- Joined
- Nov 3, 2008
- Messages
- 5,106
- Reaction score
- 1,259
- Points
- 113
Q&A: Matthew Hurt Talks Recruiting, College Decision Timing and More
By Chris Monter
https://main.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/920690?referrer_id=
Matthew Hurt, a 6-foot-9, 205-pound junior forward from Rochester (MN) John Marshall, is considered Minnesota’s top player in the Class of 2019 and is ranked fifth nationally by ESPN, Scout and Rivals.
Hurt comes from a basketball family. His older brother, Michael, is a sophomore at Minnesota and was ranked as the number two senior in the state in 2017.
Matthew Hurt averaged 33.9 points, 15.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 4.3 blocks and 2.1 steals per game this season as the Rockets finished 26-3, losing to Lakeville North 51-46 in the Section 1AAAA championship game for the sixth straight time..
Gopher Hole caught up with Hurt after his D1 Minnesota practice to talk about the latest on his summer and recruitment.
Gopher Hole: You have quite a few new guys since you were the only younger guy last year. Are you pleased with how well you guys have been able to show that team chemistry so quickly?
Matthew Hurt: Yes. Last weekend was our time that we were all together because the first week, we didn’t have our point guard. We jelled off the court, having team bonding a lot, so I think that helped on the court and showed on the court, too
Gopher Hole: I know that a lot of people are already talking about you guys maybe being on of the better, if not one of the best team, not only in the Midwest, but maybe in the country. Is that something that you guys have talked about and would like to try achieve and win some of these major tournaments?
Matthew Hurt: We don’t talk about how good we are. We just go out there and try to play. Show what we have. Show what we do. We don’t really talk about it. We just try to take it game by game. Day by day really. Just try to win every game.
Gopher Hole: I think sometimes that nationally, players from other states might think “These guys are from Minnesota. They can’t be that good.” Is that something you like to show that we can play pretty good basketball here?
Matthew Hurt: Yes. Most teams underestimate us. We are really tall this year. Last year, we really weren’t. I think that just really play together well and that is why we are doing so good so far.
Gopher Hole: Any new offers at all or any new schools that you are hearing from?
Matthew Hurt: No. Not really. Memphis is starting to recruit a lot harder than it was a couple of weeks ago, but mostly the same schools now,
Gopher Hole: You were also down in Houston recently for the Final Four playing there. What was that experience like?
Matthew Hurt: It was very cool. We played some international teams, that were very good and they have played global-wise. We played on the floor that the Final Four played on. That was pretty cool.
Gopher Hole: What was that experience like be down there for the Final Four because, obviously, you’d love to be down there as a player as well?
Matthew Hurt: Oh, yeah. It was a great atmosphere. We got up top seats, but the atmosphere was crazy. The locker room is really nice and just the people around it. Everybody in Texas, they were going to be at the game or watch it.
Gopher Hole: What is the latest on Colorado Springs and going out there?
Matthew Hurt: I am going out there the last week in May. Try to make the U18 team, that I think is going to Canada this year.
Gopher Hole: Are you going to any other big camps like the NBA Top 100 camp?
Matthew Hurt: I am not going to the Top 100 camp. I went the last two years, but adidas is having a little (adidas) Nations. (event) right after L.A, so I think that we are going to have three, four or five players on our team make that. I think that we are going to be gone for two weeks straight. We are going to go to L.A and have that camp and then we are going to go to Vegas, I think. That will be pretty fun.
Gopher Hole: You are going to be a senior next year. Is it going to be weird? You have been playing varsity basketball since eighth grade. Is that going to different, being a senior, finally?
Matthew Hurt: Yes. You have to be more of a leader. You are the oldest person on the team. You know what is going to happen. Try to handle adversity. I am excited, though.
Gopher Hole: How about your high school team? You had another great year. Unfortunately, you came up a little bit short again against Lakeville North. You lose some good seniors. What do you have coming up, next year team-wise?
Matthew Hurt: We are still going to be solid. We have some players on our second team for D1, that are pretty good and we have players playing on different AAU programs, but I think that if we get in the gym in the summer every day, I think that we will be just fine.
Gopher Hole: Have you thought much more about when you would even try to decide on a college team yet? It is starting to get close.
Matthew Hurt: No. I am still going to focus on the fall, right before the high school season. If not, I am going to wait it out until next April.
Gopher Hole: Do you have any plans to visit some colleges in the next few months at all?
Matthew Hurt: I am going to try to take my final official visits this fall.
Gopher Hole: What schools are you definitely going to visit?
Matthew Hurt: I really don’t know yet. I just have to talk to my dad. Talk to some coaches, but I don’t yet where I am going to go.
Gopher Hole: Are you still liking the recruiting process or are you seeing how it can get to be a little too much sometimes?
