Gilbert Highland High School basketball point guard Matt Carlino has told various Web sites that he has committed to Indiana.
Who knows how good Carlino is going to be? He will be a sophomore at Highland in 2008-09, but at this point he is probably among the Top 25 from that class.
What do we make of this?
First, ASU coach Herb Sendek has failed to attract the state’s first impact recruit on his watch. That won’t go down well in Tempe.
Second, Arizona’s Lute Olson was unable for the first time in 20 years to get the in-state stud he seriously pursued. It is an unwelcome and troubling precedent.
Finally, UCLA’s Ben Howland, who was keenly interested in Carlino, couldn’t keep him in the Pac-10. But unlike Sendek and Olson, the UCLA coach will most likely be able to hand-pick a replacement guard of similar talent in the ’11 class.
Carlino’s decision to play for Tom Crean at Indiana seemed to come from out of nowhere, although he did attend a Hoosier camp earlier this summer and again last week.
Here’s what Carlino told scout.com: “When I came down here and got coached by a lot of great coaches, that just sold me. Looking up at all the (championship) bananers, that was amazing.’‘
And isn’t that what the remarkable string of Arizona players from Phoenix — Mike Bibby, Channing Frye, Richard Jefferson, Jerryd Bayless — used to say about a visit to McKale Center.
Matt Carlino and his father have been Hoosier fan’s all of Matt’s life, and IU fan’s have been hearing of a commit for about two months now. I do know how you are feeling though, with the out of state schools coming in and taking away your top instate talent with the likes of Montross(NC), Ogden, Conley and Thomas(OSU) the list could go on and on here. Coach Crean is doing a great job with recruiting, and in the PR area. even with the damage Sampson and Davis have done. He had a past IU players and Coaches reunion yesterday, where 175 former player came to French Lick. What a great move from a 1st year coach…
Do you compete, start, lead your team to one of its next, most cherished, championships and star in the process in your home state?…
Or, do you compete, sit the bench, play sporadically, watch others on a bench of All-Stars take the team, perhaps, to one more lesser conference photo- finish and then hope somehow you get chosen, professionally, to play…in the states?
#1 I think you know this but Crean is not a first-year coach – only first year at IU. He is an experienced veteran who not only is great on the court, but also in just about everything off-the-court – everything that it takes to build a perennial top-level program.
The front page head line “Arizona Wildcats lose Top 25 basketball recruit” is deceptive. It is stated as if Carlino had already commited to the Wildcats, and then pulled out. Yes, the Cats were recruiting him, but that is the extent of it.
#5, I agree. The title seems odd once you read the story.
I was afraid they actually “lost” someone who had already commited. This is much different than that.
Hanson, UA didn’t lose anyone…he never comitted to UA + he is an ’11 grad? What are you kidding? Man, you’re really losing steam, Hanson, on this LO witch hunt.
Hold on, this may just be a hasty committment to silence Carlino household phone for a while. Indiana is yesterdays news plus the weather really sucks.
Here we go again !!Another misleading, anti-Lute Article from Hansen. Why not, Carlino BOLTSASU, UCLA, UofA and all of PAC-10 for Indiana. How can anyone BOLT when they have never committed ???
This just in – Sammy Shooter an 11 year old from the Austin Texas Boys and Girls Club youth league has reneged on his desire to be a point guard at UA in 2016 – See the Lute Olson scandal is far reaching……
This is Inspector Clueless in Texas reporting
2011 is a long way away. He has good potential, but that’s about it right now. If you have to worry, worry about 2010. That recruiting class is going to be the watershed class for the program. If Lute doesn’t have a contract extension on the table, or a successor named, the program will be in deep dodo.
The headline is only saying that Carlino is leaving the state of Arizona. Am I the only one who is smart enough to read that? It doesn’t say UofA or UA or Cats. IT says Arizona. That is the state he lives in. DUH!
