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Q&A: Djuan Piper on Gophers Game: Probably the craziest basketball game I have been
Q&A: Djuan Piper on Gophers Game: "Probably the craziest basketball game I have been to."
By Chris Monter
http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/349909?referrer_id=388419
Djuan Piper, a 6-6 senior small forward from Seattle (WA) Rainier Beach, visited Minnesota last weekend and attended the Gophers' 66-60 win over Indiana.
Rainier Beach is ranked second in the country by Max Preps, third by Student Sports and fourth by USA Today and is 21-0 after beating Franklin 118-58 Tuesday. They are led by Louisville commit Shaqquan Aaron, who is averaging 21.5 points, junior point guard David Crisp, a Washington commit (20.2) and Dejounte Murray (15.8). All three were named All-Metro Conference first team selections,
Piper is averaging 10.5 points, fifth on the team and he was named second team All-Metro Conference.
Gopher Hole caught up with Piper Thursday night to learn the latest on his recruitment.
Gopher Hole: How was your visit to Minnesota this past weekend?
Djuan Piper: It was fun. I got to see a lot while I was there even though it was only a day. I liked it.
Gopher Hole: I know that you had a game Friday night. When did you get to Minnesota? Did you leave Saturday morning, I'm assuming?
Djuan Piper: I got there Saturday morning and I left Sunday morning.
Gopher Hole: What all did you get a chance to do and see while you were here?
Djuan Piper: I got to see the campus. Go to the game. Watch the walk-through. Get to meet the team. The coaches.
Gopher Hole: What did you think of the atmosphere of the game?
Djuan Piper: It was sold-out. It was loud. It was probably the craziest basketball game I have been to.
Gopher Hole: You were at the Washington-Stanford game Wednesday. What was that game like?
Djuan Piper: Washington was down all game and came back.
Gopher Hole: Have you planned any other official visits?
Djuan Piper: Not yet, but I will.
Gopher Hole: How many schools are you really looking at right now?
Djuan Piper: Really, it is like three.
Gopher Hole: Minnesota, Washington and Gonzaga. Is that right?
Djuan Piper: Yes.
Gopher Hole: You are off to a great start this season. You are ranked in the top four by Max Preps, Student Sports and USA Today. How pleased are you with how well you are playing so far this year?
Djuan Piper: This is the best team that I have been on. We have a lot of great players, Dave Shaqquan and Dejounte and I feel like we can still play better because there hasn't been time for all of us to play great at the same time.
Gopher Hole: You are averaging 95.6 points per game and are allowing 52.2 points, which means you are outscoring your opponents by 43 points per game. You have beat some good teams like Chicago Whitney Young with Jahlil Okafor, the number one senior in the country and Bishop Gorman with Stephen Zimmerman, the number one junior in the country. Is there ever pressure to keep that perfect record going?
Djuan Piper: Not only a perfect record, but we are still talking about a national championship.
Gopher Hole: Would you be eligible to play in the Dick's Sporting Goods High School National Tournament, that will be played at Madison Square Garden on April 5.
Djuan Piper: We will play in the state championship and then we will go to the WIAA | (Washington Interscholastic Activities Association) and get an appeal. I doubt that they will deny an appeal to allow us to play for a national championship.
Gopher Hole: You would almost think that your high school team could play against some college teams. Do you think that playing with great players like you are is going to help you even more in college because most kids are used to having only one good teammate or they are the only good player on their team, while you are playing with four or five guys that might play Division I.
Djuan Piper: Yes. I think that will help me a lot because I feel like our best competition is when we are at practice because we are a great team. We have other three players that could go into the NBA and the other ones can go somewhere and get paid to play.
Gopher Hole: Is Coach Dan McHale the coach that you deal with the most from Minnesota?
Djuan Piper: Yes. I like him a lot.
Gopher Hole: Have you talked to Coach Pitino much?
Djuan Piper: Yes. I talked to him at the same time.
Gopher Hole: His father, Rick Pitino, has recruited a lot of players from Rainier Beach like Terrence Williams and Aaron and had Peyton Siva from nearby Franklin. Obviously, players from your area have been successful under his dad and Richard plays a similar style. Does that make it more intriguing that there is a connection with Rainer Beach and the Pitinos?
Djuan Piper: Yes, it does. My coach is really good friends with Rick Pitino and his son Richard.
Gopher Hole: What are the Minnesota coaches saying to you?
Djuan Piper: They are saying what you can do for the program. How you can fit in. Where you are going to play at.
Gopher Hole: Will you commit before the April signing date?
