WNCC's Brereton signs with Hawaii

    Huans Brereton had 24 NCAA Division I schools interested in his services for the next two years.

               And, while he liked what Tulune University and Brigham Young University had to offer he couldn't get over the opportunity of playing in Hawaii. Thursday, Brereton made it official, signing a letter of intent to play for the University of Hawaii Rainbow Warriors.

               "All three were solid options. I really looked into the business schools and I also looked into the programs and who they have, and I really feel like Hawaii is the spot for me," Brereton, who changed from a blue-dress shirt to a Hawaiian shirt and a necklace of shells after making his decision, said. "i know they need what I can bring on the court. i know they need my shooting capabilities. I also know their international business school is unique to me in the fact they focus in the Asian area. That is where I am hoping to do international business after I am done dribbling the ball."
               Brereton, the 6-foot-7 wing player, will be taking his explosive scoring game to the big island for the next two years. At WNCC, Brereton averaged 21 points and 10 rebounds a game where he helped the Cougars to an 18-14 record before falling in the quarterfinals of the regional tournament. The Memphis, Tenn., native finished the season with 588 points, well connecting on 41 3-pointers this season. Brereton really picked up is scoring in the second semester where he finished the season scoring in double figures in the last 16 games of the season.

               Brereton also scored 30 or more points in five games during February. He had a 39-point performance against Eastern Wyoming College on Feb. 3 when he connected on five 3-pointers. He also had 35 points in wins against Northeastern Junior College and Northeast (Neb.) Community College. In both games, Brereton was red-hot from the free throw line. He made 15 of 22 charity shots against NJC and was 10 of 11 against Northeast Nebraska.

               Brereton is heading to Hawaii with the same work ethic that he had at WNCC.

               "I am planning on going in and going to work," he said. "I am going to bring it. That is what I am; I am a competitor and that is why I love basketball. i am planning on going in to play big minutes and be a part of the success of Hawaii."

               There is no doubt to WNCC coach Russ Beck that Brereton will help the Hawaii program. Hawaii finished 19-13 before falling to San Francisco 77-74 in the first-round of the CIT postseason tournament.

               "As one of two sophomores, Hauns brought a lot of maturity and a lot of leadership to the team," Beck said. "Especially down the stretch, he provided us with a lot of scoring and he was a definite steady force for us. He also conducted himself excellent on and off the floor. He has a 3.8 GPA and was a great role model to everybody that was watching the program. He is someone that we can really be proud of as he continues to move on down his career. Hopefully, we can find the channel that Hawaii plays on and watch him do what he does. i have all the confidence in Hauns that he can go into Hawaii and make a tremendous impact and help them get to the NCAA tournament."
               Brereton said he had dreams of playing Division I basketball ever since he was little.

               "I have been practicing basketball since I was a little kid and working for this my whole life," he said. "I never have doubts because I know I put in the work to do it. It is just about going out and executing on the court, executing what I worked on. I have done it before. I have played with Yahosh Bonner [WNCC assistant coach] at Northern Colorado on the D1 level. The D1 level is not a question for me."

               Brereton transferred to WNCC after spending last season at the University of Northern Colorado, a division one school. A big reason he came to Scottsbluff was because of Bonner and Beck.

               "It has been a pleasure in coming to Western Nebraska." he said. "I am grateful that Coach Beck was my coach. He really helped me develop offensively, helped me work on my defense, and he was grooming me as I move back to the Di level. i am grateful for his and Coach Bonner's services."
               Beck said that Hauns has been one of the better scorers that he has coached in his eight years in coaching collegiate basketball.

               "He is very unique and has a very good IQ," Beck said. "He is able to shoot the three-ball, he takes good shots, but it is his mid-range shot that makes him very unique because any more, kids want to shoot the three or go all the way to the basket and dunk. Hauns will try to do that to you as well if you give him the opportunity, but he knows how to get to the free throw line and he is a very gifted scorer. He is a very, very hard worker. There are a lot of guys that like to shoot the ball, but he actually puts the ball in the basket."

               Brereton, who has family in Hawaii, is hoping to get the Rainbow Warriors back to the NCAA tournament.

               "i think we will get there next year. i think we have all the pieces and the only piece they need is another shooter, and that is why I want to go there. I think it will be an amazing thing to be a part of a program that brings the excitement of going to the tournament. They haven't done it in a long time, but the excitement on the Island will be on fire when we can do that. That is the feeling I am hoping to get."

               For Hauns, his decision was made easier after spending a couple of years in Asia serving a Mormon mission. And, because of that mission, he decided that he wanted to study international business and then work with the Asian people.

               "The mission was a great experience," he said. "I learned a lot about the Asian culture and I learned about their religion and I got to share my beliefs with those people. I am grateful for that and that helped me develop a love for the Chinese language and people and that is why I want to be around the Asian people after my schooling."

               Brereton is the sixth Cougar player to ink with a Division school in the last two years. Last season, the Cougars saw five players go on to the Division I level. Francisco Cruz went to Wyoming, Geddes Robinson went to Utah Valley State, Scott Bamforth went to Weber State, Bryle Kamen went to San Jose State, and Lloyd Hickinson went to Southern.

               Beck said that is a credit to the WNCC program.

               "That is a great credit to the program and gives these young men the exposure to get to the D1 level," he said. "Hauns didn't have just three offers, he had 24 Division 1 offers that came across the table and begging him to come out and look at their school. That is a credit to the  community and our school to provide these young men with scholarships to showcase their talents. Coach Bonner does a great job of working with our guys. It is a good place to be at WNCC."