K-Stated

SOUNDS like Abdul Herrera is Kansas State’s to lose.

Because of an existing relationship between the 6-foot-10 sophomore center from Hutch Community College and Frank Martin — Herrera was briefly a Bearcat when the K-State coach was an assistant at Cincinnati and he also attended Miami Senior High, where Martin coached — Herrera aims to be a Wildcat.

As a result, Hutch coach Ryan Swanson said other schools haven’t bothered recruiting Herrera.

At first glance, his statistics — 6.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 0.83 blocks — might have something to do with that.

But then again…

“He’s playing about 15-16 minutes a game,” Swanson said. “He broke his foot last year. He’s such a big guy, and we play so fast.”

Herrera weighs about 260 pounds, which is why Swanson says, “He’s never going to be a 25-30 minutes a game guy. But he’s good for 10-20 minutes.”

At Cincy in 2005-06, Herrera sat out a majority of the season while meeting NCAA eligibility requirements. He sat out 2006-07 as well — with the broken foot — which is why Swanson said his center hasn’t played in two-and-a-half years.

“But he knows how to score,” Swanson said. “He just hasn’t played much lately.”

Swanson expects Herrera to be better next year, whether it’s in Manhattan, which seems likely, or elsewhere. He should graduate on time, which means he could be on campus by the summer.

He would have two years of eligibility.

SWANSON said he’s familiar enough — having seen him in passing — with another of K-State’s JUCO targets, Cowley County’s Montrell McDonald, to say the 6-foot-7, 190-pound wing who played a year at George Washington, is “athletic.”

Hey, it’s better than nothing.

Seriously, Cowley is 24-2 overall and 13-1 in the Jayhawk East. In the Tigers’ recent 73-42 thrashing of Highland, McDonald had 14 points (making seven of nine attempts) and five rebounds.

THE list of Division I schools that have passed through Topeka Hayden to see junior Jeff Reid now stands at Colorado (former K-State assistant Charles Baker), Stanford, Gonzaga, Memphis and, of course, K-State (Frank Martin).

Hayden athletic director Bobby Taul said Reid, who has helped guide his team to a 17-1 record heading into tonight’s game against Emporia, has taken an unofficial visit to Gonzaga. His coach, Ted Schuler, also said Reid has visited Nebraska.

Reid, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard who is comfortable inside and out, is averaging 17.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.5 blocks.

His parents are K-State alumni. His older brother, Josh, played at K-State from 1996-2000, but that has been interpreted as a deterrent in some circles. The Wildcats have already offered a scholarship, but Reid has been lukewarm in response — almost as if it’s his desire to carve his own identity elsewhere, somewhere fresh.

Not so, says Schuler.

“I don’t think that’s the case at all,” he said. “I think his older brother’s advice… When he made his decision, he was coming from Brewster and K-State was all he knew. He didn’t look at all of his other options… He never took the opportunity to see what was beyond his backyard. So he doesn’t want that for (his younger brother). Jeff needs to see that, see what the other coaches are like, what their styles are like.

“I don’t think he’s ruled anyone out yet… He’s fond of K-State.”

Expect a decision by November. During the summer, he’ll play AAU basketball for the K.C. Pump-n-Run, and Schuler said if the right “offer” came along then, Reid might commit.

“But I’d be surprised if he didn’t take all five of his official visits,” Schuler said.

GRATUITOUS Tyree Evans update — Motlow State is 23-4 and Evans is averaging 20.6 points, making 43 percent of his three-point field goals. This is the unofficial transcript of how our Tuesday phone call went:

Anything going on?

“Nothing new,” he said. “Not right now. I have to wait it out for a minute.”

Are schools trying to recruit you?

“Oh, yeah.”

Are you loving this?

“Yeah, I like to let people wonder, you know?”

Would you ever consider coming back to Kansas?

“I don’t know.”