Arizona Republic
September 12, 2009

Mesa Red Mountain senior swingman Paul Newendyke has given Grand Canyon University an oral commitment to play basketball.

And Mesa Dobson 6-foot-4 senior center Kameron Knutson has committed to San Diego for women's basketball.

Newendyke, 6-3, averaged 14 points, seven rebounds and eight assists last season.

His father, Scott Newendyke, a Red Mountain assistant coach, said that his son was sold by new coach Russ Pennell's system. Pennell led Arizona to the Sweet 16 last year as interim coach.

Newendyke also likes how Pennell is bringing in a lot of in-state talent to make it an Arizona-based team.

"He does a lot of things well, but he doesn't do anything great," Scott said of his son. "He's a fundamentally sound kid. He fits into his system. Russ sold him on that."

Knutson averaged 16 points, six blocks and 10 rebounds on a 24-win team last season when she made the Arizona Republic's All-Class 5A team.

Her coach, Tyler Dumas, expects Knutson to make an immediate impact in college.