Logan Doyle, a 6-foot-8 rising senior from Alexandra (MN) High, has attracted the attention of several Division I and Division II basketball programs, including Minnesota.
Logan Doyle, a 6-foot-8 rising senior from Alexandria (MN) High, has attracted the attention of several Division I and Division II basketball programs, including Minnesota. GopherHole.com caught up recently with Doyle at the Best Buy Summer Classic as a member of the Minnesota Lockdown AAU program.
Doyle averaged 13.7 points per game this past season as the Cardinals finished 10-16.
Gopher Hole: What is the latest on schools you are hearing from right now?
Logan Doyle: NDSU, SDSU, Western Illinois. I have heard from Northern Iowa a little bit and the Gopher a little bit for D1s.
Gopher Hole: I think that you have five Division II scholarship offers, right?
Logan Doyle: I have Crookston, Moorhead, Sioux Falls, Northern State and Duluth.
Gopher Hole: What things have you been really working on to improve yourself as a player?
Logan Doyle: I know that I am going to have to put on some muscle. After this is over, I am going to hit the weights hard in August and so on to put on a couple of pounds. For the next level, I am going to have to gain some muscle, so I don’t get pushed around and I want to keep expanding my range, so I can hit the 18-footer when I have to and keep improving on my post moves to polish those up.
Gopher Hole: What are the expectations for Alexandria this upcoming season?
Logan Doyle: I think that our expectations are with two returning starters, me and John Vogeler. He is going to be a junior and we were the two best players on the team last year. We are starting something special in Alex. We have been known as a hockey town up until now and we are starting to turn that around. We have a good group of kids who
are interested and want to work hard. We are in the gym five days a week 7 am. We have workouts three days a week and open gym two days a week. I think that we are going to compete for a section title this year and I really believe that we can go to state, if we put in the time.
are interested and want to work hard. We are in the gym five days a week 7 am. We have workouts three days a week and open gym two days a week. I think that we are going to compete for a section title this year and I really believe that we can go to state, if we put in the time.
Gopher Hole: Have you had a chance to play much together, especially in June?
Logan Doyle: We had eight team camps, like in St. Cloud and we went to Concordia two weeks ago. We are definitely getting in a lot team-wise. No one is in baseball this year, so we are really sticking together as a team in the offseason.
Gopher Hole: Western Illinois is reportedly close to offering you a scholarship. (They have since extended an offer since this interview took place) Have you thought that some of the other Division I schools might offer you after seeing you in July?
Logan Doyle: We already set up an official visit for Western Illinois September 8th. That will be my first official visit. They were the first ones to talk to me back in April at the Best Buy Spring Classic. I really like Coach (Jim) Molinari and Coach (Wade) Hokenson and I hope that it works out.
Gopher Hole: Minnesota has talked to you about possibly being a walk-on. Is that something that would appeal to you?
Logan Doyle: Yes. I went on an unofficial there and you can’t really match those facilities anywhere else I have looked at. Playing at Williams would be amazing. Their athletic facilities are amazing. The dorms are like by far the best that I have seen. They definitely have stuff that a lot of schools can’t offer. If they really want me to walk-on, I would definitely consider it, if I could potentially earn a scholarship over the next couple of years. It would be cool playing in the Big Ten and getting to travel around everywhere.
Gopher Hole: They have had Dusty Rychart and other players who were walk-ons who end up playing a lot and earning scholarships. Is that something that they have brought up to you?
Logan Doyle: Yes. That is what Coach Taylor talked about, walking-on and earning a scholarship. I definitely would consider it if they keep pursuing that as something they want to do.
Gopher Hole: Have you been to many Gopher games in the past?
Logan Doyle: I went to two this year. Northwestern, when they beat them by 20 at home. It is definitely a cool environment down there.
Gopher Hole: What are they saying about just watching you?
Logan Doyle: They said that they are going to keep watching me and coming to a couple of my games. I don’t really look up there (in the stands) all that much to see who is up there, but they said that they are going to keep watching me and keep looking for improvements. They said that I do a lot of good things, but I just have to keep getting better.
Gopher Hole: At Bloomington Jefferson, it was a little tough since the coaches are upstairs, but do you ever catch yourself looking to see who s watching or do you try not to do that?
Logan Doyle: It is kind of hard not to, especially in warm-ups. You don’t really want to get caught up looking up there, but you do a quick glance and say “He’s here.” I went to NDSU and SDSU camps and you look up there and say “Oh, geez, they are here.” It puts a little pressure on, but that is what you want. You’ve worked your whole life to get in this position. It is two weeks away for it being almost over, so you have to finish out strong. I get caught looking up there from time to
time.
time.
Gopher Hole: It has to make you feel good that they are taking the time to watch you play.
Logan Doyle: It definitely does make you feel good. You have to be doing something right. I have seen coaches at every game, so you have to be doing something right if they keep coming back.
Gopher Hole: Have you thought about what other schools you would like to take official visits to besides Western Illinois?
Logan Doyle: No one else really offered that, but I would definitely consider NDSU, SDSU, Northern Iowa and Nebraska-Omaha. Schools like that. I would definitely consider any D1 school.
Gopher Hole: Have you even thought about when you might a college decision?
Logan Doyle: I think that I probably want to go earlier than later. I am probably leaning more toward November right now, unless something happens. I am leaning more towards November right now than the late signing period.