New Hampton Forward Commits to Boise State
New Hampton’s post-graduate forward Thomas Bropleh has made a commitment to Boise State University for next season where he will play for newly appointed head coach Leon Rice.
Bropleh was a post-graduate at the New Hampton School this year after graduating from George Washington High School in Denver, Colorado last year.
Bropleh had very little division I interest when first arriving at New Hampton but saw recruitment from places like Northern Colorado, Wyoming, Northeastern, New Hampshire, Montana State, and Stony Brook this season. He also received some preliminary interest from Gonzaga, where Rice was previously the associate head coach.
“I knew Coach Rice because he called me a couple of times from Gonzaga,” Bropleh said. “I just think he, and the whole coaching staff, are good guys. I think I’m going to get better for all four years and I feel comfortable putting my career in their hands for the next four years.”
Rice started recruiting Bropleh almost immediately after landing the Boise State job and finally had the six-foot-five forward on campus last weekend.
“It was a vibrant campus. They are really on top of their sports,” Bropleh said. “You can see Bronco-Nation all over the place.”
Bropleh leaves New Hampton after having helped the basketball team to their most successful season in recent years.
“It’s an awesome situation for him with their new coaching staff,” said New Hampton head coach Pete Hutchins. “You can’t find a better kid and I’m really excited that he was able to use his year here to get to a great place like Boise State.”
“This year helped me a lot maturity wise. Being away from home, you have to learn how to do things on your own and prep school has done that for me,” Bropleh said. “The competition here has made me a better player because every possession counts.”
Bropleh is the second player to commit to Rice since taking over at Boise State, joining point guard Tre Nichols from Waco, Texas, who signed his National Letter of Intent last week.
Thomas Bropleh