Stores to Come Back to Texas

Last season, Brandon Stores got a taste of basketball in the Lone Star State when he played down at Panola College in Carthage. After a coaching change, the athletic 6-foot-9, 210-pound power forward originally from Youngstown, Ohio decided to take his game up to the Pacific Northwest and is currently at the College of Southern Idaho. But after this season, Stores will head back down to Texas as he made a verbal commitment to an in-state school earlier this week.

"Brandon committed to TCU," said Southern Idaho assistant coach Steve Gosar. "He just got kind of tired of it all and wanted to get it all done with. That way he could focus on the season and hey, we're all for that."

None of Southern Idaho's talented roster had signed in the fall, although there had been a chance for Stores to pull the trigger early. He decided to wait it out, but not for long as TCU was simply the best situation for his future.

"They had recruited him the longest," Gosar said. "He has a great relationship with (assistant) Coach (Chris) Crutchfield and he felt that it was a good fit for him. He thinks he can go right in and play immediately too."

Originally a signee with New Mexico State in the spring of 2005 - where he was recruited by Crutchfield - Stores had a solid freshman season at Panola where he averaged 7.0 points and 7.6 rebounds a game. This year at CSI - playing on a loaded squad that's averaging over 127 points a contest - Stores is averaging 13.9 points and 7.1 rebounds in only 17 minutes a contest.

"He's been good for us - we can't complain at all," Gosar said. "He's been very active on the glass and he makes things happen when he's in the game. He's very long and athletic and he runs the court well. He's ambidextrous too - he can throw a baseball pass with either his right or left hand the length of the court. He's very talented."

With his commitment, Stores joins John Ortiz, a fall signee out of Colby College in Kansas.

Texas Hoops Analysis: BRANDON is a long and athletic big man who can run the floor and finish on the break. He has a strong body, is very active around the goal, can block shots and is a good leaper.