College Commitment: Sam Noland (2020 Tualatin HS)

No April Fool’s here - Sam Noland Sam Noland 6'1" | CG Tualatin | 2020 State OR has made his college decision. The all-around 6-foot, 170-pound guard from Tualatin had whittled down his choices to three and it just happened the beginning of April was the time to make his commitment. As they say in recruiting it often comes down to relationships, and that’s exactly what the case was as Noland made the announcement that he would be playing his college basketball at Pacific Lutheran.

"Ultimately it came down to Coach Murray," Noland said of PLU head coach Chad Murray. "I think he will be a great coach for me and will always be someone who looks out for me and has my best interests in mind as well as the team. He will help me be successful on and off the court. My coach makes a huge difference in the way I play and Coach Murray will help me be the player I know I can be."

"And of course my parents were fully on board with PLU," Noland added. "They loved Coach Murray too and thought it was the best situation for me."

In every aspect, Noland felt the fit at Pacific Lutheran both on and off the basketball floor. "I love the campus first of all," Noland said. "It reminds me of Oregon in general and I have always loved Oregon. They also offer many great classes/studies that other schools did not. In terms of the program, of course the coaching staff. I also think PLU is on the up and coming in the conference. They have made huge strides the last few years with this past year making the NWC playoffs. I hope I can help this program to continue in the right direction."

All-around is the best way to describe Noland’s game. If he’s asked to score, that’s what he can do - and that’s what he did for Tualatin’s fall league team. If he’s asked to pass or defend, he can do those things as well. He has a good feel for the game and in some ways is a glue-guy type of player. Noland knows the step up to the college level is a big one though and he’ll be preparing himself this summer.

"I think the biggest thing for me is the physical aspects," Noland said. "I need to get stronger and in better condition for the college level play. I will also continue to work on my shooting from the outside. I think I’m already a pretty good shooter but you can always get better and if you can shoot the ball, there’s a spot on the court for you. Other than that I just need to continue to develop all around and work on certain weaknesses."

Noland currently ranks as the #83 player in the PrepHoops Oregon Class of 2020 rankings.