Matt Carlino and his father have been Hoosier fan’s all of Matt’s life, and IU fan’s have been hearing of a commit for about two months now. I do know how you are feeling though, with the out of state schools coming in and taking away your top instate talent with the likes of Montross(NC), Ogden, Conley and Thomas(OSU) the list could go on and on here. Coach Crean is doing a great job with recruiting, and in the PR area. even with the damage Sampson and Davis have done. He had a past IU players and Coaches reunion yesterday, where 175 former player came to French Lick. What a great move from a 1st year coach…
— Chad 08/24/2008 10:09 AM #
Not so fast.
It’s a long way to ’11.
Lots can happen between now and then…
Mr. Carlino has to decide:
Do you compete, start, lead your team to one of its next, most cherished, championships and star in the process in your home state?…
Or, do you compete, sit the bench, play sporadically, watch others on a bench of All-Stars take the team, perhaps, to one more lesser conference photo- finish and then hope somehow you get chosen, professionally, to play…in the states?
BEAR DOWN, RED AND BLUE!!!!!
— Carlos 08/24/2008 10:33 AM #
Not gonna happen. This isn’t a Eric Gordon situation. He’s a lock to wear Cream and Crimson.
— Todd 08/24/2008 01:36 PM #
#1 I think you know this but Crean is not a first-year coach – only first year at IU. He is an experienced veteran who not only is great on the court, but also in just about everything off-the-court – everything that it takes to build a perennial top-level program.
— Doug 08/25/2008 08:51 AM #
The front page head line “Arizona Wildcats lose Top 25 basketball recruit” is deceptive. It is stated as if Carlino had already commited to the Wildcats, and then pulled out. Yes, the Cats were recruiting him, but that is the extent of it.
— Doug 08/25/2008 11:01 AM #
Typical Hanson, “The sky is falling”.
— JT 08/25/2008 11:02 AM #
#5, I agree. The title seems odd once you read the story.
I was afraid they actually “lost” someone who had already commited. This is much different than that.
— kp 08/25/2008 11:14 AM #
Well thanks Clueseau or are you Columbo? I get confused…Great detective work.
— ABC 08/25/2008 11:39 AM #
Here he goes again, beating the war drum…
THUMP, thump, thump, thump….
THUMP, thump, thump, thump….
THUMP, thump, thump, thump….
— scrinine 08/25/2008 12:19 PM #
Hanson, UA didn’t lose anyone…he never comitted to UA + he is an ’11 grad? What are you kidding? Man, you’re really losing steam, Hanson, on this LO witch hunt.
— ds 08/25/2008 03:39 PM #
Hold on, this may just be a hasty committment to silence Carlino household phone for a while. Indiana is yesterdays news plus the weather really sucks.
— Bob T. 08/25/2008 04:30 PM #
Another aftershock of the great Lute earthquake.
— merlesneed 08/25/2008 04:47 PM #
Here we go again !!Another misleading, anti-Lute Article from Hansen. Why not, Carlino BOLTS ASU, UCLA, UofA and all of PAC-10 for Indiana. How can anyone BOLT when they have never committed ???
— Paul Jay 08/25/2008 05:20 PM #
This just in – Sammy Shooter an 11 year old from the Austin Texas Boys and Girls Club youth league has reneged on his desire to be a point guard at UA in 2016 – See the Lute Olson scandal is far reaching……
This is Inspector Clueless in Texas reporting
— ABC 08/25/2008 10:44 PM #
2011 is a long way away. He has good potential, but that’s about it right now. If you have to worry, worry about 2010. That recruiting class is going to be the watershed class for the program. If Lute doesn’t have a contract extension on the table, or a successor named, the program will be in deep dodo.
— adman 08/31/2008 09:35 AM #
The headline is only saying that Carlino is leaving the state of Arizona. Am I the only one who is smart enough to read that? It doesn’t say UofA or UA or Cats. IT says Arizona. That is the state he lives in. DUH!
— marty 09/08/2008 10:52 PM #