Arguably one of the best recruiting classes in University of New Mexico women’s basketball history commenced today with the signing of Jannon Otto, a 6-foot-1 guard/forward player from Hesperia, Calif., and Jaisa Nunn, a 6-3 center from Kirkland, Wash., coach Yvonne Sanchez announced Wednesday.
BlueStar Basketball and Collegiate Girls Basketball Report (which works with ESPNW), two of the three most respected women’s basketball recruiting sites, rated the Lobos with the best recruiting class in the Mountain West. Blue Star Basketball listed UNM as a Top-50 recruiting class honorable mention; the Lobos were the only school in the MW to earn that distinction.
Both recruits also are among the top students academically in their class.
“This is truly one of the best recruiting classes we’ve assembled since I’ve been here,” coach Yvonne Sanchez said. “We’re really excited about bringing both aboard.”
More information on each of the players:
Jaisa Nunn P 6-3
Kirkland, Wash. (Juanita HS)
A first-team 3A All-KingCo selection, Nunn averaged 12.0 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game as a junior for the Rebels and coach Sam W. Lee. She scored a season-high 23 points against Liberty and had 15 points and a career-high 17 rebounds against Mercer Island. The Rebels went 19-4 overall and 13-1 in winning the KingCo championship.
She is the highest-rated recruit in the Mountain West, as rated by Collegiate Girls Basketball Report (No. 206 in the nation) and All-Star Girls Report (No. 219 overall). ESPNW lists her as the No. 17 center prospect in the nation, and she’s a three-star recruit with a 90 rating. BlueStar ranks her the No. 226 recruit in the nation and the No. 35 center.
ESPN’s analysis of Nunn said, “Strong, physical low-post performer with soft touch in mid-post game; power frame in the key defends, rebounds and outlets.”
Nunn has a 3.9 grade-point average at Juanita and is interested in majoring in Engineering at UNM.
Nunn also played in the Peach State Basketball Summer Invitation and was a key figure for the Northwest Blazers, who won four championships at the July event in one of the toughest tournaments, according to prospectsnation.com.
Nunn averaged 10.9 points and 7.3 rebounds per game as a sophomore for the Rebels. Juanita went 17-9 with an 11-3 district record, and Nunn was an All-KingCo selection in 2013. She had 14 points and 15 rebounds in a December win over Bellevue High School.
“Jaisa brings size, a physical presence and a high IQ,” Sanchez said. “She comes from a great family; she’ll come in and be ready to compete right away.”
Jannon Otto W 6-1
Hesperia, Calif. (Oak Hills HS)
Jannon Otto will play the wing position for the Lobos in 2015-16. She was the 2013-14 High Desert League Player of the Year and first-team California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section Division 2AA selection, averaging 21.0 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.4 steals, 3.9 assists and 1.3 blocks per game as a junior for Oak Hills High School and coach Kelly Hennessey – her mother.
BlueStar Report ranked Otto the No. 228 overall prospect in the nation and the No. 45 player at the wing (guard/forward) position. ESPNW rated her as the 16th-best wing coming out of high school, gave her a three-star ranking and a 90 rating out of a 100 scale.
According to ESPNW, Otto is a “versatile perimeter performer (who) handles and creates in transition; midrange pull-up game extends to the arc; long frame slashes with body control to rim; competes on glass, exploits mismatches.”
In the classroom, Otto is just as stellar with a 4.1 grade-point average. She plans on majoring in Communications with an eye toward sports broadcasting.
In 2013-14, Oak Hills Bulldogs went 25-4, went undefeated in the Mojave River League and advanced to the quarterfinals of the CIF Southern Section Division 2AA quarterfinals. Otto also earned CalHi Sports first-team All-Junior honors. … She tied a career-high with 35 points and had 10 rebounds in a 74-72 win over Cantwell-Sacred Heart on Dec. 21, 2013.
She was an All-CIF Southern section Division 2A selection as a sophomore in 2012-2013 with an average of 17.6 points, 10.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game for the Bulldogs, who went 22-6 overall, were undefeated in Mojave River League play and advanced to the second round of the CIF Southern League 2A Playoffs. She established a career-high of 35 points, to go along with 10 rebounds and seven steals in a win over Apple Valley High School on Feb. 5, 2013.
As a freshman, Otto averaged 14.1 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.7 steals per game as Oak Hills finished 15-10 and advanced to the CIF Southern Section 2A playoffs. Her breakout game came on Jan. 4, 2012 when she scored 29 points with seven rebounds and seven steals in a 57-37 Bulldogs win over rival Hesperia High School.
She also is a member of the West Coach Premier AAU team. Otto is the starting middle blocker on the Bulldogs volleyball team and is a three-year letter winner.
“Jannon is just a freakish athlete,” Sanchez said. “She’s a guard, but she plays bigger than 6-1. She can shoot, drive and score in multiple ways. She also has a high basketball IQ; her mom is her high school coach. She should be able to compete right, as well.”