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Q&A: Nathan Reuvers Talks State Tournament, Gophers, Badgers and Fighting Irish
By Chris Monter
http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/623730?referrer_id=
Nathan Reuvers, a 6-foot-10 junior from Lakeville (MN) North, has helped pace the Panthers to a 25-5 mark and a spot in the Class AAAA state tournament semifinals. Reuvers has scored more in double figures in all but one game and has scored 20 or more points in 20 contests. He was named to the first team College Basketball News' All-Metro team and third team Star Tribune All-Metro squad.
Reuvers has offers from Air Force, Boston University, Cornell, Creighton, DePaul, Duquesne, Green Bay, Pennsylvania, UNC Greensboro, North Dakota, San Diego, Santa Clara and South Dakota State, but picked up his biggest offer to date Friday when Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard offered him a scholarship after helping lead the Panthers to a win over Rochester John Marshall in the Section 1 finals.
Gopher Hole recently caught up with Reuvers after their first round win over Maple Grove to learn the latest on his most recent offer and tournament run. (Note that I shared questions with good friend and excellent writer Jace Frederick of the St. Paul Pioneer Press).
Question: What was the feeling getting a big win to start off the state tournament against a good opponent?
Answer: They are a great team. It is always fun to come in here with the atmosphere. Playing in the Target Center is always fun, so we are looking to make a run here. Getting a win today and looking for another one tomorrow.
Question: How much do you think having that experience of being here last year and the last several years, in fact, helped you guys?
Answer: It definitely helps, because a lot of us were talking about it, we didn't really feel a whole lot of nerves coming into that game since we've all been here before. So, it was just a normal game.
Question: Osseo is an undefeated team. What is the feeling heading into that game?
Answer: They have got a full-court press and they get up and after teams and that is what we have to do against them.
Question: Is that something that you have seen throughout the year?
Answer: We have seen that stuff, but definitely, we are usually the guys taking it to them, so we'll see how we respond to that.
Question: You had 19 points today. Do you take that upon yourself when you get to stages like this to be that guy to lead and provide that spark, especially offensively?
Answer: Yes, definitely. I am a big body, so when I get these little guys on me, I try to go inside a lot more. Obviously, I wasn't hitting a whole lot of shots today, but I got in there and rebounded and hit my free throws.
Question: You had 6-3 Brad Davison on you a lot today. Was that a little something different to face because he is obviously a lot quicker than most big guys, but he doesn't have the size?
Answer: Yes. I have seen it all but two games of tall guys. Just trying to get in there and shoot it over them, but I didn't hit a lot of them today.
Question: You had a great game against John Marshall and Greg Gard was there and you got the offer after the game. What was the feeling when you got that first "big, big offer"?
Answer: It was just a great feeling. I was able to step up and help my team and get the victory and obviously, that came after, so it was just a great bonus.
Question: You knew he was going to be there, right?
Answer: Yes, I knew that he would be there.
Question: Did that make you nervous?
Answer: No. I got really kind of nervous when I was playing in AAU this past summer. It has slowly gotten better and better. Now, I feel like I don't even really notice it.
Question: Was that kind of the cherry on top for the night? You get the section championship and get the Wisconsin offer. It doesn't seem like you can have a much better night than that.
Answer: Yes. It is pretty cool.
Question: Have you heard from any other coaches who might be coming this week?
Answer: I know that the Boston head coach was here, Coach Johnson. I'm not sure about the next nights.
Question: What do you have to do to beat a very good Osseo team?
Answer: We have to get ready tomorrow. They are coming out after us, so we have to be ready to get past the press. We were turning the ball over at the end of that game, so we can't be doing that against Osseo.
Question: Getting that first offer from Wisconsin, do you think that will open up the flood gates to other major colleges?
Answer: Yes, definitely. I think that people obviously take notice when you get an offer from Wisconsin, so maybe after the state tournament, especially our first tournaments in April for the Gauntlet, the adidas sponsored. I feel that I should get some good looks in those tournaments.
Question: Are you surprised that you haven't gotten an offer from Minnesota yet?
Answer: I think the reason is right now they are trying to figure out what is going on with their scholarships and they have some guys that got suspended and they are trying to figure out what they have got, because they don't have a whole lot of spots for my class (2017), so I think that they are trying to figure it out now once the season ends and we'll see what happens.
Question: You were at the Gopher game versus Wisconsin. What was that experience like with two big rivals?
Answer: It was a great game to go to. There was a lot of Wisconsin people there, too. There were down a lot of guys. They were playing some non-scholarship guys and they still hung with them a little bit.
Question: Obviously, they have been struggling a little bit, losing some players and having some injuries. Does that weigh in with your interest in a school, how they are playing right now?
Answer: You definitely take notice of that, but when you look at who they have coming in with (Amir) Coffey, (Michael) Hurt and the other guy from Arkansas (Eric Curry). They have got a bright future after they get through this hard part.
Question: What do you think of Michael Hurt. You just saw in section play last week. What do you think of his game?
Answer: A great player. He is an all-around player. I think that he is a great guy. He definitely helps get his teammates better. He is getting like eight or nine assts a game. He is rebounding. He is doing all the small things.
Question: Do you have a dream offer?
Answer: I think Notre Dame would always be one of my dream offers, just because my dad went there and a couple of my siblings have gone down to school there, but obviously, just if they offered me, I am not necessarily going to go there. I want to do what is best for me and maybe get a chance to play somewhere right away.
Question: Is that one of the things that is important to you?
Answer: Definitely, a high academic school, too. That is why I like Wisconsin. They are high academic just like Notre Dame. There are a lot of other ones.
