FAIRBANKS, Alaska – On Tuesday, Alaska Nanooks men's basketball head coach Mick Durham announced the signing of local prep star Daniel Hornbuckle. The guard joins the program from nearby West Valley High School in Fairbanks, and becomes the fourth player to sign with the Nooks during the spring signing period.
Hornbuckle was a four-year starter for the Wolfpack, helping transform the team into a perennial state playoff squad, as he guided WVHS to three-straight Alaska 4A State Tournaments from 2014-2016. The 5-11 guard scored over 2,000 points in his career and was named to the 4A all-state first team by both the Alaska Association of Basketball Coaches and USA Today this past season.
"We're excited that Daniel wants to stay in Fairbanks and join our program," said Durham. "He is someone we've followed the last four years at West Valley, and we've seen him grow with that program. It was a struggling program a few years ago, and Daniel helped turn them into a state tournament caliber program."
The Fairbanks native has been one of the state's premier scorers, as he led the state's 4A class in scoring in each of the last two seasons. In his final year with West Valley, he averaged 25 points per game to help the Wolfpack to a 19-6 mark. The guard also averaged five rebounds, three assists and three steals per contest, and enjoyed a season-best 47-point outing against Mount Edgecumbe back in January.
"He is a point guard that can score," Durham added. "He is quick and athletic. One of his biggest strengths is seeing the court and his ability to pass. I'm excited to work with him. We needed a young point guard to develop, and it's a perfect time for him to join our program. He is an impressive individual off and on the court. He is a good student and it's exciting to get a well-rounded kid."
Hornbuckle was consistently rated as one of the top prep players in Alaska in the 2016 signing class. He was the lone Interior player to make an appearance on either 4A first team all-state team this past season, which earned a high praise from Durham.
"I think Daniel is the best player in the state of Alaska this year. It's really nice to see one of the top kids in the state stay in Alaska when a lot of kids want to venture out."
Hornbuckle will be one of two players on next year's roster with West Valley High School roots. He will be accompanied by junior Larenzo Graham, who redshirted last season after transferring into the program from West Valley College in Saratoga, California. He also becomes the fourth player to sign with Alaska this spring, as he joins junior college transfers Spencer Clark (Diablo Valley) and Trent Molesworth (Scottsdale CC), along with NCAA Division I transfer Nahjee Matlock (Montana State).
The Alaska Nanooks men's basketball team is coming off an outstanding 22-8 season, that saw the program reach its first Great Northwest Athletic Conference championship game, and set a program record for most GNAC wins in a season with 15. The Nooks were recently selected as HERO Sports NCAA Division II Breakout Team of the Year.
For more information on the Alaska Nanooks men's basketball team, follow @NanooksMBB on Twitter.
