Utah Utes basketball: U. signs Chris Kupets, combo guard from Texas junior college

SALT LAKE CITY — The University of Utah men's basketball team will have a much different look next season, with as many as nine new players on the roster.

The Utes wrapped up their recruiting for the 2010-11 season on Thursday by signing their fourth junior college transfer, guard Chris Kupets from Hill College in Hillsboro, Texas.

Kupets joins guard Josh Watkins, who signed Wednesday, and wing players Will Clyburn and Antonio DiMaria, who signed earlier this month.

The Utes also have five freshmen coming in, including wing players J.J. O'Brien and Dominique Lee from California, guard Preston Guiot from Missouri, center Neal Monson from Waterford High School and Josh Fuller, a forward from Idaho. The latter two will not be scholarship players.

The 5-foot-11, 175-pound Kupets is from Georgia and originally went to East Carolina before transferring to Hill College, where he averaged 15.9 points, 5.5 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game. Before going to East Carolina, he played at The Patterson Prep School in North Carolina, where both DiMaria and Ute guard Jace Tavita played.

"Chris is a combo guard who can both score and create offensive opportunities for his teammates," said Utah coach Jim Boylen. "He reminds me of other players I have coached like Tyler Kepkay here, or Drew Nietzel at Michigan State. He plays an up-tempo style and will fit well in our pick-and-roll system."

Kupets, whose older sisters, Ashley and Courtney, were all-American gymnasts for Georgia, signed with Boise State last November but was released from his commitment when coach Greg Graham was fired.

"I could tell right away that it would be a great relationship with the coaches and current players at Utah," said Kupets. "I think my style of play, scoring and getting up and down the court will fit well in the program."

The Utes lost two players to graduation (Luka Drca and Kim Tillie), one to an LDS mission (Jeremy Olsen) and four underclassmen — Carlon Brown, Marshall Henderson, Jordan Cyphers and Matt Read — who left the program early for various reasons.

Utah's returning players include centers David Foster and Jason Washburn, forwards Jay Watkins and Shawn Glover and guards Tavita, Chris Hines and Tre Smith.

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