Point guard Goodson commits to Gonzaga
Point guard Demetri Goodson, ranked in the top 150 for the class of 2008 by several basketball recruiting services, has orally committed to Gonzaga.
“It’s a perfect spot for me,” said Goodson, a 6-foot, 175-pound senior at Klein Collins High in Spring, Texas, just outside of Houston. “Their offense gets up and down and they don’t have a football team so it’s all about basketball.”
Goodson visited GU’s campus over the weekend.
“He went up there and absolutely fell in love with the campus and the people,” Klein Collins coach Tim Schumacher said. “He’s so excited to be going there. I talked to him on the phone when he was changing flights in Denver and he said, ‘Coach, I want to go to Gonzaga.’ I told him to come home and sleep on it and then make up his mind.
“He just loves the size of the school and the excitement over Gonzaga basketball is second to none. It’s a great fit for him.”
Goodson said he had offers from Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Houston, Utah, Utah State and Illinois State.
Schumacher said Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie visited Klein Collins last week and was planning another visit in the near future.
Texas A&M apparently withdrew its offer when it received a commitment from another point guard.
In three years on Klein Collins’ varsity, Goodson has been part of 83 wins, including 29 wins last year when the team advanced to the final eight in the State 5A tournament, the largest classification in Texas. He averaged 16 points, seven assists and five rebounds. He was an all-state selection and MVP of the conference.
“I like to push the tempo, get my teammates the ball,” Goodson said. “I like passing and I like winning.”
Goodson is rated No. 135 in Rivals.com’s top 150 for the class of 2008. ESPN.com lists Goodson No. 137 in its top 150.
“To me, he’s under the radar, even though he’s in the top 130 in the country. He’s not getting the respect he deserves,” Schumacher said. “I liken his game to (Toronto Raptors guard) T.J. Ford. He’s not a terrific outside shooter, but he’s a good shooter. He’s a pass-first point and a tremendous athlete.”
Arizona State offered Goodson a football scholarship in June, even though Goodson hasn’t played the sport since his sophomore year. Goodson’s brother, Mike, is a sophomore running back at Texas A&M. He rushed for 847 yards last year and was named the conference’s freshman of the year by the Austin American-Statesman.
GU also has 2008 commitments from Grant Gibbs, a 6-5 guard from Marion, Iowa, and 6-10 center Andy Poling of Portland.
Gibbs is listed 19th among point guards – Goodson is 31st – and 99th overall by Rivals.com.