BYU signs Calif. prep-school standout Frank Bartley

BYU has again boosted its backcourt numbers, obtaining a written commitment from Louisiana native Frank Bartley, a combination guard who spent last season playing for a Los Angeles-area prep school that set the national single-season wins record.

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A 6'3", 205-pound incoming freshman from Baton Rouge, Bartley said in a Monday phone conversation with me that he "can't wait" to join the Cougars, after signing his National Letter of Intent in the early morning hours of Mother's Day, at the conclusion of his visit to the BYU campus.

"I signed it right before I left (Provo)," said Bartley. "My mom cried; I had to do it for her."

In a BYU press release, head coach Dave Rose said "We're excited Frank is coming to BYU. He's a great competitor who works really hard on both ends of the court. He's an excellent defender and on offense he can create for himself and for his teammates."

Bartley was a 2012-13 standout for Future College Prep in Carson, Calif., a school that went 52-13 in winning the West Coast Prep Championship. Bartley averaged 19.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 3.3 steals per game and won his school's co-Most Outstanding Player award.

As a high-schooler at Christian Life Academy in Baton Rouge, Bartley was a two-time all-state selection and helped his school to two Louisiana 1A state titles. A thousand-point scorer at Christian Life, Bartley also starred as a wide receiver on the Crusaders' football team.

With junior college and local small-school basketball offers coming out of high school, Bartley told me he chose prep school "because I felt I had a chance to play Division I basketball." Future College Prep's website describes Bartley as an "ultimate athlete, strong defender and competitor, who is electrifying in the open court and a mismatch in the half-court."

"I was in a shell," said Bartley of his basketball skill-set coming out of high school, "and when I went to L.A., I broke out of that shell. I went to L.A., and (the coach) let us play, so I used it to my advantage, and got a lot of exposure out of it."

Bartley says he would start games at shooting guard, but would move to the point and back as the game went along. He envisions a similar role for himself with the Cougars. "They really need a two (guard)," Bartley said, "and I fit in perfectly for that. When the '1' goes out, I can play the '1'; I can play multiple positions...and they want me to play right away."

About Rose's style of play, Bartley said "all they do is get up the court; get up the court and score. It's a great system."

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Bartley says he chose BYU over offers from Auburn, Fordham, Illinois State and Loyola Marymount; he also had recruiting interest from Gonzaga, St. Mary's, New Mexico, George Mason, LSU, Utah and San Diego State, among others.

Bartley officially visited Auburn, Fordham and BYU; he made unofficial visits to LMU and SDSU.

Bartley says BYU was initially recruiting one of his FCP teammates, but "they ended up liking me....and it just went from there." He says was all but ticketed for the SEC when BYU got involved, noting that "all I had to do was finish my academic situation, and I was on my way to Auburn, but BYU came in and kind of changed things."

Asked if he was surprised that he ended up changing his mind at a late stage in the recruiting process, Bartley told me "I was, I really was, because when I went to Provo, I had no idea how family-oriented it was. I'm a big family guy. Even when I went to In-N-Out Burger, the manager came up to me and told me I needed to go to BYU. I got the feel of the support that BYU has; it was just crazy."

Bartley says before visiting BYU, "all you would hear is that it's a Mormon school and it's kind of cold."

"When I did the research," said Bartley, "obviously it's a great academic school, and it's an historic school... and it's extremely family-oriented. Coach Rose is a good guy, and (Assistant) Coach (Mark) Pope is the best. BYU is a beautiful campus, and Provo is a beautiful city. I felt more at home, I guess."

Bartley was accompanied to Provo for his official visit by his parents Janice and Frank III, both of whom shared their son's affection for the area. I spoke with Janice, who told me she "was amazed at the beauty of Utah."

"I said that I could never drive around Provo," Janice said, "because all I would do is stare at the mountains. I would not make a safe driver in the area and I don't think you would want me to drive. It is, as my father would say, ‘God's country.'

"I loved the campus. It's beautiful, it's a very peaceful environment—a very warm and loving environment. I absolutely fell in love with it.

