Things are sweet for Caleb Forrest and Daven Harmeling.

Overlooked by many local college teams during their high school careers in Colorado, each signed with Washington State.

A few seasons later, the Cougars are a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament and will play a first- round game today against 14th-seeded Oral Roberts (12:40 p.m.) in Sacramento, Calif.

Meanwhile, Division I teams from Colorado have started their offseasons.

"It's a great feeling after seeing those teams kind of overlook us as far as recruiting," Forrest said Wednesday in a telephone interview. "Then to come here to a team that hasn't had a really good history and go into the tournament, it's pretty cool."

Forrest, a 6-foot-8 sophomore forward from Pagosa Springs, is a role player for the Cougars (25-7). He has come off the bench 23 times, with the duty of banging against opposing big men.

Harmeling, from Fruita Monument, is a redshirt sophomore who has started 21 games. He is the Cougars' third-leading scorer and has shot 42.1 percent on three-pointers.

Five players who played high school basketball in Colorado are in the men's field, including the more celebrated Nick Fazekas of Nevada and Matt Bouldin of Gonzaga.

In the women's NCAA Tournament, which begins Saturday, 12 former Colorado high school players are on rosters, most prominently Abby and Emily Waner, who have helped Duke to a 30-1 mark and a No. 1 seed.

With two Coloradans on its roster, Washington State could become a local favorite in certain circles of the state.

"All the time, people say they follow me and our team," said Forrest, who averages 7.3 minutes a game. "(Pagosa Springs) is such a tight community and such a small town that when I go home, everybody talks about watching us. My dad always has stories about people asking about the tournament and stuff like that."

While Forrest hopes to further cultivate his role, Harmeling is flourishing. The 6-7 forward dislocated a shoulder in the opener last season and was granted a medical hardship.

He has prospered in his return, especially behind the three-point arc, where he has converted 51-of-121 attempts. Harmeling, unavailable for comment, shares similar back-home stories.

"It's a lot the same, with people all over Grand Junction and Fruita watching him," Forrest said. "He was bigger throughout the state than I was, so he's got people that watch him from Denver and all over the place."

People from Denver also will be watching Fazekas, the former Ralston Valley athlete who is starring for Nevada and appears to be a surefire NBA candidate.

Bouldin, a freshman guard from ThunderRidge who is receiving big minutes at Gonzaga, also will have his share of onlookers.

The most riveting local story, though, might involve the Cougars, who lost in the first round of the Pacific-10 Conference tournament last season. Now they have made the transition from left out to a No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament.

"This is one of the things I've been dreaming about since I was little," Forrest said. "I was talking with one of my buddies back home . . . and he said 'We've all had that goal growing up, and you're the only one of us living it.' "

Men

• Matt Bouldin, Gonzaga 6-foot-5, freshman

The former ThunderRidge standout became a key cog for the Bulldogs. The floppy-haired Bouldin, who plays both guard positions, enters today's game against Indiana averaging 8.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 33 games, including 19 starts.

• Nick Fazekas, Nevada 6-11, senior

The multidimensional forward from Ralston Valley is an All-America candidate and considered a lock to be chosen in the NBA draft. He enters Friday's game against Creighton with averages of 20.5 points, 11.2 rebounds and stellar shooting percentages - 58.1 from the field, 45.8 on three-pointers and 84.7 on free throws.

• Caleb Forrest, Washington State 6-8, sophomore

Forrest, who starred at Pagosa Springs, has settled into a reserve role with the Cougars. He has played 23 games and is averaging 7.3 minutes and 1.7 points. Forrest made five starts as a freshman.

• Daven Harmeling, Washington State 6-7, sophomore

Harmeling, a former Fruita Monument player, has stretched defenses with his 42.1 percent three-point shooting. Harmeling is averaging nine points and has started 21 games for the Cougars, who play Oral Roberts today.

• Steve Johnson, Duke 6-5, freshman

Johnson, former Cheyenne Mountain graduate, is redshirting for the Blue Devils, who play Virginia Commonwealth today. He has appeared in three games this season.

Women

• Amanda Adamson, New Mexico 6-0, junior

The former Heritage player is redshirting after transferring from Syracuse. The eighth-seeded Lady Lobos play Wisconsin-Green Bay on Sunday.

• Tasha Harris, Boise State 5-7, sophomore

After helping Skyline to a Class 4A title, Harris has become a key piece in the Broncos' run. She ranks third with a 10.6 scoring average for the 12th-seeded Broncos, who will play George Washington on Saturday.

• Dimma Kalu, Harvard 5-10, junior

Perhaps better known as a track star while at University High School near Greeley, Kalu joined the Crimson's basketball team this season. She has appeared in eight games for the 15th-seeded Crimson, which opens against Maryland on Sunday.

• Fatima Maddox, Temple 5-6, senior

Maddox, from Mesa Ridge, has started all 31 games for the Owls and is averaging 11.6 points. She spent her first two seasons at New Mexico. The No. 8 seed Owls play Nebraska in the first round Sunday.

• Kelly O'Connell, California 5-5, junior

Injuries have beset the career of the former Mullen standout, who has had recurring trouble with her right foot. O'Connell has not appeared in a game for the Golden Bears. California, a No. 8 seed, opens Sunday against Notre Dame.

• Katie Olson, Louisville 6-0, senior

The former Wheat Ridge guard/forward is averaging 3.2 points for the Cardinals in 30 games, including 12 starts. Olson started 27 games as a junior and posted a career-best 9.2 scoring average as a freshman. The Lady Cardinals earned a No. 6 seed and will play Brigham Young in the first round Saturday.

• Danielle Page, Nebraska 6-2, junior

A shot-blocking maven, the former Lewis-Palmer player is the Cornhuskers' first player off the bench. She is averaging 6.9 points and has 55 blocked shots. Ninth-seeded Nebraska plays Temple on Sunday.

• Cissy Pierce, Stanford 5-10, junior

Pierce, who played alongside Adamson at Heritage, is a regular in the Cardinal rotation. The shooting guard is averaging 4.7 points in 32 games, including 15 starts. Pierce has received regular time since she was a freshman for the Cardinal, a No. 2 seed that opens against Idaho State on Saturday.

• Erica Schelly, Washington 5-11, senior

The former Poudre standout has played 25 games for the Huskies this season, all off the bench. She is averaging 1.6 points in 7.8 minutes. Schelly has been a reserve guard throughout her career. The 11th-seeded Huskies take on Iowa State on Saturday.

• Liz Sherwood, Vanderbilt 6-4, junior

Sherwood, who previously played at Highlands Ranch and Connecticut, is averaging 8.4 points and 3.6 rebounds in 30 games for the Commodores, including six starts. Last season, she was named the Southeastern Conference's sixth-woman of the year. The second-seeded Commodores open against Delaware State on Sunday.

• Abby Waner, Duke 5-10, sophomore

The 2004-05 Gatorade and McDonald's high school player of the year from ThunderRidge is the leading scorer for the top-seeded Blue Devils (30-1). Waner averages 14.2 points and also leads the team with 78 steals. She also has contributed 4.5 rebounds and 87 assists for the Blue Devils, who open against Holy Cross on Sunday.

• Emily Waner, Duke 5-8, junior

The less-celebrated of the two sisters, the elder Waner has carved a niche for herself as the Blue Devils backup point guard. She is averaging 3.7 points in 15 minutes and has made 26 three-pointers in 29 games. Her steady play could lead to key minutes.

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