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Q&A: Matthew Hurt Making His Own Name Alongside Gopher-Commit Brother Michael
By Chris Monter
http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/512747?referrer_id=388419
Matthew Hurt, a 6-foot-8 eighth grade forward from Rochester (MN) John Marshall, is considered Minnesota's top player in the Class of 2019.
Hurt comes from a basketball family. His older brother, Michael, is a Minnesota Gopher commit and is ranked as the number two junior in the state. Michael Hurt averaged 21.5 points and 8.3 rebounds per game with a season-high 43 points versus Osseo.
Matthew Hurt averaged 15.2 points and 5.7 rebounds per game with a season-high 26 points versus Northfield. He scored in double figures in all but four games and had four contests of 20 or more points.
John Marshall finished 23-6 this past season, losing to Lakeville North 62-51 in the Section 1AAAA championship game for the third straight year.
Gopher Hole caught up with Hurt after a recent D1 Minnesota practice to learn the latest on his early recruitment and current season.
Gopher Hole: You have played well so far as part of the D1 Minnesota 16-and-under team. How pleased are you with the start of the AAU season?
Matthew Hurt: I was really happy with how we started because we just passed the ball. We shot the ball well. We played really good defense. In the last game against Eric Gordon Elite (in Dallas), we played a really solid team and we rebounded the ball and played really good defense and passed the ball.
Gopher Hole: You had a strong game in which you had 18 points and ten rebounds. How pleased have you been with your own individual play?
Matthew Hurt: I was really pleased. I was just trying to get to the basket and slice to the hoop or go outside and shoot because there was a bigger guy on me and he wasn't playing any defense and I was just trying to stretch the defense and make them focus on me, so I can dish it out to my teammates.
Gopher Hole: Did you notice many college coaches when you were out there?
Matthew Hurt: I saw Nebraska, Oregon, Drake a couple of times and Xavier.
Gopher Hole: Is it tough to not notice them?
Matthew Hurt: I just play my game.
Gopher Hole: What things are you really focused on this spring and summer to continue to improve yourself as a player?
Matthew Hurt: To get stronger. To get faster and jump higher. Get my shooting ability up for the next season.
Gopher Hole: You came up a little bit short against to Lakeville North again in the section finals, but you have a lot of your key players back. What are the expectations for the Rockets next year?
Matthew Hurt: I think that we can make it to state because we only lose one senior and we have really good talent coming up. I think that we should finally get passed Lakeville North.
Gopher Hole: Is that something that you are really focused on because it is your brother's last year?
Matthew Hurt: Yes. We are really working hard in the gym trying to get past Lakeville North and get to state.
Gopher Hole: You have a high school teammate, Isaiah Walden, on your AAU team. Do you think that helps because you already have a chemistry from having played together so much?
Matthew Hurt: Yes, it does. It also really helps playing with the high school team in the spring.
Gopher Hole: What schools are you hearing right now? I know that it is so early just going into ninth grade next year?
Matthew Hurt: Northwestern, Minnesota, Iowa, Iowa State (which has since offered a scholarship). Those Midwest schools.
Gopher Hole: Because your brother committed to Minnesota, do people just assume that is where you are going to go?
Matthew Hurt: I don't really think so that people assume that I am going to go to Minnesota because I am just going to display my options and go through the visits.
Gopher Hole: Obviously having him at Minnesota, you are going to see him a lot more than if he went someplace else. Is that going to be nice?
Matthew Hurt: When he is a freshman, I am going to try to watch every game on TV and try to go to some of his home games and some of the close games, like Iowa and Wisconsin.
By Chris Monter
http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/512747?referrer_id=388419
Matthew Hurt, a 6-foot-8 eighth grade forward from Rochester (MN) John Marshall, is considered Minnesota's top player in the Class of 2019.
Hurt comes from a basketball family. His older brother, Michael, is a Minnesota Gopher commit and is ranked as the number two junior in the state. Michael Hurt averaged 21.5 points and 8.3 rebounds per game with a season-high 43 points versus Osseo.
Matthew Hurt averaged 15.2 points and 5.7 rebounds per game with a season-high 26 points versus Northfield. He scored in double figures in all but four games and had four contests of 20 or more points.
John Marshall finished 23-6 this past season, losing to Lakeville North 62-51 in the Section 1AAAA championship game for the third straight year.
Gopher Hole caught up with Hurt after a recent D1 Minnesota practice to learn the latest on his early recruitment and current season.
Gopher Hole: You have played well so far as part of the D1 Minnesota 16-and-under team. How pleased are you with the start of the AAU season?
Matthew Hurt: I was really happy with how we started because we just passed the ball. We shot the ball well. We played really good defense. In the last game against Eric Gordon Elite (in Dallas), we played a really solid team and we rebounded the ball and played really good defense and passed the ball.
Gopher Hole: You had a strong game in which you had 18 points and ten rebounds. How pleased have you been with your own individual play?
Matthew Hurt: I was really pleased. I was just trying to get to the basket and slice to the hoop or go outside and shoot because there was a bigger guy on me and he wasn't playing any defense and I was just trying to stretch the defense and make them focus on me, so I can dish it out to my teammates.
Gopher Hole: Did you notice many college coaches when you were out there?
Matthew Hurt: I saw Nebraska, Oregon, Drake a couple of times and Xavier.
Gopher Hole: Is it tough to not notice them?
Matthew Hurt: I just play my game.
Gopher Hole: What things are you really focused on this spring and summer to continue to improve yourself as a player?
Matthew Hurt: To get stronger. To get faster and jump higher. Get my shooting ability up for the next season.
Gopher Hole: You came up a little bit short against to Lakeville North again in the section finals, but you have a lot of your key players back. What are the expectations for the Rockets next year?
Matthew Hurt: I think that we can make it to state because we only lose one senior and we have really good talent coming up. I think that we should finally get passed Lakeville North.
Gopher Hole: Is that something that you are really focused on because it is your brother's last year?
Matthew Hurt: Yes. We are really working hard in the gym trying to get past Lakeville North and get to state.
Gopher Hole: You have a high school teammate, Isaiah Walden, on your AAU team. Do you think that helps because you already have a chemistry from having played together so much?
Matthew Hurt: Yes, it does. It also really helps playing with the high school team in the spring.
Gopher Hole: What schools are you hearing right now? I know that it is so early just going into ninth grade next year?
Matthew Hurt: Northwestern, Minnesota, Iowa, Iowa State (which has since offered a scholarship). Those Midwest schools.
Gopher Hole: Because your brother committed to Minnesota, do people just assume that is where you are going to go?
Matthew Hurt: I don't really think so that people assume that I am going to go to Minnesota because I am just going to display my options and go through the visits.
Gopher Hole: Obviously having him at Minnesota, you are going to see him a lot more than if he went someplace else. Is that going to be nice?
Matthew Hurt: When he is a freshman, I am going to try to watch every game on TV and try to go to some of his home games and some of the close games, like Iowa and Wisconsin.