Colton Moon, arguably the best Magic Valley boys basketball player of the last two seasons, will play college ball close to home.

Moon will join the College of Southern Idaho's basketball team for the 2008-09 season after leading Burley High School to back-to-back Class 4A state championships. The 5-foot-11 point guard was named the Idaho Statesman's Class 4A Player of the Year as both a junior and senior, and will become the first player from Burley to join CSI since Greg Boyd made the Golden Eagles' roster during the 1985-86 season.

Moon averaged more than 14 points and seven assists per game as a senior, and scored 30 in the Bobcats' 75-54 state championship victory over Bonneville.

"The thing about Colton is that he's a proven winner," CSI head coach Barret Peery said. "He comes from a program where he's used to winning, and he'll fit right in with what we're trying to do here."

Moon chose CSI over a number of other potential suitors, including Scenic West Athletic Conference programs Salt Lake Community College and Snow College, along with Westminster College, a NAIA institution in Salt Lake City. He has enrolled at CSI and will pursue a degree in business management. His immediate role as a Golden Eagle player will be sorted out, as he expects to serve a two-year Mormon mission starting in 2009.

"I thought it was just my best option to go there and get noticed by bigger schools," Moon said of choosing CSI. "I've also liked the coaching staff and feel that they'll help me out."

Moon's recruitment at CSI comes on the heels of former Bobcat teammate Ben Searle's decision to play for Walla Walla (Wash.) Community College, while fellow Burley senior Jordan Hosteen may also find a home in college hoops. For Burley High head boys basketball coach Jack Bagley, the successful recruiting period has been part of a banner year for his program.

"It's exciting for me because this is the first time in my career that I've had the chance to work with kids who got the chance to play at the next level," Bagley said. "I'm really happy for Colton."

Moon is part of a growing CSI roster that includes sophomore returnees Daequon Montreal and Jay Watkins, along with incoming freshmen Louis Garrett, LeMario Harris and Aziz Ndiaye. Garrett is the younger brother of former CSI standout Brad Garrett, and a 6-5 small forward from Pine View High in St. George, Utah.

"Probably more athletic than Brad, though he doesn't shoot the ball quite as well," Peery said of the younger Garrett. "That's probably not a fair comparison for anybody though, because as a coach, I haven't had another player shoot it as well as Brad."

Harris is a combo guard from Dallas' Pinkston High, while Ndiaye will occupy one of CSI's three international scholarships. The somewhat raw 7-footer from Senegal is expected to develop into a force at both ends of the floor for CSI.

Peery is encouraged by the prospects of each of his incoming freshmen, but made a point to mention his excitement over adding a player with Moon's personal qualities to his program. Current CSI sophomore Nick Hansen, another former Idaho high school star from a similar background as Moon, was named the college's 2008 male athlete of the year. Bagley knows Moon will bring similar qualities to Twin Falls.

"He's not only going to represent them in a great way on the court, but he's the ideal kid you'd want to represent your program all-around," Bagley said. "He's a great kid."

Eric Larsen may be reached at 1-800-658-3883, Ext. 220 or elarsen@magicvalley.com.