From the land down under to down on the bayou, Nicholls State University seems to be a safe haven for fresh and talented Australian basketball players.

Even though the tri-parish area is filled young and talented basketball players who are capable of playing at the collegiate level, Nicholls State University has been able to expand its recruiting reach, with the use of the Internet and through YouTube, to Australia to land some of the best talent this school has seen.

“I use to have to get DVDs shipped over to see the players, but now with YouTube files, it is a lot easier to see talent,” head coach J.P. Piper said.

The credit for attaining the amount of talent the Nicholls State University men’s basketball team has been able to acquire from Australia can be given to the head coach, J.P. Piper, and his recruiting staff of assistant coaches.

“I’ve developed a network of friends and coaches from Australia that tell me when a kid can play,” Piper said.

Unlike many other big name basketball schools, Nicholls State University’s name alone may not be enough to attract the prized talents from different areas of the world because it is a relatively unknown university, nestled on the bayou.

Although Nicholls State University has not always been known for the strength of its basketball program, the ability to reach out to Australia and recruit past names such as Ryan Bathe and Dominic Friend, has brought back a sense of pride and confidence to the Nicholls State University Men’s Basketball program.

The men’s basketball program has seen its share of dominate American basketball players such as Gerald King, Ronnie Price and Larry Wilson, but the Aussies look to etch their names right alongside these great Nicholls State University basketball players.

Currently, senior Anatoly Bose holds the crown as not only the vocal leader of the team, but also the leader by example on the court.

“The first three years, I only tried leading by example, but this last year I really have been trying to lead by example and be the vocal leader the team needs,” Bose said.

With the ending of the Bose era fast approaching at Nicholls State University, Coach Piper and his recruiting team have kept their eyes toward the future of the basketball program. Through strong networking, Coach Piper and his recruiting staff has been able to land other Australian born talents.

“With any nationality, you have more success if you are able to bring more than one player at a time. Having another countryman in the program always helps them to adjust and become comfortable,” Piper said.

Redshirt junior, Linden Smith-Hyde, has had the benefit of playing basketball with Bose since he was a child.

“I’ve grown up with Toly, so I really felt comfortable coming to Nicholls. It made the transition and culture shock a little less,” Smith-Hyde said.

Freshman Sam Mcbeath may very well be the next in line to engrave his name alongside of Bose and other talented Austrian players that have made an impact on the Nicholls State basketball program.

“I knew about Toly, and when Coach Piper called me, he was the most honest and straightforward. I liked that,” Mcbeath said.

“I have no idea if they will ever be as good as Toly. Toly worked extremely hard to get stronger, but I certainly like where they are starting. It will be up to them to see how good they can become,” Piper said.

Nicholls is not just a place for these Australian born players to compete at the collegiate level or earn a degree. It is through YouTube videos and extensive networking, these players have traveled from the land down under to down on the bayou, a place they now so gladly call their home.