UW Men's Basketball | Forward changes mind, will become a Husky

Seattle is about 1,200 miles away from Los Angeles.

But it's still a lot closer to L.A. than is Miami, which proved providential for the Washington Huskies basketball team Wednesday when power forward Tyreese Breshers changed his mind and said he will play for UW rather than the Hurricanes beginning in 2008.

The 6-foot-6, 260-pounder from Price High in Los Angeles had committed to Miami earlier this month, choosing the Hurricanes over UW, Washington State and Boston College.

But after the headiness of a visit to Miami wore off, Breshers and his family began reconsidering.

"They wanted him closer to home," said Price High coach Mike Lynch. "Washington had always been on the top of his list until he got back from that visit to Miami, so upon further thinking and discussing it, they decided that the University of Washington is where they wanted to be."

Breshers has one year left at Price and can't sign a letter of intent until November. But Lynch said Breshers is done changing his mind.

"I've got him for one more year, and then after that he'll be a Husky," Lynch said.

Breshers is the third commitment for UW's Class of 2008. The others are guard Isaiah Thomas, formerly of Curtis High and now attending prep school in Connecticut, and guard Elston Turner Jr. of Roseville, Calif.

Lynch said Breshers averaged 17 points, 11 rebounds and six blocked shots last season, leading the state in the latter category. He's generally ranked between 75 and 100 on lists of top recruits for 2008.

"He's a good-sized guy who has a great around-the-basket game," Lynch said. "But for his size, he's really athletic and can jump and run. He's a power player with some finesse."

Brockman back

Junior forward Jon Brockman is back in town after spending a few days last week trying out for the Pan American Games team in Haverford, Pa.

Brockman didn't make the team, which he said initially left him "a little shocked. A little surprised. But at the same time, I knew nothing was for sure a lock, and there were some great players there."

Brockman was one of five Pac-10 players who tried out, with three making the team — Washington State's Derrick Low and Kyle Weaver and Oregon forward Maarty Leunen (Oregon's Bryce Taylor was cut after making the final list of 14).

Leunen and Brockman are each power forwards, and some UW fans have wondered how the committee could have picked Leunen when Brockman was the one who was named All-Pac-10 last season and wondering if the presence of Duck coach Ernie Kent on the selection committee made a difference.

Brockman said he wasn't given specifics for why he was cut. The two, however, play slightly different games, with Leunen more adept on the perimeter, which might have been the difference.

"That's just the way it goes," Brockman said. "I guess he [Leunen] brought something to the table that I didn't bring. I'm not holding a grudge against anybody or anything."

In fact, Brockman said the Pac-10 contingent tended to stick together during the tryouts.

"We really kind of hung out together as far as eating meals and that kind of stuff," he said.

Bob Condotta: 206-515-5699 or bcondotta@seattletimes.com.