BleedGopher
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 11, 2008
- Messages
- 61,972
- Reaction score
- 18,166
- Points
- 113
Nice article from Marcus:
Hopkins High School star Joe Coleman, the state's No. 1 senior and a top 100 national recruit, gave an oral commitment Friday to University of Minnesota men's basketball coach Tubby Smith.
"After I committed, I was a little shocked a bit like, 'Wow! I'm about to play for the Gophers,' " said Coleman, who went after school with his parents to tell Smith in person Friday afternoon. "It feels pretty good."
The 6-foot-4, 195-pound Coleman, younger brother of former Gophers player Dan Coleman, picked Minnesota over Santa Clara after making official visits to both schools. Smith and Santa Clara coach Kerry Keating met with Coleman at Hopkins on Thursday night.
"(Smith) said I could be a leader and I could contribute early," Coleman said. "I have a strong work ethic, so he knows every day I'm going to work as hard as I can to be the best player I can be."
Coleman's decision came down to wanting to play in the Big Ten Conference. Santa Clara likely would have offered him more playing time as a freshman. But he also took advice from his older brother, who finished a four-year Gophers career (2005-08) ranking 15th on the program's all-time scoring list.
"Dan said he wanted to make sure it was where I wanted to be, and that I wasn't going there because he went there or my uncle went there," said Coleman, nephew of former Minnesota player Ben Coleman. "And it's where I want to be."
A member of Howard Pulley's AAU team, Coleman is ranked No. 80 among ESPNU's top 100 seniors. He also is a three-star recruit by Rivals.com and Scout.com.
"He's the kind of athlete that can get out and run," said Rene Pulley, Coleman's AAU coach. "Tubby can really use him on defense right away."
Coleman showed off his scoring ability with 25 points per game as a junior while leading top-seeded Hopkins to its second straight Class AAAA state title last season.
He was one of the state's most dominant offensive players because of his explosiveness and ability to finish strong around the basket. But Coleman worked over the summer on improving his ball-handling, three-point shooting and passing against tougher competition.
"I just want to have more of a mentality of getting teammates involved," he said. "My shooting is fine now. But I definitely want to improve my ball-handling and be more of a point guard (at times). I want to have that in my game."
Coleman said his ideal position in college is shooting guard, but he wants to be a versatile defender.
"That's what earns young players playing time when they first get into college," he said. "If you're able to defend, then what coach doesn't like that?"
Smith landed the state's top player for the second time. Minnesota's 2009 recruiting class included former Hopkins forward Royce White, but he ended up leaving the team and going to Iowa State.
Coleman is the first member of Smith's 2011 recruiting class. The Gophers, who hope to add two more players, hosted Iowa shooting guard Josh Oglesby and New Hampshire point guard Naadir Tharpe on official visits last weekend. Tennessee guard Andre Hollins, a Rivals.com top 150 player, is visiting now.
http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_16165911?nclick_check=1
Go Gophers!!
Hopkins High School star Joe Coleman, the state's No. 1 senior and a top 100 national recruit, gave an oral commitment Friday to University of Minnesota men's basketball coach Tubby Smith.
"After I committed, I was a little shocked a bit like, 'Wow! I'm about to play for the Gophers,' " said Coleman, who went after school with his parents to tell Smith in person Friday afternoon. "It feels pretty good."
The 6-foot-4, 195-pound Coleman, younger brother of former Gophers player Dan Coleman, picked Minnesota over Santa Clara after making official visits to both schools. Smith and Santa Clara coach Kerry Keating met with Coleman at Hopkins on Thursday night.
"(Smith) said I could be a leader and I could contribute early," Coleman said. "I have a strong work ethic, so he knows every day I'm going to work as hard as I can to be the best player I can be."
Coleman's decision came down to wanting to play in the Big Ten Conference. Santa Clara likely would have offered him more playing time as a freshman. But he also took advice from his older brother, who finished a four-year Gophers career (2005-08) ranking 15th on the program's all-time scoring list.
"Dan said he wanted to make sure it was where I wanted to be, and that I wasn't going there because he went there or my uncle went there," said Coleman, nephew of former Minnesota player Ben Coleman. "And it's where I want to be."
A member of Howard Pulley's AAU team, Coleman is ranked No. 80 among ESPNU's top 100 seniors. He also is a three-star recruit by Rivals.com and Scout.com.
"He's the kind of athlete that can get out and run," said Rene Pulley, Coleman's AAU coach. "Tubby can really use him on defense right away."
Coleman showed off his scoring ability with 25 points per game as a junior while leading top-seeded Hopkins to its second straight Class AAAA state title last season.
He was one of the state's most dominant offensive players because of his explosiveness and ability to finish strong around the basket. But Coleman worked over the summer on improving his ball-handling, three-point shooting and passing against tougher competition.
"I just want to have more of a mentality of getting teammates involved," he said. "My shooting is fine now. But I definitely want to improve my ball-handling and be more of a point guard (at times). I want to have that in my game."
Coleman said his ideal position in college is shooting guard, but he wants to be a versatile defender.
"That's what earns young players playing time when they first get into college," he said. "If you're able to defend, then what coach doesn't like that?"
Smith landed the state's top player for the second time. Minnesota's 2009 recruiting class included former Hopkins forward Royce White, but he ended up leaving the team and going to Iowa State.
Coleman is the first member of Smith's 2011 recruiting class. The Gophers, who hope to add two more players, hosted Iowa shooting guard Josh Oglesby and New Hampshire point guard Naadir Tharpe on official visits last weekend. Tennessee guard Andre Hollins, a Rivals.com top 150 player, is visiting now.
http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_16165911?nclick_check=1
Go Gophers!!
