WSU gets a commit

[bugregshu]

Its being reported over on Valleytalk that Wichita State landed 3-star center Garret Stutz who is 7'1".

[MacabreMob]

Great for WSU and the MVC.

Then again... after a recruit commits to a midmajor, they usually drop in their ranking... so I guess WSU got only a 2 star or less recruit.

[FarmerClone]

Stutz was getting a lot of looks from high major schools, but not many offered. Garrett is a fine young man coached by Kirk Hinrich's father in Kansas City. Smart kid with a good head on his shoulders. Best of luck Garrett.

[tornado]

Garrett is a fine young man coached by Kirk Hinrich's father in Kansas City. ....

Well....sorta.....
Garrett Stutz played his first three years of high school ball for a tiny private high school in Missouri.
(Plaza Heights Christian in Blue Spring, Mo.)
..........against very weak comptition, then shot up and had a decent summer, finally gaining some recruiting attention.
He was only 6-2 as a freshman, and grew over 5 inches between his high school junior and senior years, finally reaching 6-11.
He is a classic late bloomer, never getting even a phone call from a D-I school until this summer according to his dad.

He just transferred this season to North Kansas City High School and has not yet played under head coach Hinrich, but will this season.
He had looks from a lot of bigger schools in the Big Ten, Big East, Big 12, and SEC, but all failed to offer or had conditions to offer, despite the kid's 3.3 GPA and already achieved 21 on the ACT.

[tgcshock]

Well....sorta.....
Garrett Stutz played his first three years of high school ball for a tiny private high school in Missouri.
(Plaza Heights Christian in Blue Spring, Mo.)
..........against very weak comptition, then shot up and had a decent summer, finally gaining some recruiting attention.
He was only 6-2 as a freshman, and grew over 5 inches between his high school junior and senior years, finally reaching 6-11.
He is a classic late bloomer, never getting even a phone call from a D-I school until this summer according to his dad.

He just transferred this season to North Kansas City High School and has not yet played under head coach Hinrich, but will this season.
He had looks from a lot of bigger schools in the Big Ten, Big East, Big 12, and SEC, but all failed to offer or had conditions to offer, despite the kid's 3.3 GPA and already achieved 21 on the ACT.

Kansas State offered and apparently was one of three primary recruits they were focused on. I think the general opinion on Stutz is that he is more the "real deal" than just a project but that it may take a year or two before he is really ready to make a substantial impact. Regardless of what happens it is always good to see the Valley go head to head with the BCS conferences and walk away with the recruit. The fact that this is happening more and more at schools across the Valley is a sign that our strength and national exposure as a league over the last few years is beginning to make an impact.

[tornado]

TGC-- this is exactly the kind of player that the Valley needs to scout out, find, and land.
This is what BU did with Daniel Ruffin, Jeremy Crouch, Patrick O'Bryant, Sam Maniscalco, Will egolf, etc.....
Get the guys with the talent who'll stay four years (except in POB's case) and end up being fine players.

[RoyalShock]

With this commitment a WSU fan on ShockerNet made this observation about our potential starting lineup in two years:

6'4" Sr PG Gal Mekel
6'5" Sr SG AJ Hawkins
6'9" Jr SF Aaron Ellis
7'1" So PF Garrett Stutz
7'0" Jr C Ehimen Orukpe

As a WSU fan, I really like the looks of that!