Reid Travis: "I would always consider the “U” on the top of my list, no matter what."
Reid Travis: "I would always consider the “U” on the top of my list, no matter what."
By Chris Monter
http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/157640?referrer_id=331171
Reid Travis, a 2014 forward from Minneapolis DeLaSalle, recently added a Minnesota scholarship basketball offer. Travis, who is one of the state’s top two-sport athletes, had an outstanding season as the quarterback for the Islanders and is one of the state’s top basketball players in the loaded Class of 2014. GopherHole.com recently caught up with Travis to learn the latest on his recruitment and the appeal of playing for the hometown team.
Travis is the younger brother of Jonah, who was a freshman at Harvard this season. Travis averaged over 19 points per game as he led the Islanders to the Class AAA state title.
Travis played for the Minnesota Pump N Run 15-and-under AAU program last season, which won the King of the Court Tournament and was second place in the Double Pump Spring Tournament in Denver, the Pump N Run Spring Classic and adidas Super 64 in Las Vegas. This year, he has moved up to the 17-and-under team that will play in the adidas Invitational in Indianapolis this week. Minnesota assistant coach Ron Jirsa will be watching Travis among other players.
GopherHole.com recently caught up with Travis to learn the latest on his recruitment and appeal of playing for the hometown school.
Gopher Hole: After June 15th, college could start calling members of the Class of 2014 and that you picked up some new offers. Who has offered you since then?
Reid Travis: Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa State, Washington State, Colorado, Lehigh and Harvard.
Gopher Hole: I know that other colleges also contacted you. What other schools have you heard from?
Reid Travis: Stanford, USC and Oregon.
Gopher Hole: That has to make you feel pretty good?
Reid Travis: Yes. It is nice.
Gopher Hole: You also picked up a football offer from Boston College. That has to be neat, too?
Reid Travis: Yes, it was kind of nice. It was unexpected. Just to see the coach. I think that I meet him and they offered on the same day, so that was kind of nice.
GopherHole: Are you hearing from other schools for football?
Reid Travis: A couple of Big Ten schools. Iowa , Minnesota, Nebraska and Wisconsin.
Gopher Hole: Are you still leaning more towards basketball or would you even think about playing football in college?
Reid Travis: I would definitely consider it. I haven’t really picked one or thought about it in any way. I’ll just play it out.
Gopher Hole: Unfortunately, it would be tough to play both sports at a high level, right?
Reid Travis: Definitely.
Gopher Hole: What things have you been really working on to continue to improve yourself as a basketball player?
Reid Travis: I would say just shooting and dribbling. Trying to take my game to the wing a lot more. Transitioning from the post during the season, so once the summer comes, I’ll be able to add more a guard’s skill set.
Gopher Hole: Minnesota Pump N Run has done well so far this season. How pleased are you with how well you have been playing?
Reid Travis: I am pretty pleased. We have gotten deep in a couple of tournaments and I think that in July, we can do some work.
Gopher Hole: DeLaSalle lost some key seniors, but you return yourself and point guard Jarvis Johnson and some other key players. What are the expectations for next year?
Reid Travis: I think the repeat. I think that anything less than that would be kind of selling ourselves short. I know that we have a lot of key pieces back and I think that the people stepping in can fill the roles that we lost any ways. I’m excited for the season
Gopher Hole: Do you think that you are going to have a little bit of a target on your back because you are expected to be right back in the mix next year?
Reid Travis: Yes, definitely. Last year, we just kind of flew under the radar and that kind of played into it. It was good for us, because people didn’t really expected much, but this year, with that target on our back like you said, we are going to get the best game out of everybody.
Gopher Hole: How nice is it to get a chance to see your brother play in the Howard Pulley Summer League?
Reid Travis: It is really nice. I haven’t seen play in a couple of month now, so it is just nice to see him.
Gopher Hole: How much do see that his game has improved in the last year of college?
Reid Travis: A lot. A lot more physical. A lot more explosive. Just that year of lifting in college. Just that mindset that you get to see.
Gopher Hole: You went to Chicago the other week for the adidas Nations. What was that experience like?
Reid Travis: It was incredible. Just to see these players that you hear about and see online. Just to see them in person and how they carry themselves as players and see their work ethic. That just gave me things to bring back to Minnesota and translate that to my game.
Gopher Hole: Does that give you even more confidence that you can play with those guys?
Reid Travis: Definitely. I just kind of brings them more to a reality that they are not just off there. That you can step on the same level as them and play with them.
Gopher Hole: You play on the same AAU team as other talented big men like Ian Theissen and Cullen Russo. How much do you think that helps you even in practice going up against them to make yourself a better player?
Reid Travis: It helps a lot. Whenever you get a chance to go against other top level players, that just rises your game up. Playing against people that you can beat up on everyday, you are not going to get better. Playing against them, they help you rise your game.
Gopher Hole: What was it like to hear from the homestate school and get an offer from them?
Reid Travis: It was nice. Minnesota. I have grown up right by the campus and I have always seen them play, so it was just nice to have that hometown offer.
Gopher Hole: Is that something that would appeal to you to play in front of your family and friends or would you want to get away or have you even thought that far since you are only a sophomore?
Reid Travis: I haven’t really thought that far, but I would always consider the “U” on the top of my list, no matter what.
