Recruiting Update: Sam Noland (2020 Tualatin HS)

<p>One of the more unsung invitees to this past fall’s Prime Time Top 40 was <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="855888" first="Sam" last="Noland"]</strong>. The all-around 6-foot-1, 170-pound guard used the experience to prepare himself for his senior season at Tualatin, and the Timberwolves had high hopes for 2019-20. While things didn’t quite turn out as well as Noland would have hoped, he learned from the experience and is now looking forward to settling his plans for his college basketball future.</p> <p>A Second Team All-Three Rivers League selection, Noland reflected back on this past year. "As a team I would say it was pretty mediocre," Noland said. "There were some games where we played really well and played how I thought we should always and then there were some where we didn’t seem like we wanted to be there and were completely out of sync."</p> <p>"Personally I felt I started really strong and then I went through a little slump but finished well," Noland continued. "There were some things I thought I should have done better or more often but overall it wasn’t a bad season. I took away a lot."</p> <p>Just what did Noland take away? "I think that I should have been a better leader especially because of the young team we had," Noland said. " tend to lead by example when I need to be more of a vocal leader. I shot the ball at a good percentage this year from all levels which tells me I should have shot the ball more often. Needed to be more aggressive and look to drive and make plays for my team."</p> <p>After the season concluded with a loss to Mountainside in the first round of the playoffs, Noland shifted his attention to his college recruitment. A high-academic performer, he’s been in contact with Division III programs since the beginning of the year and he’s been in the process of narrowing things down to a finalist.</p> <p>"I’m still talking with the same three schools since the Fall - Pacific Lutheran, California Lutheran, and George Fox," Noland said. "I feel that those three schools are three places I’d be happy to be at and play basketball. I didn’t feel the need to contact a bunch of other schools so I didn’t. PLU has already offered me and that is somewhere I am more than happy to go and play at. Cal Lu and George Fox are great too but those options haven’t opened up yet. But I think that I am ready to make a decision when the time comes."</p> <p>As for when that time is, Noland has set it for April 1st. "I’d say the biggest factor is the coach/coaching staff," Noland said. "I think there is a huge difference in how I play when my coach believes in me and trusts me and allows me to play my game. Other than that location, teammates, and the campus all play factors too. And of course my parent’s opinions play a role in where I’ll end up."</p> <p>Noland currently ranks as the #83 player in the PrepHoops Oregon Class of 2020 rankings.</p>