Djuan Piper: Yes. I will commit before the signing date. I feel close.
Q&A: Djuan Piper on Gophers Game: "Probably the craziest basketball game I have been to."
By Chris Monter
http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/349909?referrer_id=388419
Djuan Piper, a 6-6 senior small forward from Seattle (WA) Rainier Beach, visited Minnesota last weekend and attended the Gophers' 66-60 win over Indiana.
Rainier Beach is ranked second in the country by Max Preps, third by Student Sports and fourth by USA Today and is 21-0 after beating Franklin 118-58 Tuesday. They are led by Louisville commit Shaqquan Aaron, who is averaging 21.5 points, junior point guard David Crisp, a Washington commit (20.2) and Dejounte Murray (15.8). All three were named All-Metro Conference first team selections,
Piper is averaging 10.5 points, fifth on the team and he was named second team All-Metro Conference.
Gopher Hole caught up with Piper Thursday night to learn the latest on his recruitment.
Gopher Hole: How was your visit to Minnesota this past weekend?
Djuan Piper: It was fun. I got to see a lot while I was there even though it was only a day. I liked it.
Gopher Hole: I know that you had a game Friday night. When did you get to Minnesota? Did you leave Saturday morning, I'm assuming?
Djuan Piper: I got there Saturday morning and I left Sunday morning.
Gopher Hole: What all did you get a chance to do and see while you were here?
Djuan Piper: I got to see the campus. Go to the game. Watch the walk-through. Get to meet the team. The coaches.
Gopher Hole: What did you think of the atmosphere of the game?
Djuan Piper: It was sold-out. It was loud. It was probably the craziest basketball game I have been to.
Gopher Hole: You were at the Washington-Stanford game Wednesday. What was that game like?
Djuan Piper: Washington was down all game and came back.
Gopher Hole: Have you planned any other official visits?
Djuan Piper: Not yet, but I will.
Gopher Hole: How many schools are you really looking at right now?
Djuan Piper: Really, it is like three.
Gopher Hole: Minnesota, Washington and Gonzaga. Is that right?
Djuan Piper: Yes.
Gopher Hole: You are off to a great start this season. You are ranked in the top four by Max Preps, Student Sports and USA Today. How pleased are you with how well you are playing so far this year?
Djuan Piper: This is the best team that I have been on. We have a lot of great players, Dave Shaqquan and Dejounte and I feel like we can still play better because there hasn't been time for all of us to play great at the same time.
Gopher Hole: You are averaging 95.6 points per game and are allowing 52.2 points, which means you are outscoring your opponents by 43 points per game. You have beat some good teams like Chicago Whitney Young with Jahlil Okafor, the number one senior in the country and Bishop Gorman with Stephen Zimmerman, the number one junior in the country. Is there ever pressure to keep that perfect record going?
Djuan Piper: Not only a perfect record, but we are still talking about a national championship.
Gopher Hole: Would you be eligible to play in the Dick's Sporting Goods High School National Tournament, that will be played at Madison Square Garden on April 5.
Djuan Piper: We will play in the state championship and then we will go to the WIAA | (Washington Interscholastic Activities Association) and get an appeal. I doubt that they will deny an appeal to allow us to play for a national championship.
Gopher Hole: You would almost think that your high school team could play against some college teams. Do you think that playing with great players like you are is going to help you even more in college because most kids are used to having only one good teammate or they are the only good player on their team, while you are playing with four or five guys that might play Division I.
Djuan Piper: Yes. I think that will help me a lot because I feel like our best competition is when we are at practice because we are a great team. We have other three players that could go into the NBA and the other ones can go somewhere and get paid to play.
Gopher Hole: Is Coach Dan McHale the coach that you deal with the most from Minnesota?
Djuan Piper: Yes. I like him a lot.
Gopher Hole: Have you talked to Coach Pitino much?
Djuan Piper: Yes. I talked to him at the same time.
Gopher Hole: His father, Rick Pitino, has recruited a lot of players from Rainier Beach like Terrence Williams and Aaron and had Peyton Siva from nearby Franklin. Obviously, players from your area have been successful under his dad and Richard plays a similar style. Does that make it more intriguing that there is a connection with Rainer Beach and the Pitinos?
Djuan Piper: Yes, it does. My coach is really good friends with Rick Pitino and his son Richard.
Gopher Hole: What are the Minnesota coaches saying to you?
Djuan Piper: They are saying what you can do for the program. How you can fit in. Where you are going to play at.
Gopher Hole: Will you commit before the April signing date?
Djuan Piper: Yes. I will commit before the signing date. I feel close.
