September 23rd Update After we published our updated South Dakota 2017 rankings there was a lot of talk about who should be where? Who should be number one? Should a big with potential be number one over some others? Why…
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Subscribe Already a subscriber? Log inSeptember 23rd Update
After we published our updated South Dakota 2017 rankings there was a lot of talk about who should be where? Who should be number one? Should a big with potential be number one over some others? Why is this guy so high or so low? The rankings need to be updated, we know that.
We also know this. Of all the 2017 South Dakota prospects, only one has multiple D2 offers at this point, and that is Sioux Falls O'Gorman 6-foot-4 scorer Matt Cartwright.
Yesterday Matt picked up his second offer when Augustana talked to his coaches and family and extended a tender to play basketball for the Vikings. Getting a full ride to play for Auggie is a big deal. They are the preseason number two ranked team in the nation at the division two level.
Not to mention this is the second NSIC D2 scholarship offer that Matt has picked up. At the end of August USF, also known as the University of Sioux Falls, offered Matt.
Many of these schools have seen Matt play in various ways locally or they traveled to see him play with the South Dakota Attack in the summer. Cartwright had an outstanding off-season and is carrying strong momentum into the winter season.
July 31st Update
Matt Cartwright and the South Dakota Attack. Both exploded on the Grassroots seen at pretty much the same time and made people take notice.
Matt was a sophomore in 2014-15 playing with Sioux Falls O’Gorman who was this year’s third place team at the state tournament. Matt came off the bench behind two of the best players in the state in Davis Cowan and Braxton Elliott averaging over five points a game in support before the pair received nearly all the minutes during their state run.
In early May in Minneapolis Matt arrived at the Collin Powell Center and by arrived we mean he lead Attack to several wins (they won the 16U event) and had the Twin Cities basketball crowd asking “who is that?”
That Minnesota, and everywhere else is a wing scorer with size and touch. Matt went on to have several highlights with the attack including scoring 50 points in two games against EYBL teams in Kansas City as the Attack went 4-1 in a very tough tournament.
The Attack won the Midwest Summer Slam in Ames, they finished with a 19-5 record overall, and they were PHD’s top ranked 16U team in South Dakota.
“The season with the Attack has been one of the best yet,” Matt said. “We won two of our first three tournaments. Lee Taylor is the best coach a team could ask for. All together our team really just bonds well on both ends of the floor. We play for team success not for individual success.”
We talked to Matt in the middle of July when already several memories had been made.
“Some of our top moments have been going 5-0 to win the Omaha tournament and holding the Minnesota Comets (Coach K’s team ranked 15th in Minnesota) team to 39 points in the semifinals.
“In Ames that was huge being there (and winning). The Coach told us they score anywhere between 60-100 points in most summer AAU games so that was a big win.”
The O’Gorman team brings back three starters who will be seniors (Antonio Casiello, Jack Peery, and Ben Lauer) and strong talent off the bench in seniors Jimmy Burma and Ethan French as well as junior JP Costello and Cartwright. That group along with some other returning talent has people in South Dakota thinking “state run”.
Matt himself is just focused on improving his game so he can see the minutes he is hoping for.
“I've been trying to improve on defense and working out creating my own shot without having to have a play or a screen from a teammate,” Matt said. “It has forced me to defend at a higher level knowing I cannot let my brothers down on the defensive end.
“(Summer basketball) has taught me to make the extra pass giving up a good shot for a great knowing that everyone on my team has the ability to step up and make the play. This way I don’t play selfish and become a better team player overall being able to trust my team that they will get me shots when I'm open and I'll do the same for them.”
There are several schools in contact with Matt after seeing him play in Milwaukee, the Twin Cities, Omaha, Ames, and Kansas City.
“I’m hearing from Augustana, South Dakota School of Mines, USF, Mount Marty, and Northwestern have been showing interest,” said Cartwright.
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