Recruiting Report: Matt Cartwright (2017)
Matt Cartwright was a first team all-state/all-PHD level AAU performer this year for the South Dakota Attack who was considered the top team in the Dakotas the past four months. PHD caught up with the 6-foot-4, Sioux Falls O’Gorman shooting…
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Continue ReadingMatt Cartwright was a first team all-state/all-PHD level AAU performer this year for the South Dakota Attack who was considered the top team in the Dakotas the past four months. PHD caught up with the 6-foot-4, Sioux Falls O’Gorman shooting guard this week to talk about his time with the Attack, his senior year, and recruiting.
“Honestly my top experiences were off the basketball court,” Cartwright said about the last four months with South Dakota Attack. “Our team was so close and no matter where we were we would find fun stuff to do whether it was go-karting, pulling pranks on coach (Lee) Taylor, or simply just being with each other.
“It made me better because of the competition I got to play against too. Playing against Mo-Kan Elite and the Billups team are great opportunities to test your talent against the best in the country. It really brings you back down to earth after your success and make you work harder to match the talent you know is out there.”
And what is one of the things Matt is working for? A chance to put O’Gorman back in that state title game where Lincoln and Washington have been the past couple years. Matt is now a senior leader and has plans on what to do to get his team to the top of Class AA.
“I plan to bring my teammates to the gym when I go and get everybody involved,” Cartwright explained. “It’s time to take leadership and direct the younger kids so when it’s time for them to step up during the year they can without it taking a few games to settle into the level of play.
“Personally I will be getting a lot of shots up and working on being more diverse with the ball in my hand. Making plays on and off the dribble, finding the open guys, getting better at passing and finishing at the rim.”
PHD watched Cartwright compete in the Twin Cities at one event in the spring and one in the summer and his focus of making plays off the bounce and scoring at the rim off the ball is paying off. Cartwright always hits shots with feet set but he’s also doing a great job getting to his one dribble pull-up and moving without the ball to score at the rim.
Cartwright earned early scholarship offers and those schools are still in contact. Matthew seems a ways off before making a college decision, but he has schools in contact.
“Augustana and University of Sioux Falls are showing me the most interest,” Cartwright said. “Then Nebraska and Wisconsin are recently in contact with me over the summer.
“Getting my scholarship offers was one of the best feelings in the world because it feels like a dream come true. Ever since I was a kid I dreamed of playing college basketball and when you get that offer it really turns that dream into a reality.”
Cartwright is open to anybody that’s interested.
“I don’t have any planned out yet but I would like to visit any school that wants me on campus and has recruited me,” Matt said.