College Commitment – Quincy Byas (2025 R. Anderson/E. Arizona)

The journey is looking a little bit different than he originally intended, but Quincy Byas has the trust that the best is ahead. After he initially decided on attending Eastern Arizona, the plan was to redshirt and continue his career in Thatcher. But when head coach Cameron Turner took on a new job, the former Rosemary Anderson Prep standout decided instead to follow his coach and he'll begin his four-year college career as a redshift freshman at the D-II level at Alaska-Anchorage.

"It was a pretty easy decision with (Coach) Turner and my assistant coach leaving Eastern Arizona to Anchorage," Byas said. "It was a hard decision to take the leap to go to Alaska but I seen it as an opportunity. I don't know much about the school, just that Turner coached there before and I found out my cousin was a former player there. A couple things I thought was cool is the arena that's sponsored by Alaska Airlines and the 24-hour access. I also get to play in front of my family."

There's no question Byas had the trust in his coaches for his future - and that includes how he sees himself both contributing and developing on the court. "I've always been a scorer and my coaches know that as well and they'll put me in the right positions to do so," Byas said. "But as a player who wants to get better and get to the highest level, I want to focus on defense and rebounding. With my size, length, and athleticism it will be the key for me to get to where I want to be."

Byas redshirted this past season at Eastern Arizona, so he'll have a full four years of eligibility at Alaska-Anchorage. While he may not have played, there's no question he feels the time he spent at Eastern Arizona was worthwhile.

"Overall I just got a feel for college basketball from the outside looking in and adjusting from high school to college," Byas said. "Learning my coaches coaching style and competing against the guys in practice everyday - I also learned that winning is very important and just studying the game. I've definitely gotten better with my time at EA and I'm ready to showcase it."

Our congratulations go out to Byas and his family on his decision.