Boise State men’s basketball signee helps Canada place fifth at FIBA U19 World Cup

Four-star Boise State men’s basketball signee Spencer Ahrens looked like a player who will fight for immediate playing time in the Broncos’ frontcourt next season during the FIBA U19 Men’s Basketball World Cup.

In seven games at the tournament, Ahrens averaged 10.4 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists while shooting 42.9 percent from beyond the arc. Ahrens helped lead Canada to a fifth-place finish. 

The 6-foot-9 Ahrens had his best offensive game in the group stage against Slovenia with 16 points, five rebounds, two assists and one steal. He also shined in consolation victories over Switzerland (14 points, three rebounds, two assists, two steals, two blocks) and Australia (nine points, 10 rebounds). 

The FIBA U19 Men’s Basketball World Cup wrapped up Sunday in Switzerland. The United States defeated Germany in the gold medal game, 109-76. 

An Ontario, Canada native, Ahrens recently graduated from Bella Vista College Prep in Phoenix, Arizona. He is rated a four-star prospect by ESPN and On3 and is the nation’s No. 120 overall player in the On3 class of 2025 recruiting rankings. 

Ahrens chose the Broncos and head coach Leon Rice over offers from Gonzaga, Illinois, San Francisco, Stanford, Washington and numerous others.

Boise State is coming off a 26-11 season and a trip to the semifinals of the College Basketball Crown tournament. The Broncos narrowly missed out on a third consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament.

The Broncos signed five freshmen for their 2025 signing class: Ahrens, guard Noah Bendinger (Corner Canyon High School, Utah), forward Bhan Buom (Link Academy, Missouri), guard Nash Humpherys (Madison High School, Idaho) and fellow Bella Vista Prep product Aginaldo Neto, a point guard. 

The 6-foot-4 Bendinger is a talented scorer who averaged 23.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.9 steals in his final season for Corner Canyon. Bendinger, an unrated prospect by 247Sports, helped lead Corner Canyon to the Class 6A state semifinals. 

The 6-foot-8 Buom is rated the No. 59 power forward recruit nationally for the class of 2025 by 247Sports. He is the No. 12 overall prospect in Missouri. 

Humpherys, a 6-foot point guard, carried Madison to a 23-3 overall record and the consolation title at the Class 6A state tournament as a senior. Humpherys, another unrated prospect, will serve a Latter-day Saints mission before joining the Broncos. 

Neto, an Angola, Africa native is also an unranked prospect. Neto picked Boise State over an offer from San Diego.