Montana men's basketball signs three

The Montana men's basketball team and head coach Travis DeCuire have signed three high school players to scholarship contracts for the 2026-27 season.

It's the largest class for Montana in the last four years as they bring in a trio of talented young guards.

"The strength and consistency of the program continues to be powered by high school recruits and returners," DeCuire said. "We expect that to continue with the three guys we signed. All three expect to compete for state championships this year."

DeCuire said that the work ethic of all three players stood out and is exactly what he's looking for in his program.

"All three of these players are committed to putting in the extra work necessary to be successful," DeCuire said. "I can't wait to see them in maroon uniforms."

Semaj Carter (6-4 G / Compton, Calif.)

Carter will play the final three years of his high school career with Rancho Verde HS, where he has compiled an impressive athletic resume.

He was the Damien Classic MVP and earned First Team All-League honors last year. His team went 25-5 during his sophomore season as he averaged 25.0 points per game. He also was named to the All-Tournament team at the Beaumont Tournament. His team were the Ivy Basketball league champs in the California Southern Section.

"You can never have too much offense," DeCuire said. "Semaj has the ability to generate points at a very high level."

He plays his club ball with the Cali Rebels for head coach John Emaguna. Carter was named the Made Hoops West Circuit MVP.

Carter also has spent three years on his school's Principal's Honor Roll with a GPA over 3.0.

Jackson Haggins (6-2 G / Riverside, Calif.)

Haggins played his high school basketball at Eleanor Roosevelt HS in Eastvale, Calif. The combo guard has a history of success at the high school level with a very talented team.

He's a one-time Open Division State Champ, a one-time Open Southern Section Champ, and a one-time National Champion with Roosevelt. He averaged nearly 6.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.6 steals per game last season.

"The most versatile players seem to be the ones that have made the most impact early in their careers here. Jackson is that," DeCuire said. "His ability to impact winning on both sides of the ball will be a huge asset."

He's played in nearly 100 games at Roosevelt in his high school career and played his AAU ball for the Roadrunners.

Haggins' Roosevelt team won the Tarkanian Classic and the CIF Southern Section Title last season. They ended the season ranked as a top 10 team in the country in the SI Top 25 Boys High School Basketball National Rankings.

Jemai Lake (6-2 G / Tualatin, Ore.)

Lake is ranked as the No. 1 player in the state of Oregon in 2026 and the top-ranked combo guard. He plays his prep basketball for Tualatin HS.

He's been playing varsity basketball since his freshman year, earning First Team All-State honors in 2024-25 as a junior. He helped his team to a state championship as a freshman and they have won their league in both 2023-24 and 2024-25.

"Jemai is an explosive scoring guard with intimidating speed," DeCuire said. "He shoots the ball as well as anyone I watched last summer."

The guard set school records for both points in a game (41) and free throw percentage (86%). Lake plays AAU for Select Basketball where he was coached by Andrew Harrington, Colby Blaine, and his father Josiah Lake.

His father, Josiah, played at Oregon State and his mother, Lucretia, ran track at Oregon. His brother, Josiah Lake II, currently plays at Oregon State for former Montana head coach Wayne Tinkle.

University of Montana Athletics

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