MARSHALL — The Southwest Minnesota State University men’s basketball announced its fall signing class last month. Five high school players have signed letters of intent to continue their academic and basketball careers as Mustangs.

Joining the Mustangs next fall will be Logan Benson (Ellsworth, Wis.), Noah Chamberlain (West St. Paul), Cliff McCray (Sioux City, Iowa), Sam Schwartz (White Bear Lake) and Andy Stafford (Minnetonka). When I contacted each of the five signees, they shared a common thread in what made them choose SMSU.

“They really treat me like I’m already a part of the family,” McCray said. “I really like how coach (Brad Bigler) treats all of his players like they’re his own.”

“Having coaches that will always be honest with me like they were during the recruiting process was super important for me when it came time to make a decision,” Chamberlain added. “I knew very quickly they were the right ones for me. The family aspect is something I really like and appreciate and am excited to be a part of.”

A critical part of the recruiting process is forming a good bond between coaches and players.

“Like always, the relationships that are built over time make the difference,” Bigler said. “That truly was the case with this class. We were able to get some commitments early in the fall which took pressure off as we started the season.”

Shortly after Schwartz committed to SMSU in August, he mentioned trust with Bigler as a key factor in his choice.

“Coach Bigler was in contact with me since early May,” Schwartz said. “This allowed me to create a pretty good relationship with him and develop some trust over the last couple of months.”

“How genuine the coaching staff is,” Andy Stafford added when asked about the deciding factors to choose SMSU. “They are all good, genuine people and I felt comfortable with everyone right away.”

Describing

their games

Part of the intrigue of seeing new players join a program is predicting how they will fit in: roles, skill sets, etc.

Next season, the Mustangs will have a giant hole to fill at point guard with the departure of Ryan Bruggeman. Bruggeman enters this weekend as the program’s career leader in assists and steals while also being less than 100 points away from the all-time scoring record.

McCray will likely be asked to fill part of that hole.

Bigler compared him to former Mustangs DeAnthony Zanders and Vinard Birch.

“I’m a hard-nosed defensive slashing guy,” McCray said. “I love being matched up on the best player on the floor. Defense is the main part of my game to get myself going on offense and set myself up.”

SMSU will also need to replace Taylor Schafer. The senior from Bismarck, N.D., recently passed 1,000 career points and has made the fifth-most 3-pointers in program history.

While not a pure shooter like Schafer, Schwartz will likely be called upon to provide backcourt production. Bigler believes Schwartz will remind some Mustang fans of Matt Zager thanks to a high IQ and potential to be an elite finisher at the rim.

“I would describe myself as a combo guard that can do a little bit of everything,” Schwartz said. “I look to get everything to the basket first, but can shoot if given space. I also love getting teammates involved. I’m best when I’m able to grab a rebound and push the ball in transition.”

Along with the guards, the Mustangs brought in three versatile forwards in Stafford, Chamberlain and Benson. Next offseason, SMSU will have to replace the all-around game of forward Michael Lee along with bigs Steven McNease and Kolin Bartlett.

“I would say I’m a jack of all trades. I can do a little bit of everything,” Stafford said. “Whatever role I’m put in, I just want to do the best I can in that role.”

“I’d describe my game as very versatile and pass-first,” Chamberlain added. “Naturally I am a guard, but I’ve grown quite a bit since my point guard days so now I play a lot of wing in high school and this year I might even have to go inside a bit which will be good for me. Defensively, I also see myself as very versatile. I can guard anyone from the point guard to the center and this helps a lot when we don’t match up well with a team because then I can take the odd man out.”

Bigler believes there are similarities between Stafford and former Mustang Kevin Andrews, while he sees Chamberlain’s skill set as a version of current forward Lee. Bigler added that Logan Benson’s game reminds him of another former Mustang from Wisconsin, Turner Moen.

“Logan is a tough-minded player and reminded me so much of a Mustang the first time I watched him play,” Bigler said. “He is the type of player who will do whatever is asked of him. He will compete against bigger guys and get on the ground for a loose ball.”

Benson agreed, saying “I would describe my game as a player who will do whatever it takes to win games, whether that is diving for a loose ball or communicating on defense. I love that aspect of basketball and I take pride in that part of the game.”

Building a core

With the 2017-18 season already in motion, it’s not always easy to look ahead to the future. Fans should cherish every moment they can with this current group. The current senior class has seen the program reach heights the program hasn’t reached before, including 53 wins combined over the past two seasons and consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.

With Bigler at the helm, SMSU men’s basketball has built a family atmosphere where trust is important.

Recruiting is a major part of what makes successful programs. This group of players will be a part of a new class that hopes to take the program yet another step forward.

“This is the start to a fun 2019 recruiting class,” Bigler said. “A lot of hard work went into this group. As we graduate five guys this year, we have a lot of opportunity for young guys to play early in their careers. In addition, this will be a big core of our program for a long time.”