One of country’s top guards commits to GU

Matt Bouldin, rated among the top 10 high school guards in the country by several national scouting services, has made an oral commitment to play basketball at Gonzaga University next fall.

Bouldin, a 6-foot-5, 200-pound combo guard, made his official visit to GU during the weekend and announced his decision Wednesday.

“It was awesome,” he said of his brief stay in Spokane during a telephone interview from his home in the Denver area. “I really enjoyed hanging out with the players, the coaches were great and the program there is just incredible.

“Their player development is outstanding, and they seem to have a lot of success with guards like me. Everything just seemed to fit.”

Bouldin, who averaged 15 points and eight assists for Thunder Ridge High School last season, led the Grizzlies (24-4) to the finals of the state tournament for the fourth year in a row and was named Colorado’s Gatorade Player of the Year.

Rivals.com has Bouldin rated as the 10th best shooting guard prospect in the country and 45th overall, at all positions. Scout.com rates him the No. 1 guard in the West and ninth-best in the nation.

According to his high school coach, Joe Ortiz, Bouldin received scholarship offers from 18-20 Division I schools, representing every major conference in the country. Among the offers Bouldin was still considering prior to last weekend were those extended by Notre Dame, California, Connecticut, Boston College and North Carolina State.

“He’s got an excellent shooting stroke and will probably shoot 40-45 percent from 3-point range,” Ortiz said of Boultin, a three-year letterwinner, who saw considerable playing time as a freshman on Thunder Ridge’s 2003 state championship team. “But he’s also an amazing passer who has great vision and an even better feel for the game.

“He’s a big guard who plays the game at a very pure level. He’s a distributor, and he’s so graceful, it’s almost like he plays the game in slow motion.”

Bouldin, who cancelled a scheduled visit to Notre Dame after committing to Gonzaga, said he is excited about becoming a Zag and relieved that the recruiting process is over.

“I’m just so happy right now, because I know I made the right decision,” he said. “Now I can get back to just going to school and playing basketball.”

“Our whole school was buzzing today,” Ortiz said. “Matt’s decision was a big thing for him, and a big thing for our school. I think he’ll do great there. He’s a real Zag.”

NCAA rules prohibit Gonzaga coaches from talking publicly about Bouldin until he signs his national letter of intent in early November.

Bouldin joins Will Foster, a 7-3, 235-pound center from Buckley, Wash., on the list of high school senior recruits who have orally committed to play at GU next fall.