Converging at Boise State, two freshmen from foreign lands create excitement

BOISE (Idaho Statesman) — Walking down a concrete-laden corridor of ExtraMile Arena and into the postgame media room, Boise State basketball’s two heroes of Tuesday night’s comeback win over New Mexico exchanged quick hellos before sitting down at the interview table.

The modest black table, set before a Boise State-themed backdrop and next to a quietly humming Coca-Cola cooler fridge, has seen plenty of greats sit there in coach Leon Rice’s tenure, from all-time leading scorer Tyson Degenhart to Max Rice, from Chandler Hutchinson to Derrick Marks and Anthony Drmic.

But what made this night different was that these two players were new to the interview room: forward Spencer Ahrens and guard Aginaldo Neto — a pair of freshmen.

The duo combined for 22 points as the Broncos rallied twice to defeat New Mexico 62-53 in their Mountain West home opener. Both players began the game in their normal spot on the bench, but they subbed in to play vital roles, including a four-minute stretch from Ahrens that saw him score 10 points to help drag Boise State out of a 31-20 hole early in the second half.

“They’re just high-character guys that show up,” Boise State head coach Leon Rice said after the game.

Rice and others around the program said they couldn’t recall two freshmen sitting at the interview table in over a decade. The last time might have been the 2011-12 season, when Drmic and Marks ranked first and second, respectively, in scoring.

Ahrens and Neto aren’t quite performing to those levels, with players such as junior forwards Drew Fielder and Andrew Meadow carrying the load. But these freshmen are hardly just bystanders: Ahrens is averaging 6.2 points per game in 13.2 minutes of action, and Neto is averaging 5.3 while playing 20 minutes per game.

Boise State might have its next two big underclassmen In the age of Name, Image, and Likeness, which has turned college athletics and the transfer portal into the Wild West, it can be difficult for midmajors like Boise State to retain high-potential players.

Former Bronco and Netherlands U20 small forward Emmanuel Ugbo left Boise State for Washington State last year, and four-star prospect Chibuzo Agbo left Boise State for USC in 2024. But there is one thing that could keep Ahrens and Neto together at Boise State:

“Spence is my best friend,” Neto said Tuesday night. “Everywhere I am, Spence is with me.”

The pair of newcomers to Idaho — Ahrens from Canada and Neto from Angola — became fast friends. They’re roommates and they do nearly everything together, from eating to walking to practice. And on the rare occasions they aren’t together, Neto said they know where the other is. Boise State fans hope that goes on for several years.

Ahrens is a 6-foot-10 power forward who received offers from several power-conference programs, including Nebraska, Oregon and Missouri. He has not only a willingness to pull defenders to the perimeter before shooting over them, but also a clean-looking shot. He’s hitting at 40% (12-for-30) on 3-pointers, a percentage outdone only by Meadow, who’s shooting 19-for-45 (42.2%).

“We were on Spencer for a long, long time, and he had all kinds of different offers,” Rice said. “We saw something there. But it goes back to their character and their work ethic.”

Meanwhile, Neto looks like the type of guard the Broncos can build around as soon as next year, after starting point guard Dylan Andrews graduates. Neto, who has played for the NBA Academy Africa and the Angolan national team, isn’t your typical point-scoring point guard — at least yet.

The 6-foot-3 guard said Tuesday that he’s more selective with his shots because he knows he can create good opportunities for teammates. He ranks third on the team with 1.7 assists per game. The roommates have shown Rice a lot.

“They’re both so coachable,” Rice said. “They’re gonna have great careers here. They’re just scratching the surface of how good they’re gonna be, both of them.”