The Cougar basketball program added two more members to the 2015 signing class on the first day of the spring signing period.

Head Coach Ernie Kent announced the signing of guards Charles Callison and Vionte Daniels yesterday. Callison is a transfer from San Bernardino College who stands six feet tall and weighs in at 180 pounds. Meanwhile, Vionte Davis hails from Federal Way Hight School and is six feet three inches tall and weighs 170 pounds.

Davis is the most well-known recruit of the two after he was recognized for his outstanding senior season as the Washington’s 4A player of the year. Davis led Federal Way to a state title this season, averaging 24 points, six rebounds and four assists per contest. Davis chose WSU over another offer from Saint Mary’s College. Kent has high praise for the youngster for his abilities both on and off the court.

“We have a young man that is tremendous in character,” Kent said. “I don’t want to say he’s come out of nowhere because I think he probably did shock the basketball world in terms of what he’s been able to accomplish this year.

“To be able to get a player of that type of character and that type of talent out of one of the most respected programs over in that area,” Kent said. “I think when it’s all said and done he has a chance to be a really special leader over here.”

The signing of Davis marks the first time a Seattle-area player has committed to Kent’s program. By signing Davis, it opens the door for the Cougars to further recruit in the area. Kent said it’s important the Cougars take advantage of the Seattle area.

“It’s very important for us to recruit Tacoma and Seattle area,” Kent said. “We always want to do that, we always want to find opportunities for young people that feel like this is a special place for them to come and go to school.”

The signing of Callison comes as a bit of a surprise to some fans with junior to-be guard Ike Iroegbu and sophomore to-be guard Ny Redding seeming to have done an adequate job at the point guard position last season. However, Kent deployed Iroegbu in many situations as more of a scorer than a point guard and the addition of Callison will allow him to put Iroegbu in more of a scoring role.

Callison averaged 15.4 points per game and four assists a game while shooting better than 40 percent from beyond the arc in his two seasons in junior college. Callison was his league’s MVP last season. Kent feels Callison’s toughness on defense and his aggressive, high-speed play will make an immediate impact on the team’s fast-paced offense.

“He’s come from a lot of success,” Kent said. “Particularly this last year with his team and I feel like with him he’s another player that will step in right away and play a major factor in what we’re gonna get done here.”

Davis and Callison will join fall signees Robert Franks, Renard Suggs and Derrien King. Forward Jeff Pollard, who signed last June, will attend Impact Academy in Las Vegas for one season before joining the Cougars. With the five new players signed, Kent will have one scholarship to work with moving forward. Kent already has a plan for the type of player he would like to add with that scholarship.

“We are actively recruiting that and will continue to do that and it’s a very important scholarship because we’ll have the opportunity to get more size to the program and we’ll look forward to do that,” Kent said.

In addition to the newcomers joining the team for the 2015-16 season, the Cougars will return core members of their squad from last season. Iroegbu, Redding, senior to-be forward Junior Longrus, junior to-be forward Josh Hawkinson, junior to-be guard Que Johnson and senior to-be forward Brett Boese.

Reporting by Will Cheshier