Recruiting report: Carlos Montiel (2019)
One of the most overlooked players in the 2019 class, Hugoton 2019 Carlos Montiel is coming off a strong offseason and is gearing up for a big senior season.
A versatile and well-rounded 6’3 guard/forward, Montiel can do a little bit of everything, whether it’s leading a team at the point, rebounding, defending in the post or putting points on the board.
“I would describe my game as a rare one. I am a point guard in a power forwards body,” he says. “I can handle the ball well and also play as a big! My shot is good, not the best but not the worst.
I can pass the ball, rebound, create space for others, and observe the court really good.
“When the bigs guard me, it is hard for them to contain me out on the perimeter. While the small guards have trouble guarding me down low in the post.”
Montiel showed off his all around game this summer running with Western Kansas Elite, an experience he says helped him take his game to another level.
“Playing with WKE this summer was really fun,” Montiel said. “It helped me learn new things. Such as I can play other positions other than just the point guard. It made me better because the other guys on the team made that happen! Our chemistry was really good! It helped me for this upcoming season by having me more prepared for my opponents.”
This summer I worked on everything but I focused most on my shot, post moves and passing. Also, during our summer league games I tried focusing on getting my teammates open and seeing the court to the best of my ability.
A year ago, Montiel averaged 12.5 points, a team-high 9.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists and added 1.6 steals per game for a Hugoton team that finished 10-11. This year, the Eagles return all but one senior and are poised for a breakout season.
“My high school team this season will be way more prepared than last year,” Montiel says. “We only lost one senior and bringing everyone else back. I think we will have a successful season and reach the goals we set for us.”
Montiel says his brother Jeison has had the biggest impact on his basketball career to date.
“This is because when he was in high school he was a great player,” Montiel says. “He got offered at some schools but didn’t have the chance to play because he had to work through college. He is the one who worked me out everyday and made me the player I am now.”
A college basketball fan, Montiel says he enjoys watching Duke play.
“ I enjoy watching college basketball because it is faster and the players play their hardes,” he says. “In the NBA there are times where no defense is played. Currently I enjoy watching Duke because they have the top three freshman’s and they are a very good team. Everyone on that team knows their role. I implement it in my game by knowing my role on my team and doing exactly that!”
Montiel currently holds an offer from Pratt and McPherson and has drawn interest from Heston, Clarke and Emporia State.