By Chris Monter
http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/623730?referrer_id=
Nathan Reuvers, a 6-foot-10 junior from Lakeville (MN) North, has helped pace the Panthers to a 25-5 mark and a spot in the Class AAAA state tournament semifinals. Reuvers has scored more in double figures in all but one game and has scored 20 or more points in 20 contests. He was named to the first team College Basketball News' All-Metro team and third team Star Tribune All-Metro squad.
Reuvers has offers from Air Force, Boston University, Cornell, Creighton, DePaul, Duquesne, Green Bay, Pennsylvania, UNC Greensboro, North Dakota, San Diego, Santa Clara and South Dakota State, but picked up his biggest offer to date Friday when Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard offered him a scholarship after helping lead the Panthers to a win over Rochester John Marshall in the Section 1 finals.
Gopher Hole recently caught up with Reuvers after their first round win over Maple Grove to learn the latest on his most recent offer and tournament run. (Note that I shared questions with good friend and excellent writer Jace Frederick of the St. Paul Pioneer Press).
Question: What was the feeling getting a big win to start off the state tournament against a good opponent?
Answer: They are a great team. It is always fun to come in here with the atmosphere. Playing in the Target Center is always fun, so we are looking to make a run here. Getting a win today and looking for another one tomorrow.
Question: How much do you think having that experience of being here last year and the last several years, in fact, helped you guys?
Answer: It definitely helps, because a lot of us were talking about it, we didn't really feel a whole lot of nerves coming into that game since we've all been here before. So, it was just a normal game.
Question: Osseo is an undefeated team. What is the feeling heading into that game?
Answer: They have got a full-court press and they get up and after teams and that is what we have to do against them.
Question: Is that something that you have seen throughout the year?
Answer: We have seen that stuff, but definitely, we are usually the guys taking it to them, so we'll see how we respond to that.
Question: You had 19 points today. Do you take that upon yourself when you get to stages like this to be that guy to lead and provide that spark, especially offensively?
Answer: Yes, definitely. I am a big body, so when I get these little guys on me, I try to go inside a lot more. Obviously, I wasn't hitting a whole lot of shots today, but I got in there and rebounded and hit my free throws.
Question: You had 6-3 Brad Davison on you a lot today. Was that a little something different to face because he is obviously a lot quicker than most big guys, but he doesn't have the size?
Answer: Yes. I have seen it all but two games of tall guys. Just trying to get in there and shoot it over them, but I didn't hit a lot of them today.
Question: You had a great game against John Marshall and Greg Gard was there and you got the offer after the game. What was the feeling when you got that first "big, big offer"?
Answer: It was just a great feeling. I was able to step up and help my team and get the victory and obviously, that came after, so it was just a great bonus.
Question: You knew he was going to be there, right?
Answer: Yes, I knew that he would be there.
Question: Did that make you nervous?
Answer: No. I got really kind of nervous when I was playing in AAU this past summer. It has slowly gotten better and better. Now, I feel like I don't even really notice it.
Question: Was that kind of the cherry on top for the night? You get the section championship and get the Wisconsin offer. It doesn't seem like you can have a much better night than that.
Answer: Yes. It is pretty cool.
Question: Have you heard from any other coaches who might be coming this week?
Answer: I know that the Boston head coach was here, Coach Johnson. I'm not sure about the next nights.
Question: What do you have to do to beat a very good Osseo team?
Answer: We have to get ready tomorrow. They are coming out after us, so we have to be ready to get past the press. We were turning the ball over at the end of that game, so we can't be doing that against Osseo.
Question: Getting that first offer from Wisconsin, do you think that will open up the flood gates to other major colleges?
Answer: Yes, definitely. I think that people obviously take notice when you get an offer from Wisconsin, so maybe after the state tournament, especially our first tournaments in April for the Gauntlet, the adidas sponsored. I feel that I should get some good looks in those tournaments.
Question: Are you surprised that you haven't gotten an offer from Minnesota yet?
Answer: I think the reason is right now they are trying to figure out what is going on with their scholarships and they have some guys that got suspended and they are trying to figure out what they have got, because they don't have a whole lot of spots for my class (2017), so I think that they are trying to figure it out now once the season ends and we'll see what happens.
Question: You were at the Gopher game versus Wisconsin. What was that experience like with two big rivals?
Answer: It was a great game to go to. There was a lot of Wisconsin people there, too. There were down a lot of guys. They were playing some non-scholarship guys and they still hung with them a little bit.
Question: Obviously, they have been struggling a little bit, losing some players and having some injuries. Does that weigh in with your interest in a school, how they are playing right now?
Answer: You definitely take notice of that, but when you look at who they have coming in with (Amir) Coffey, (Michael) Hurt and the other guy from Arkansas (Eric Curry). They have got a bright future after they get through this hard part.
Question: What do you think of Michael Hurt. You just saw in section play last week. What do you think of his game?
Answer: A great player. He is an all-around player. I think that he is a great guy. He definitely helps get his teammates better. He is getting like eight or nine assts a game. He is rebounding. He is doing all the small things.
Question: Do you have a dream offer?
Answer: I think Notre Dame would always be one of my dream offers, just because my dad went there and a couple of my siblings have gone down to school there, but obviously, just if they offered me, I am not necessarily going to go there. I want to do what is best for me and maybe get a chance to play somewhere right away.
Question: Is that one of the things that is important to you?
Answer: Definitely, a high academic school, too. That is why I like Wisconsin. They are high academic just like Notre Dame. There are a lot of other ones.