CEDAR CITY, Utah -- The Thunderbird men's basketball program and head coach Todd Simon have announced the signing of three future Thunderbirds to the program.
"We are excited to announce the addition of Braden, Aanen, and Kenyuoe to the Thunderbird basketball program," Simon said. "These three young men are key additions as we continue to elevate Southern Utah basketball year by year in the pursuit of a Big Sky championship. Their commitment to being excellent students, citizens and athletes makes them perfect fits for the mission of our program."
Braden Housley, G, 6-4, Lehi, Utah (Skyridge High School)
After a very successful senior campaign for Skyridge High School, Braden Housley has signed on with the Thunderbirds.
"Braden is a high IQ point guard that can create opportunities for his teammates," Simon said. "He has a knack for forcing turnovers defensively. He has been well coached and a part of a winning program. His ability to make his teammates better and force tempo will be strong assets for our style of play."
In 25 games for the Falcons, Housley averaged 16.4 points per game, scoring 410 total across the entire season.
Housley was named Second Team All-State and First Team All-Region following his senior year, along with earning Daily Herald All-Valley Team status.
He knocked home 43 three-pointers for Skyridge, and was also credited with a team-high 154 assists through the season. In total he pulled down 85 rebounds and stole the ball 85 times.
The current high school senior is not afraid to shine in big moments. During the Second Round of the 6A High School Playoffs, Housley scored a team-high 26 points for the Falcons to push his team past the Jordan Beetdiggers in double-overtime.
Housley will serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints before starting his career at Southern Utah University.
Aanen Moody, G, 6-3, Dickinson, North Dakota (Dickinson High School/North Dakota)
After spending the past three seasons suiting up for the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, Aanen Moody has made the decision to transfer to Southern Utah University to play out the remainder of his collegiate career.
"Aanen is a tremendous scorer with an ability to knock down threes at a high rate," Simon said. "He's battle tested as a significant contributor at the Division I level, and will also bring experience and leadership to the team. His desire and commitment to being the best he can be makes him a great fit for our program."
After redshirting his first year on campus at UND, Moody had a breakout season in 2018-19. He led the team in three-point makes with 81 total, and shot 41 percent from the field while doing it. He finished the season just three triples away from tying North Dakota's Division I record for single season three-point makes.
He scored his career-high of 21 points twice during the year, making seven three-pointers on both occasions. As a redshirt freshman he averaged 9.7 ppg, pulled down 60 rebounds, dished out 26 assists and was credited with 23 steals.
Coming out of high school, Moody was named Mr. Basketball in the state of North Dakota, and was the back-to-back recipient of Gatorade Player of the Year honors for the state as well. Over the course of his prep career he broke the North Dakota Class A scoring record by finishing career at Dickinson High School with 2,139 career points
His 2019-20 campaign was cut short due to an injury, appearing in just nine games.
Kenyuoe Ondaan, G, 6-4, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Continuing with the international flavor of the Thunderbird men's basketball team, the T-Birds have announced the signing of Kenyuoe Ondaan from the Netherlands.
He'll join Yuat Alok (New Zealand), Jarryd Hoppo (Australia), Ivan Madunic (Croatia) and Jason Spurgin (Australia) as international Thunderbirds on the 2020-21 roster that have chosen to make Cedar City their home. In total, the Thunderbirds have welcomed nine international players to the Southern Utah campus during Todd Simon's tenure.
"Kenyuoe is a strong guard with a high IQ that has experience playing the game on multiple international platforms," Simon said. "His maturity and work ethic are characteristics that we are excited about. We see him as a versatile piece that will have an impactful four years for us."
Ondaan has competed on both the U18 and U20 National Teams for the Netherlands, and most recently played for Apollo Amsterdam.
Ondaan appeared in 16 games for Apollo Amsterdam in the Dutch League.
He will be a true freshman for the Thunderbirds this Fall.
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