"If there was anything that helped us feel very comfortable, it was that sense of family. I cannot tell you how much we felt that. We felt it amongst the team members, and amongst the coaching staff and their families--and that's really important to us. My husband is the youngest of 12 children. We are a very traditional family...we might have the table set for as many as 40 people (at extended family gatherings); this is an extension of who we are and what we believe in, and we want that for our son."

The Bartleys' emphasis on family came into sharp focus in the summer of 2005, as Hurricane Katrina ravaged the city of New Orleans—-then home to Janice, her husband and four children, including Frank, who was about to enter 6th grade.

In the hours before the storm hit the city, the family fled to seek refuge in Baton Rouge, leaving behind their home that was soon destroyed as the floodwaters rose. The six members of the Bartley family joined with relatives in Baton Rouge, in a house that would shelter a total of 22 people for two and a half months.

"We left (New Orleans) the day before Katrina, with so many other people," said Janice. "From New Orleans to Baton Rouge, it took six hours to drive what would have normally been a one-hour drive—to give you an idea of how many people were trying to escape and get away.

"We lost everything; the home, the school, the church, the entire community was destroyed, and we knew very little about Baton Rouge. It was a difficult time, but it was a great experience. We managed and we were grateful for the experience and grateful for what our family members were able to do to do embrace us at the most difficult time in our lives."

Now, Janice and Frank III are watching their only son embark on a new adventure, during which he will surely be embraced by a new team ‘family' and BYU fan base.

"We are just ecstatic," said Janice. "This has been a journey that Frank has often talked about--moving on and playing ball for a DI powerhouse. He has always seen himself doing that, and he never gave up. He went to prep school and talked about getting a look from bigger schools, and that was always his dream, to play at this level. We're happy and we're excited, and we know that he's in great hands.

"Our prayers will continue to be with him as he advances his academic career and moves to another level of basketball. We know that all will be well. Our prayer is also that he not only make a great contribution, but also benefit from being in a great environment."

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Frank says he "always watched Jimmer (Fredette)" during his playing days as a Cougar, and during his recent visit to Provo, spent time shooting with the player who might one day surpass Fredette as BYU's all-time scoring leader.

"I worked out with Tyler (Haws)," said Bartley of his trip to the BYU campus, "and I can't wait to play with Tyler--I told him that, and I told coaches that."

Bartley will return to campus in June—just in time to start the summer term and get acquainted with his new teammates—most of whom he has yet to meet, although he says "I hear so much about them; I can't wait to get to Provo and go to school with them."

"We've got something special going on," says Bartley. "In these next couple of years, we're going to make a run and surprise some people."

While not a member of the sponsoring Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Bartley anticipates a smooth transition to his life at BYU, adding that "I'm a Christian. I'm going to go to school, get a good education and play ball."

Janice is equally confident that BYU is a great fit for her son, noting that "Frank has grown up in a Christian family, and the (BYU) Honor Code is similar to the code that he has always lived by."

"At Christian Life Academy, he lived by a similar code, and this is who we are. It's about human life and what we do with our lives, and how do we live from day to day with human decency, and what do we do for others.

"These are the things--self-respect and respect for others, having standards, academic standards, personal standards, standards about your social life and cultural standards--this is who we are. BYU makes sense, because that is what we have always been about, throughout our lives."

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Bartley's pledge gives BYU 12 scholarship commitments for the 2013-14 campaign; the Cougar staff hopes to fill its remaining roster vacancy with a forward/center, as all three of BYU's spring commitments have been additions to the guard line. Newcomers Skyler Halford and Bartley can play right away, while Wake Forest transfer Chase Fischer will redshirt the coming season.

With Bartley's commitment, BYU's 2013-14 roster looks like this, as of today:

Guards/Wings: Matt Carlino, Tyler Haws, Anson Winder, Kyle Collinsworth, Skyler Halford, Frank Bartley, Chase Fischer (will sit out due to transfer rules)

Forwards/Centers: Nate Austin, Josh Sharp, Agustin Ambrosino, Eric Mika, Luke Worthington.

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Mika starred at a weekend all-star game in suburban Seattle, earning MVP honors while playing on the losing team.

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Photos: Courtesy of Future College Prep

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