Maine guard gives his nod to Gonzaga

Gonzaga is on a bit of a recruiting roll.

The Bulldogs added their third guard this month, the latest being South Portland (Maine) High School’s Keegan Hyland, who will join Three Rivers Community College point guard Marquise Carter on GU’s roster this fall. Gary Bell Jr., a standout guard at Kentridge High (Kent, Wash.) who orally committed on Monday, and guard Kyle Dranginis, of Skyview High in Nampa, Idaho, are 2011 commitments.

Hyland, who missed all but three games of his senior season with a stress fracture in his pelvis, was planning on attending prep school, work on his game and see what opportunities developed. His plans changed when Gonzaga entered the picture.

“I had my stuff filled out and I was accepted (at Brewster Academy in New Hampshire),” said Hyland, who orally committed Tuesday night. “But this opportunity was too much to pass up. The style of basketball fits me really well.”

Hyland took three months off and hasn’t had any problems with his hip recently. He returned to play on Senior Night in the last game of the regular season, and in two playoff games. He scored 32 points in his South Portland’s final game, a loss in the Western Maine Class A tournament semifinals.

“He’s a terrific shooter, off the pass, off the dribble,” South Portland coach Phil Conley said. “In his junior year, he scored 47 points in one game and just carried us. He led our league in scoring at 27.7 per game (as a junior), and most of those games were with him getting double-teamed or facing a box-and-one. He’s great on and off the court, a very good student and a pleasure to coach.”

Conley teaches physical education at Hamlin Elementary and has known Hyland for years.

“He’d come in with a couple of his buddies and ask, ‘Can we get in the gym and play?’ ” Conley said. “He’s always had a basketball in his hands.”

The 6-foot-3 Hyland said he was receiving interest from Rhode Island, Seton Hall and Boston College. He orally committed to Vermont in October, but changed his mind the next day.

Now that he’s healthy, Hyland intends on stepping up his conditioning program for his anticipated arrival in Spokane in late June.

“I think I’ll be ready to go,” he said. “Talking to Coach (Mark) Few, he certainly sounded like he expects me to help next season.”