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Salt Lake Community College scoring leader Skyler Halford verbally committed to Dave Rose and the BYU Basketball program on Monday, bolstering next season's team with a shooter who earned Region 18 regular season and tournament MVP honors in 2012-13.
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A 6'1", 180 lb. combo guard who prepped at Timpanogos High School, Halford began his college career at Utah State as a preferred walk-on, redshirting the 2008-09 season. Following an LDS mission to Brazil, Halford enrolled at SLCC, intending to eventually return to Utah State on scholarship. When those plans never materialized, he opened up the recruiting process, and ultimately chose BYU from among a number of schools, including West Coast Conference foes San Diego and Portland.
Halford told me on Monday night that "I'm really excited...it's really nice to be able to get this done with. It will be good, it will be fun." Halford said BYU has a "great coaching staff...it was pleasure to be able to work with them through the recruiting process."
In 30 games with SLCC (the No. 6-ranked junior college team in the country), Halford is averaging 17.6 ppg, while shooting 47.3% from the field and 42.1% from the arc. A 92.2% shooter from the free-throw line, Halford also averaged 4.6 rpg and 3.9 apg. Starting 28 times, he is averaging 32.0 minutes per game, and says while he can play both the point and shooting guard positions, he has been playing "a little more" at SG in junior college, after playing the point exclusively in high school.
This past season at SLCC, Halford put up a 1.8-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio, while also averaging 1.7 steals per game.
Halford said Rose told him that "shooting is what they (BYU) need, and I feel I can step in and do that...and be able to work my way in that way."
Saying he's excited to join Rose's up-tempo program, Halford noted that "I felt like my game personally fits in pretty well with (BYU's) style of play, getting up and down the floor...it just felt right for me."
Halford has played with and against a number of current BYU players; he was on AAU team with Brandon Davies, Kyle Collinsworth, Bronson Kaufusi and Ian Harward, and recalled facing off with Tyler Haws in games between Timpanogos and Lone Peak. "We've gone at it for three straight years," said Halford on Monday night, reflecting on region battles between the Timberwolves and Knights.
Halford says he grew up watching BYU games and that the school "was a good fit for me, and for my family...my family is really excited about it."
Halford will help replace departing guards Brock Zylstra and Craig Cusick on next year's team; BYU still has one scholarship available for 2013-14, assuming every current scholarship player with eligibility remaining returns next season.
Halford will formalize his commitment during the spring National Letter of Intent signing period (April 17th - May 15th).
