standardized test. With the ruling by a Philadelphia judge regarding Prop 16 being tested in the higher courts by the NCAA, he will likely need a passing score on his SAT or ACT to be eligible this fall.

The 6-2 Banks didn't play at Cimarron as a freshman because of academics. But he bounced back in the classroom and had a strong senior season, where he averaged 26 points and four assists for the Spartans while making the Sun's All-State first team.

"I'm going to take the SAT later this month," he said. "But I'm not worried. I'm going to pass it."

Banks' national letter of intent should arrive at the Thomas & Mack Center sometime today. He opted for UNLV over Southern California.

UNLV has been criticized in some parts for not seriously recruiting Clark's Kevin Gaines or Cheyenne's Demetrius Hunter. But the Rebels still managed to get one of the city's best players, even though they were involved late in the recruiting game with Banks.

"I think it's important that they try to keep the top players in the city home," Banks said of UNLV. "So I was real glad that they recruited me.

"My cousin (Freddie) played there and he and I talked about what it would be like if I went to UNLV. I'd like to follow in his footsteps.

"And with the guys they've brought in, like Trevor Diggs and Lou Kelly and Kenny, that got me excited about the future (at UNLV)."

archive