Basketball: Guelph's 'big' recruiting class — Layson

As the old saw has it in basketball, you can't teach height. Our own Greg Layson reports on the Guelph Gryphons' redwood-sized recruits. It's no small wonder people are hailing Guelph's recruiting class as one of the OUA's best anywhere south or west of Ottawa.
"Coach Chris O'Rourke yesterday announced a commitment from 6-foot-9 centre Colton Hood, who will join the team in September and study psychology.

"Hood is the third high school recruit to stand 6-foot-9 or taller. John Brutto (6-foot-9) and Dan Latka (6-foot-11) are the others.

" 'It was a priority, no question. We needed to get bigger and deeper inside,' O'Rourke said. 'We've been trying to do that for a few years. You need that component if you're going to win.' "

"The rival Western Mustangs, with a towering, athletic front court, won the West Division regular season and championship before losing the OUA championship and CIS semifinal to the eventual national champion Carleton Ravens."
Hood attended Rockway Mennonite near Kitchener, a provincial powerhouse in Ontario's small school divisions. Brutto is from London St. Thomas Aquinas, while Latka is from Parry Sound, a town which one produced a pretty noteworthy hockey player.

Related:
Gryphons cagers reach new heights; Three recruits stand 6-foot-9 or better (Greg Layson, Guelph Mercury)
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3 comments:

  1. There is a big difference between big and good. They have a good level of talent but only hard work will determine how good they are at the next level.

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  2. Hood attended Rockway Mennonite near Kitchener

    It's actually in Kitchener, and is also the alma mater of the Warriors' (soon-to-be-)fifth-year guard Dave Burnett.

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  3. I agree with the first poster....big does not necessarily mean best.
    I mean, you have to ask yourself if these guys are any good at all at that height, why aren't they headed to the States?
    Having followed the Ravens for many years, I always thought Carleton handed those big guys fairly well....it's those athletic 6'5" to 6'7" guys that were much more of a problem.
    The only "bigs" I have seen in CIS ball in recent years that really impressed me were Calgary's big guys.
    If the Dinos only had a first rate PG like Brad Rootes or Stu Turnbull, they would have been scary good.

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