Matthew Hurt: Coaches know when to back off and when to leave us alone, but I’m not getting sick of it and it is still pretty cool to see these coaches on TV and them texting me a couple of days later.
By Chris Monter
https://main.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/920690?referrer_id=
Matthew Hurt, a 6-foot-9, 205-pound junior forward from Rochester (MN) John Marshall, is considered Minnesota’s top player in the Class of 2019 and is ranked fifth nationally by ESPN, Scout and Rivals.
Hurt comes from a basketball family. His older brother, Michael, is a sophomore at Minnesota and was ranked as the number two senior in the state in 2017.
Matthew Hurt averaged 33.9 points, 15.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 4.3 blocks and 2.1 steals per game this season as the Rockets finished 26-3, losing to Lakeville North 51-46 in the Section 1AAAA championship game for the sixth straight time..
Gopher Hole caught up with Hurt after his D1 Minnesota practice to talk about the latest on his summer and recruitment.
Gopher Hole: You have quite a few new guys since you were the only younger guy last year. Are you pleased with how well you guys have been able to show that team chemistry so quickly?
Matthew Hurt: Yes. Last weekend was our time that we were all together because the first week, we didn’t have our point guard. We jelled off the court, having team bonding a lot, so I think that helped on the court and showed on the court, too
Gopher Hole: I know that a lot of people are already talking about you guys maybe being on of the better, if not one of the best team, not only in the Midwest, but maybe in the country. Is that something that you guys have talked about and would like to try achieve and win some of these major tournaments?
Matthew Hurt: We don’t talk about how good we are. We just go out there and try to play. Show what we have. Show what we do. We don’t really talk about it. We just try to take it game by game. Day by day really. Just try to win every game.
Gopher Hole: I think sometimes that nationally, players from other states might think “These guys are from Minnesota. They can’t be that good.” Is that something you like to show that we can play pretty good basketball here?
Matthew Hurt: Yes. Most teams underestimate us. We are really tall this year. Last year, we really weren’t. I think that just really play together well and that is why we are doing so good so far.
Gopher Hole: Any new offers at all or any new schools that you are hearing from?
Matthew Hurt: No. Not really. Memphis is starting to recruit a lot harder than it was a couple of weeks ago, but mostly the same schools now,
Gopher Hole: You were also down in Houston recently for the Final Four playing there. What was that experience like?
Matthew Hurt: It was very cool. We played some international teams, that were very good and they have played global-wise. We played on the floor that the Final Four played on. That was pretty cool.
Gopher Hole: What was that experience like be down there for the Final Four because, obviously, you’d love to be down there as a player as well?
Matthew Hurt: Oh, yeah. It was a great atmosphere. We got up top seats, but the atmosphere was crazy. The locker room is really nice and just the people around it. Everybody in Texas, they were going to be at the game or watch it.
Gopher Hole: What is the latest on Colorado Springs and going out there?
Matthew Hurt: I am going out there the last week in May. Try to make the U18 team, that I think is going to Canada this year.
Gopher Hole: Are you going to any other big camps like the NBA Top 100 camp?
Matthew Hurt: I am not going to the Top 100 camp. I went the last two years, but adidas is having a little (adidas) Nations. (event) right after L.A, so I think that we are going to have three, four or five players on our team make that. I think that we are going to be gone for two weeks straight. We are going to go to L.A and have that camp and then we are going to go to Vegas, I think. That will be pretty fun.
Gopher Hole: You are going to be a senior next year. Is it going to be weird? You have been playing varsity basketball since eighth grade. Is that going to different, being a senior, finally?
Matthew Hurt: Yes. You have to be more of a leader. You are the oldest person on the team. You know what is going to happen. Try to handle adversity. I am excited, though.
Gopher Hole: How about your high school team? You had another great year. Unfortunately, you came up a little bit short again against Lakeville North. You lose some good seniors. What do you have coming up, next year team-wise?
Matthew Hurt: We are still going to be solid. We have some players on our second team for D1, that are pretty good and we have players playing on different AAU programs, but I think that if we get in the gym in the summer every day, I think that we will be just fine.
Gopher Hole: Have you thought much more about when you would even try to decide on a college team yet? It is starting to get close.
Matthew Hurt: No. I am still going to focus on the fall, right before the high school season. If not, I am going to wait it out until next April.
Gopher Hole: Do you have any plans to visit some colleges in the next few months at all?
Matthew Hurt: I am going to try to take my final official visits this fall.
Gopher Hole: What schools are you definitely going to visit?
Matthew Hurt: I really don’t know yet. I just have to talk to my dad. Talk to some coaches, but I don’t yet where I am going to go.
Gopher Hole: Are you still liking the recruiting process or are you seeing how it can get to be a little too much sometimes?
Matthew Hurt: Coaches know when to back off and when to leave us alone, but I’m not getting sick of it and it is still pretty cool to see these coaches on TV and them texting me a couple of days later.
