Former high school stars Aaron Stevens of South and Ryan Rock of Point Hope were added to fill out the team's bench. They'll join guard Jesse Blandford of Nome in making up a trio of home-state talent at UAA.
At 6-foot-8, Stevens gives UAA its third recruit at least that tall. Before coach Rusty Osborne started announcing his recruits for the upcoming season, Casey Robinson, at 6-foot-6, was UAA's biggest returning player.
Already signed are 6-10 Liam Gibcus of Lysterfield, Australia, a 235-pounder, and 6-9 Malcolm Campbell of Los Angeles, who weighs 265 pounds. Campbell, a sophomore, played in Division I last season.
UAA had only one player over 6-7 last season. But the Seawolves outrebounded their Great Northwest Athletic Conference opponents in half of last season's 14 league games.
Stevens, another sophomore, averaged 4.5 points and 4 rebounds per game at Highline Community College in Des Moines, Wash., last season. He earned all-state honors at South in 2008 while helping lead the Wolverines to their first state title.
Rock, a 6-1, 205-pound guard, captained the Point Hope team that in March won that school's first 2A state title since 2001. He capped his career with a superb 24-point title game against Noorvik, winning a showdown with impressive shooter Tim Field.
His father Rex Rock Sr., coached Point Hope.
"Both of these young men are excellent additions to our program," Osborne said in a press release. "Aaron is an impressive athlete who really solidifies our depth in the front court. Ryan brings solid guard skills, is an incredibly hard worker and has shown that he's a winner."
UAA, which started practice last week, opens its season Nov. 11. Its home opener is Nov. 25 in the Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout against Washington State.
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