Michael Hurt, a 6-foot-7 junior forward from Rochester (MN) John Marshall, is one of Minnesota’s top players in the Class of 2016. He received a scholarship offer from Minnesota this Fall and is one of just two in-state players to get a home state offer in the Class of 2016.
Hurt averaged 16.1 points and nine rebounds per game as a sophomore with a season-high 30 points versus Mankato East. John Marshall finished 20-9 last season, losing to eventual state champion Lakeville North 96-61 in the Section 1AAAA championship game.
Hurt was helped lead the Rockets to an 8-1 start this season. Gopher Hole caught up with Hurt after the game to learn the latest on his recruitment.
Gopher Hole: You are off to an outstanding start. How pleased are you with the way that you have been playing?
Michael Hurt: We have been playing well. Each and every game, we are getting a lot better than we were before and our practices are going really well. We are making minor changes and just improving every day.
Gopher Hole: How about your own individual play? I know you were a bit under the weather in a recent game against Albert Lea, which was your borther’s first game of the season. You didn’t have a great scoring game, but you did some other things to help your team win. How pleased are you with how well you have been doing?
Michael Hurt: I feel a lot better. This game, I was a lot more aggressive coming off screens and looking for my shot more. Just being able to see my teammates as well as see my brother.
Gopher Hole: Your brother missed the start of the season with a spleen injury. How nice is it to have him back on the court?
Michael Hurt: It is great. I played with him during the summer, but this is a unique experience playing with him out there right now.
Gopher Hole: It obviously gives you another player with size, which makes it a little harder to double and triple-team you?
Michael Hurt: He has got a lot of length and he can also shoot the ball, which makes him a big threat and takes some of the pressure of me.
Gopher Hole: Have you had a chance to go to many college basketball games yet this year?
Michael Hurt: I did go to a few Gopher scrimmages before the school year, but I didn’t take any since then. I think we will soon.
Gopher Hole: Did you get a chance to go to many college football games this fall?
Michael Hurt: Yes, I got to go to a couple. Iowa, the Gophers and a couple I can’t remember right now.
Gopher Hole: How many offers are you up to right now?
Michael Hurt: Nine.
Gopher Hole: What are you hearing from the Gophers? What are they saying to you?
Michael Hurt: Coach Pitino and Coach Johnson are saying that they really like my game and they think that I would fit in well, just how they really spread out the floor and they really like to push the ball.
Gopher Hole: Originally when we talked, you had said that you were maybe going to make a decision before your senior year. Have you thought more about that?
Michael Hurt: Yes. I think that towards the end of this year, we will probably make a decision. We want to just get focused on this season and we’ll worry about that later.
Gopher Hole: Any plans to go to any college games or make any visits in the near future?
Michael Hurt: Not right now in the near future. I have talked to a lot of schools about seeing some games. Creighton and Northwestern.