Recruiting Report: Zach Hanson (2017)
Is New Prague the land of the sleeper forwards? Last year it was Lucas Walford who crashed the grassroots scene and very quickly worked his way to the elite tier of D2 recruits. This year it’s Zach Hanson, a 6-foot-5 forward…
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Continue ReadingIs New Prague the land of the sleeper forwards? Last year it was Lucas Walford who crashed the grassroots scene and very quickly worked his way to the elite tier of D2 recruits. This year it’s Zach Hanson, a 6-foot-5 forward for Wear Out The Net who has attracted college interest with his rock-solid skill set down low.
“Spring and summer with WOTN and this team has been an awesome experience,” Hanson told NHR. “We’ve played a lot of good basketball against a lot of excellent teams. We continue to get better every time we step on the court. Coach Nicols and the rest of the guys have been awesome. There’s not another group of guys who I would want to end the AAU season with!
“(Nicols is) one of the best all-around guys I’ve had the pleasure to work with. I’ve been working a lot at driving to the paint and finishing at the rim. Also initiating contact and drawing fouls around the hoop. I’ve also felt that my back-to-the-basket game has been improving as well. I’m trying to become more versatile to be able to play multiple positions at the next level, so I’ve also been working on my outside shot.”
Hanson sees himself as a potential 3, 4 or 5 in college, although he realizes that his best fit might very well be at power forward.
“Playing the three would require a lot more physical development from me, things like speed and quickness. Playing the five would be for a small-ball situation; the four spot is where I think I will play a lot.”
A variety of D2 programs have invited Hanson to campus, and D3s are circling as well.
“I’ve received D3 and D2 interest,” Hanson said. “I attended an elite camp at St. Cloud State University and was invited to a camp at Bemidji State. For Division III schools, I’ve been hearing from Saint John’s, Gustavus, Augsburg, St. Scholastica, Hamline, Bethel, UW-Eau Claire and Bethany Lutheran College.”
Hanson said that many of the MIAC programs have already impressed him, and emphasized that he is a student-athlete.
“A big factor is the coaching staff and the basketball program,” Hanson added. “I want to be able to have more than just a coach-to-player relationship with the coaching staff. I want to find a school that makes me feel like I’m a part of a family. I also want to win, so a program with a tradition of winning and success is also an important factor.”