Utah State men’s basketball signs Norbert Janicek

LOGAN, Utah – Utah State head men’s basketball coach Tim Duryea announced on Wednesday the signing of Snow College forward Norbert Janicek (Nor-burt Jan-i-sek) who will have three years of eligibility and will join the team for the 2016-17 season.

Janicek was a first-team all-Scenic West Athletic Conference honoree and also earned SWAC all-tournament honors as the 6-foot-11 post led the Badgers in scoring and rebounding with 15.6 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. The native of Drazkovce, Slovakia, also led Snow in field goal percentage, shooting 63.8 percent (204-of-320) during the year to rank No. 7 nationally in the NJCAA.

Janicek scored in double figures 25 times during the year, logging 20 or more points 11 times, including a season-high 30 against Treasure Valley Community College, where he shot 86.7 percent (13-of-15) and 57.1 percent (4-of-7) from the free throw line and logged a double-double with 11 rebounds.

On the year, Janicek tallied double-digit rebounds in five contests, including a season-high 14 against USU-Eastern in the season finale. Janicek also led the Badgers with 21 blocks during the year, matching his season-high of four against Casper and Northeastern JC.

Prior to Snow College, Janicek prepped at the Canarias Basketball Academy and played with the U-18 National Team for Slovakia. Janicek led the Slovakian side with 12.4 points and 8.0 rebounds per game, all while shooting a tournament-best 76.9 percent (40-of-52) from the floor.

“Norby gives us an inside scoring presence. He is a very skilled scorer in the post and can use either hand and can go over either shoulder,” Duryea said. “He also has the ability to step out and make shots all the way to the 3-point line. We are excited to have Norby and know that his best basketball is well ahead of him and hopefully we can develop him into a top-notch Mountain West center.”

Janicek’s signing brings the Aggies’ 2016-17 class to five, joining Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah) guard Koby McEwen, Basha High School (Chandler, Ariz.) forward Klay Stall and Cathedral High School (Los Angeles, Calif.) wing Daron Henson, who all signed last November. Additionally, 2014-15 signee Sam Merrill will be returning from an LDS Church Mission in Nicaragua and will be joining the team with four years of eligibility, beginning with the 2016-17 season.

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Posted in USU