THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Mitchell, others add Idaho flavor to Vandals

How interested were the Idaho Vandals interested in adding former Lake City High star Kolton Mitchell to their men’s basketball team? 

“We reached out to him the minute we saw that name on the ticker in the transfer portal,” second-year Idaho coach Alex Pribble said recently. 

Mitchell, Lake City’s all-time leading scorer, signed with Idaho State during his senior season of 2022-23, in which he steered the Timberwolves to an undefeated state title — the first state title in program history. 

He played 10 games as a true freshman at ISU last season, averaging 7.3 points per game, before an injury to his left ring finger which required surgery ended his season. Mitchell was granted a medical redshirt, opted to transfer, and will be a redshirt freshman for Idaho this season. 

“It’s a priority for us to keep the best Idaho and regional players in Vandal uniforms,” said Pribble, whose squad opens the regular season Monday against NAIA Northwest University of Kirkland, Wash., at 6 p.m. at ICCU Arena in Moscow. “We want people playing for Idaho that want to be here, that have passion for the university, passion for the area. When Kolton was at Idaho State, we were keeping an eye on it, and as soon as he hit the transfer portal, similar to Jack Payne (a transfer from Colorado State, who played high school ball at Boise High and then Owyhee), as soon as they both hit the transfer portal, we were all in. We were going to do everything we could to get them back home as Vandals.” 

Pribble said Mitchell has "had a fantastic offseason,” and is “competing for a major role in the backcourt.” 

"And as we build this program back into champions, it’s going to be with guys like Kolton, and guys like Jack Payne, who want to be Vandals, want to be here for the long haul, and want to turn this place into champions,” Pribble said. “We have depth (in the backcourt), but you’re going to see a lot of Kolton Mitchell this year."

IDAHO HAD a bit of local flavor last year, with North Idaho College transfer Julius Mims, a senior forward, and Titus Yearout from Lapwai, a sophomore guard. 

Mims started all 32 games last season for the Vandals, averaging 11.1 points and 7.2 rebounds, and made the Big Sky All-Defensive Team. 

Yearout played sparingly, but Pribble raves about his “physical presence defensively.” 

This year, that local flavor is ramped up with the addition of Mitchell and Payne, a sophomore guard, as well as Whitworth transfer Jojo Anderson (Mt. Spokane High), a junior guard, and Oregon State transfer Jayden Stevens, a junior forward who played at Gonzaga Prep. 

All told, Idaho has 10 returners from last year’s 11-21 squad, though Pribble said Trevon Blassingame, a junior guard, will take a medical redshirt this season following successful hip surgery.  

Back is sophomore forward Tyler Mrus, who played just two games last year before suffering a season-ending leg injury.  

“We have very, very high expectations this year,” Pribble said. 

MIMS WAS one of Idaho’s standouts last year. Pribble said “Juice,” a preseason all-conference selection, has put on 12 pounds of muscle this year.

“Julius did have a very good year last year, and we did ask a lot out of him,” Pribble said. “But the beauty of Julius is, his ceiling is so high. He is an elite athlete, and an elite young man — 4.0 student in the classroom, pushes himself every day. And whether his shot’s going in or his shot’s not going in, he brings so much more to the table. We think he’s kind of a highlight reel offensively; he can really attack the rim in a major way, but what he does defensively is what really makes him special, an elite rim protector. He can guard anybody on the court. We can switch ball screens with him, and he can keep any guard in front of him, because of his athleticism and lateral quickness.” 

IDAHO’S WOMEN’S basketball team has 11 new players, including junior guard Kelbie Washington, an all-Big 12 Freshman Team selection at Oklahoma in 2021-22.

For the third time in three seasons, the Vandals also have a new head coach — Arthur Moreira, an assistant last year under Carrie Eighmey, who left after one season in Moscow. 

“It was kinda unexpected for sure, but I’m super thankful for the opportunity,” Moreira said. 

One other difference from last year — the Vandals plan to push the pace, he said. 

“I think a lot of that has to do with my background; that’s how I grew up playing,” Moreira said. “You grow up in Brazil, you play with a 24-second shot clock; you don’t have 30 seconds to develop your offense. So I have a lot of that influence with the international game.  

“Against LC State (in a recent exhibition), we scored 80 points and had six players in double figures,” Moreira said. “We’re going to share the ball; we had 22 assists. And then on defense, we’re going to get after you; we’re going to pressure you. We’re going to make you turn it over, we’re going to try to speed you up, so we can get the ball back, and attack even more.” 

Mark Nelke is sports editor of The Press. He can be reached at 208-664-8176, Ext. 2019, or via email at mnelke@cdapress.com. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @CdAPressSports.