Recruiting Report: Wendell Matthews (2018)
Columbia Heights was expected to be good in 2016-17, but final four good? Wendell Matthews and his crew battled as a younger crew to a memorable year of growth.
“I grew a lot mentally and physically,” Matthews said. “I had to grow up and figure out to not give up and be a leader because if I give up then my teammates give up.”
Matthews, Deundra Roberson, Quentin Hardict, Chris Kelly, Jarvis Wright, and several others, they are all back. Many of those players are not only Wendell’s high school teammates but 43 Hoops teammates as well.
“The guys I played with this year just knowing this is my last year playing AAU and it had a great time hooping with them, that’s memorable.
“Playing with 43 Hoops is challenging somewhat but some games were challenging when you go against a team that play so well with each other. I’ve learned you have to maintain how you play every game and don’t play down to other teams that might not be that good.”
It’s been a great year so far for 43 Hoops who is 19-7 and has had some memorable tournament runs as well as an early season win over D1 Minnesota. Along the way several schools have watched Matthews and continue to stay in contact.
“I have like Saint Mary’s and Augsburg and Winona State contacting me, and other schools I can’t really name off my head but hopefully I visit them soon and check them out,” Wendell said.
Matthews has goals for the final 6-7 weeks of the summer.
“I’m improving to shoot the ball way better,” Wendell said. “I want to finish this AAU season strong since it’s my last and win state next year for AAA basketball and reach 1000 points at Columbia Heights.”