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Show 8 THE SIGNPOST TUESDAY, JUNE 5,2012 Basketball continued from workouts I've ever seen," Ford tweeted. "Grueling. Zero questions about what kind of shape he's in. Lillard (is) hitting just about every shot here despite being run into the ground by trainer." Ford also said he was impressed by Liiiard's work ethic, saying he feels Lillard is a top-10 pick. WSU Head Coach Ran dy Rahe said he is excited for Lillard and proud of the work he has put in to reach the point where he is now. "He is a terrific player, but he's even a better person and has represented us so well," Rahe said. "No one I have been associated with has worked harder than he has, and I couldn't be prouder for him." While Lillard is recognized generally as a shoot-first point guard, his other statistics show a promising future and many possibilities. Along with his average of 24.5 points per game, he also had an average of five rebounds, four assists and 1.5 steals per game. Lillard also shot 88.7 percent from the free-throw line, one of the highest percentages in the nation, as well as shooting 40.9 percent from beyond the arc. The five-time Big Sky Player of the Week led the 2011-12 Wildcat basketball team to a 25-7 record overall, including a record of 14-2 in Big Sky Conference play. The Wildcats faced the University of Montana in the Big Sky Championship, but lost the game with a score of 65-85. In the latest mock draft on NBA.com, Lillard is projected at going to the Portland Trail Blazers, who have the sixth pick in the draft. He is also projected to be the first point guard taken in the draft. Lillard said he is thankful for his time at WSU and is looking forward to moving on to the NBA. "I want to thank everyone that has helped me get to this point," Lillard said. "I have loved my time at Weber State and am looking forward to playing at the next level." The 2012 NBA Draft will be held on lune 28 in Newark, N.J. Comment on this story at wsusignpost.com. PHOTO BY BRYAN BUTTERFIELD | THE SIGNPOST Damian Lillard announces at a press conference that he will be going into the NBA. PHOTO BY BRYAN BUTTERFIELD | THE SIGNPOST Damian Lillard displays his NBA-sized wingspan while defending his opponent. Track continued from page 6 Hardy and Henry were two of the nine WSU competitors who had qualified for the quarterfinals in Texas. Among them were runners Laken Hintze, Kayla Blackford, Sarah Callister, Taylor Thornley, Tyler McBee, Trevor Ricks and field athlete Zach Parry. Parry was competing as a senior from WSU in the category of the men's hammmerthrow, participating in his last event as a Wildcat. He failed to qualify for the semifinals in Iowa, finishing 41st overall of 48 participants with a throw of 183-06.00. Parry holds the record for the third-best mark in WSU history with a throw of 198-09.00, as well as the record for the sixth-best mark in WSU history when he threw in the category ofthe men's shotput back in 2011. Callister, a junior at WSU, was recently awarded Academic All- District honors for the second year in a row. She failed to qualify for the semifinals in Iowa in the category of the 10,000-meter run, placing 13th overall, while only 12 qualify to continue to the next rounds. Callister holds the WSU and Big Sky record in the event with a time of 32:51.17. She also holds top-10 WSU records in the 1,500-meter and the 5,000-meter races. Comment on this story at wsusignpost.com. TRYING TO BALANCE YOUR BUDGET? Men's basketball loses coaches ci.]i.]j«i"<;,am .uirwuiu i For over 75 years, we've been making dreams come true. Look to us as your specialist for a helping hand with higher education. We're known for low rates on auto loans and free checking. But, don't forget about our low rate VISA cards, as well as competitive home loans and aggressive CD's. Goldenwest is over 84,000 members strong with 19 branches in Weber, Morgan, Davis, Salt Lake, Utah and Washington counties. There's one close to you. By Nathan Davis editor-in-chief I The Signpost Assistant Coach Tim Gardner and Chris Gold, director of basketball operations, are both leaving the Weber State University coaching staff before the start of the school year. Gardner is leaving coaching to pursue a job in the sales field, while Gold will be moving to Snow College. Gardner is leaving WSU after six years as an assistant coach for the Wildcats. He has been coaching for 13 years. Gardner graduated from fudge Memorial High School and went on to play basketball at the University of Puget Sound. After graduating, Gardner returned to Utah and began coaching at Juan Diego High School for seven seasons before coming to WSU. He will be taking a job with IT staffing firm Apex Systems Inc. in Salt Lake City. Gold, a native of Denver, Colo., has been at WSU since 2010. He recently accepted a job as an assistant coach at Snow College in Ephraim, Utah. Gold graduated from Kansas Wesleyan University in 2008, then spent one year volunteering with the coaching staff of the Denver Nuggets in the NBA. Head Coach Randy Rahe is expected to name a replacement for Gardner within the next week. Comment on this story at wsusignpost.com. Summer continued from page 4 Goldenwest Credit Union 801-621^550 We'll take care of you gwcu.org new-book smell when you opened it for the first time, and you'd read even in the poorest light or inopportune conditions just to find out what happens after the cliffhanger at the end of the chapter. You don't have to worry about charging a paperback novel, and, best of all, it won't interfere with the safety of your flight during those first crucial hours of takeoff. Start a conversation. Actually speaking face to face with someone may seem like another ancient form of communication, but when Facebook, Twitter and texting aren't available, sometimes you just have to retro. If you're traveling with family or friends, take the time to get deep in their minds about where you guys are going and why you're excited to go there. Sometimes it can just take an hour-long conversation with someone you're stuck in a car with to really get to know them. Traveling by yourself? Well, if that person next to you on the train or plane isn't too questionable by your standards, strike up a conversation. It beats sitting in silence for several hours, and it may help you to feel better about traveling by yourself if someone is in the same boat you are. Have a notebook on hand. I personally don't know where I would be without the notebook I carry around with me on a daily basis, because when story or poetry ideas hit, it's great to have a way to start working on the idea right away when it strikes. Doodling is a classic pastime, too, even if you're not a prodigy Picasso. And sometimes it's just great to have pa per on hand for things like Hangman ... or does anyone still know what that is? Daydream. If all else fails, sometimes there's nothing more entertaining than the depths of your own mind. Create a story in your head, think about your future destination, perhaps even ponder the meaning of life. Usually paired with music, daydreaming becomes an easy escape aside from the world of instant electronics. Sometimes that daydreaming can turn into actual dreaming, and before you know it, you'll be waking up with five minutes left before you reach your destination. lust make sure you don't sleep straight through those important stops. 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