SoCalHoops Recruiting News

San Diego State Signs JUCO
Player Of The Year Mike Mackell--(April 18, 2001)

Man, Steve Fisher just keeps bringing these guys in, and if he's not careful, he'll turn San Diego State into an NCAA Tournament team.  This time he's signed another tough inside power forward/center, Mike Mackell from Washington, D.C., who was this year's California JUCO Player of the Year.   We didn't get to see Mackell play this past season,  but he was reportedly a stud for Porterville JC the past two years; we saw him in a tournament last year and he was impressive.  With the signing, San Diego State is done, having picked up two other late signings, Trimaine Davis last week and Tommy Johnson yesterday to go along with Tony Bland who will be eligible next season after sitting out his transfer year.    Here's the official press release which is also available at the SDSU basketball website:

San Diego State Completes Recruiting Class with
Signing of Junior College Center

California junior college player of the year averaged 22.4 points and 10.6 rebounds last season 

April 18, 2001

SAN DIEGO - San Diego State head coach Steve Fisher announced that Mike Mackell, a 6-9, 230-pound center from Washington D.C., has signed a national letter of intent to enroll at San Diego State University and play basketball for the Aztecs next season. 

Mackell averaged 22.4 points and 10.6 rebounds as a sophomore at Porterville College in Porterville, Calif., last season. Before deciding on San Diego State, Mackell, who was named the state's player of the year, took official trips to Oklahoma State, Pittsburgh and Oregon. He also received "legitimate interest" from Kentucky and Connecticut according to an ESPN.com story published on April 9. 

"Mike brings size and strength and those are areas where we have been lacking," Fisher said. "He has basketball skills. He brings toughness that all good teams need. He doesn't mind pushing people around and he doesn't complain if someone tries to push him." 

Mackell led Porterville to a 62-5 record during his two seasons, including a California state championship during the 1999-2000 season. Mackell prepped at Eastern High in Washington D.C. 

"He doesn't care about personal stats as much as he does winning," Fisher said. 

With the signing of Mackell, the Aztecs now have 13 scholarship players for the 2001-02 season, the maximum allowed under NCAA rules. The Aztecs have signed three players since the spring signing period began on April 11. In addition to Mackell, San Diego State has inked Trimaine Davis, a 6-8, 215-pound f rward from Bay Point, Calif., and Tommy Johnson, a 6-4, 190-pound guard from Los Angeles. 

"I am cautiously optimistic about the future," Fisher said. "We feel like we have the ability to start playing with people in our league." 

San Diego State finished the 2000-01 season at 14-14, marking just the second .500 or better record for the Aztecs in the last 16 seasons. In Fisher's second season at San Diego State, the Aztecs were one of the five most improved teams in the country, according to the Sagarin Ratings, and enjoyed a 73.3 percent attendance increase over the 1999-2000 campaign. 

Steve Fisher's first full recruiting class at San Diego State in 1999-2000, was rated as one of the 40 classes nationally and featured the The Sporting News Mountain West Conference Newcomer of the Year and United States Basketball Writers Association District 9 member Randy Holcomb. 

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