College Commitment: Dane Erikstrup
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If there’s one guy who’s really been killing it in this latest stretch of The Grind Session, it’s been Dane Erikstrup Dane Erikstrup 6'10" | C Beaverton | 2021 State OR . The 6-foot-10 Beaverton native has been turning heads with his play and there’s no doubt college coaches are intrigued by his skills. Some more offers might have come around but Erikstrup knew what he wanted and made the commitment to attend Cal Poly Pomona.
“They just felt like the right fit,” Erikstrup said. “And when the dead period got extended I didn’t want to risk this great opportunity I have for something that isn’t certain.”
Erikstrup broke down what made Pomona the choice for him. “They have a great coaching staff, they compete at the top of their league every year, and they have a top ten engineering program,” Erikstrup said. “I actually went down and checked out the campus before the Grind Session started. It’s a beautiful campus they just got brand new dorms and a brand new rec center.”
From a basketball standpoint, he liked what he heard and saw from the guys he’d be playing for. “The coaches are excited and want to utilize my shooting and ball handling ability to stretch the court,” Erikstrup said. “So my play style should fit right in.”
Erikstrup has been flashing his play style with the US Basketball Academy on The Grind Session. He’s been knocking down jumpers while also using his post moves to score down low. He’s already racked up three twenty-point-plus games so far and in two of them, knocked down five threes in each. It’s a far cry from the experience he had in earlier sessions with Compass Prep.
“They (USBA) utilize my shooting ability and coach McKnight instills confidence in me to shoot it and lets me pic and pop,” Erikstrup said. “Compass, while they did definitely help my defensive game, they killed my offensive side since they only let me pic and roll. So it’s fun to be able to pic and pop again.”
There are more games to be played with USBA and with the return of fellow Oregonians Marquis Cook Marquis Cook 6'6" | SF AZ Compass Prep | 2023 State #6 Nation AZ and Lamar Washington Lamar Washington 6'4" | CG AZ Compass Prep | 2022 State #128 Nation AZ in this round, Erikstrup is excited about the future – and beyond.
“To make a deep run and win the Grind Session Finale I think we have what it takes to win it all now with all our guys,” Erikstrup said. “But definitely I just want to continue to get stronger and improve my shooting, handle, and footwork as much as possible.”
Our congratulations go to Erikstrup and his family on his decision.