Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Men's Basketball Announces Five Early Signees
12/19/2008 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 19, 2008
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Head coach Dave Paulsen has announced that five student-athletes have declared their intentions to play basketball at Bucknell beginning in 2009-10. Paulsen's first Bison recruiting class is comprised of guards Noah Fischer (Ripley, W.Va./Ripley) and Bryson Johnson (Pictou, Nova Scotia/St. David Catholic) and forwards Colin Klebon (Catawissa, Pa./Southern Columbia), Mike Muscala (Roseville, Minn./Roseville) and Joe Willman (Monmouth, N.J./Monmouth Regional).
"I am extremely excited about this recruiting class," said Paulsen. "First and foremost, these five young men have distinguished themselves as outstanding students who were immediately attracted to the blend of academics and athletics at Bucknell. They will represent themselves in a positive manner in the classrooms and in the dorms every bit as much as on the court.
"As a group, they bring good size, and each of them is a very good shooter at his position, which is something that we will need. They are all very skilled in terms of passing, catching and shooting, and they are all gym rats. They enjoy working hard, have great personalities and will mesh well with the returning players."
Noah Fischer is a 6'3", 180-pound shooting guard who is the captain of the Ripley (W.Va.) High School team. A 2008-09 McDonald's All-America nominee, Fischer has already scored 1,020 points heading into his senior year. Last season he averaged 20.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game while connecting on 67 3-pointers. He was a Second Team AAA All-State selection, a First Team All-Mid-Ohio Valley choice and a First Team AAA Mountain State Athletic Conference honoree. He ranked third in his conference and 10th in the state of West Virginia in scoring average.
As a sophomore, Fischer averaged 20.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game while hitting 66 threes, which ranked sixth in the state. He was a third-team all-state and first-team all-conference selection while ranking second in the Cardinal Conference in scoring.
"Noah is one of the finest shooters that I saw during the entire summer evaluation period," Paulsen said. "He has deep range, a quick release, and a very high basketball IQ. More importantly, he is an absolute gym rat who will wear out our shooting machine at every opportunity. He is an excellent student and a person of the highest character and we are thrilled with his decision to join our program."
Bryson Johnson is a 6'1", 180-pound point guard who is one of the top prospects coming out of Canada. A native of Pictou, Nova Scotia, Johnson attended St. David Catholic School in Waterloo, Ontario. Last season he averaged 25.3 points, 7.0 assists and 3.6 rebounds per game while shooting 49 percent from 3-point range and 84 percent from the free-throw line. Johnson averaged nearly four made 3-pointers per game and has already scored over 1,600 career points with another season yet to play.
A first team all-league pick and his school's athlete of the year in 2007-08, Johnson led St. David Catholic to the Provincial championships for the first time in 30 years. Johnson also plays for the Waterloo Wildhawks AAU team, and he helped lead that squad to three summer tournament titles. He was named MVP of the Bill Hensley Memorial All-Star Classic in Fort Wayne, Ind., after scoring 21 points in the championship game. He was also named MVP of the Niagara Can-Am Tournament and was a first team all-star in the All-Canadian Final 8 Tournament.
"Bryson is a dynamic point guard with tremendous leadership skills," said Paulsen. "He has an outstanding work ethic, excellent court vision and he is a terrific shooter. His high school coach says he has to throw him out of the gym, that's how hard he works. Bryson has been very well-coached, and he brings all of the qualities that you love to see in a player."
Colin Klebon is a local product from nearby Southern Columbia High School who has earned all-state honors in each of the last two seasons. The 6'8", 225-pound forward was the Central Susquehanna Conference Most Valuable Player and was named Player of the Year by The Daily Item, the News-Item and the Press Enterprise in each of the last two seasons.
A year ago he missed the first nine games of the season due to injury, during which time his team went 2-7. After his return the Tigers only lost twice more all year and eventually finished third in District 4 Class A playoffs. Klebon, who scored 41 points in a win over Bloomsburg last season, was a second-team all-state selection. He averaged 25.9 points and 12.4 rebounds per game.
As a sophomore, Klebon led Southern Columbia to the District 4 Class AA championship and was a third-team all-state and first-team all-conference pick. As a freshman in 2005-06, he was the co-MVP on a 22-8 team and set school freshman records for games, starts, points, rebounds, blocked shots and double-doubles. He was a First Team All-CSC selection and made the all-star teams of all three local newspapers.
Entering his senior year, Klebon has 1,597 points and 977 rebounds, and he has a chance to break the school records in both categories.
"Colin was a very important recruiting priority for us from my very first day here at Bucknell," said Paulsen. "He is a terrific student and basketball player, and he has really distinguished himself locally. He brings a great mix of strength and athleticism and is a very versatile player. He can hit 3-pointers, drive the ball, post up and rebound. His versatility will flow well as we continue to evolve in our motion offense. Defensively, Colin is an exciting prospect because I think he will be able to guard threes, fours and fives very effectively."
Mike Muscala is a 6'9", 215-pound forward from Roseville, Minn., a suburb of the Twin Cities. Muscala averaged 16.7 points, 9.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game last season for Roseville Area High School, and he earned All-Suburban East Conference honors at season's end. He set school records for rebounds in a game (18) and season (261) as a junior, and he was an all-tournament selection at the Catholic Spirit Holiday Tournament. Muscala shot 50.5 percent from the floor and 77 percent from the free-throw line.
The two-year team captain is the No. 1 rated player in the Suburban East Conference going into his senior year.
"Mike is a tremendously skilled forward who can score with both hands around the basket," said Paulsen. "He is an exceptional passer, has 3-point range and runs the floor very well for his size. He's still very young - he just turned 17 - and he is working diligently to add strength to his frame."
Joe Willman is a 6'6", 200-pound wing player from the New Jersey shore. He averaged 16 points and 11 rebounds last year as a junior at Monmouth Regional High School, where he has been a three-year team captain.
Willman was named second-team all-state as a junior and third-team all-state as a sophomore, and he was also the team's most valuable player both years. Willman, who has career highs of 31 points and 18 rebounds, led his team to a sectional championship during his sophomore year.
"Joe is a `throw-back' type player and one of the most intense competitors I've seen," noted Paulsen. "He distinguished himself on the AAU circuit this summer playing against bigger, more athletic forwards and outperforming them every step of the way. He can guard anyone and is versatile at both ends of the floor. Joe can score in every way, with dribble penetration, inside and from the 3-point line. He will be a great addition at Bucknell."
The current Bison squad is coming off a 63-60 victory over Binghamton. Bucknell is in the midst of an 11-day break for final exams, and it will resume its schedule on Saturday at home against Drexel at 5 p.m.
Bucknell Men's Basketball 2009-10 Signees
Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown/High School Noah Fischer G 6-3 180 Ripley, W.Va./Ripley Bryson Johnson G 6-1 180 Pictou, Nova Scotia/St. David Catholic Colin Klebon F 6-8 225 Catawissa, Pa./Southern Columbia Mike Muscala F 6-9 215 Roseville, Minn./Roseville Joe Willman F 6-6 200 Monmouth, N.J./Monmouth Regional
