Mar was on an unofficial visit to Minnesota at last night’s football game.
Goanar Mar, a 6-foot-7, 180-pound junior forward from Minneapolis (MN) DeLaSalle, is considered the number two prospect in the state for the Class of 2017 behind Apple Valley’s Gary Trent Jr. Mar took an unofficial visit to Minnesota last night and attended the Minnesota/TCU football game.
Mar helped lead the Islanders to its fourth straight Class AAA championship in March as they finished 26-4 this year and won 25 of its last 27 games.
He will play an even bigger role next year with the graduation losses of starters Jarvis Johnson (Minnesota), Sacar Anim (Marquette) and Josh Collins (North Dakota) as the Islanders hope to break the Minnesota state record with a fifth straight title.
Gopher Hole caught up with Mar recently to learn the latest on his recruitment.
Gopher Hole: You picked up a new offer recently from Toledo. How many offers are you to right now?
Goanar Mar: I have Toledo, Xavier, Iowa State, Northern Iowa, DePaul and Nebraska.
Gopher Hole: How about this summer? How do you think that things went for you guys? I know that you went pretty deep in a lot of tournaments.
Goanar Mar: I think that it went all right. We should have won more tournaments because our team was really talented this summer, but sometimes we lacked playing physical, which against the guys that we were playing against, is a big thing. Otherwise that that, we did all right.
Gopher Hole: Does that give you some things that you want to work on to continue to improve yourself?
Goanar Mar: For sure. Just all-around physicality and getting stronger with every part of the game. When I drive to the basket, looking to get contact and when I am boxing out, look for the bodies.
Gopher Hole: It is obviously going to be a lot different DeLaSalle team without Jarvis, Sacar and Josh. Your role will change a lot and you will have to become more of a leader. Is that something that you are looking forward to?
Goanar Mar: It is a challenge that I am looking forward to taking. It is going to be tough. Like, it is not going to be easy at all. It is going to be a lot harder than it has been the past few years, for sure, but I think that it is something that we can do. It is very exciting.
Gopher Hole: Is that something that the coaches have talked to you about being more of a vocal player because last year you had Jarvis and other players and you didn’t have to do that?
Goanar Mar: Last year, I could maybe take a practice off there or here, but this upcoming season, I am going to have to be the dude to bring it every practice, every game and get everyone ready to go.
Gopher Hole: DeLaSalle has won four straight titles, which tied a record. If you win five, that sets a record. Is that something you guys have talked about, trying to win that fifth one?
Goanar Mar: Yes. We talk about it a little bit. There is a little bit of pressure there, but the pressure that I’ll be putting on myself in this time, no one is going to put on greater pressure on me than that.
Gopher Hole: Is that something that you like in a way?
Goanar Mar: Yes. It is something to work for this offseason right now.
Gopher Hole: To be honest, other teams are probably sick of DeLaSalle winning so much. They want to give you their best game.
Goanar Mar: And losing so many guys, a lot of teams are probably thinking now is their chance to take us down. It is going to be that much tougher.
Gopher Hole: Have you had much of a chance to do much with your DeLaSalle teammates?
Goanar Mar: We have just been doing some open gyms and lifting as a tram together, but with a lot of guys gone in July, we have been all over the place. We are going to try to get back together soon.
Gopher Hole: What other schools are you hearing from besides the schools that have offered you so far?
Goanar Mar: Marquette a lot. The Gophers a little bit. Wisconsin a little bit. Indiana. It is going pretty good.
Gopher Hole: I know that you are still so young, just getting ready to go into your junior season, but do you like the recruiting process?
Goanar Mar: It gets tough sometimes, just handling it, but I like it.
Gopher Hole: What is your favorite part?
Goanar Mar: Favorite part is just thinking about where all these colleges can take you and the things that you can do if keep your mind right and doing things right.
Gopher Hole: What about your least favorite part?
Goanar Mar: Least favorite part is your phone buzzing all the time. Always getting a call from random places.
Gopher Hole: I know that it is still a ways from picking a college, but what are going to be the main factors that are going to make you pick School A over School B or C?
Goanar Mar: How comfortable I feel with the coaching staff and feeling at home with the community there and how they recruited me.
Gopher Hole: What are you hearing from the Gophers?
Goanar Mar: They just want to see me get a little stronger and play more physical. They said that they are going to be with me in the future.
Gopher Hole: They were at some of your games this summer. Did you notice the coaches or is it hard not to?
Goanar Mar: A little bit, but I try to just focus on the game and not get too worried about that over there.
Gopher Hole: But when you make a good play, do you ever peek over there?
Goanar Mar: Sometimes.