Former St. Mary's High School graduate and Westwind Prep post-grad George Matthews is now on the move.
After signing a division-I scholarship in the fall of 2010 with the University of Utah and spending a freshman season under first-year head coach Larry Krystkowiak, Matthews has decided to get his release from the PAC-12 program and look abroad.
Matthews, a 6-foot-6, 215-pound freshman at Utah, didn't see much action as a freshman as a result of suffering a broken foot during the summer of 2011 - an injury he never fully recovered from. As a result, Matthews came into the 2011-2012 season out of shape and didn't have a good pre-season conditioning program for himself. Matthews then re-aggravated the foot injury during the season (February) with a strained ligament and missed the last 10 games of the season.
Matthews was an original recruit of former Utah head coach Jim Boylen - deciding to stay with the program after Boylen was let go before Matthews would even put on a Utah uniform.
Matthews had offers in high school from such schools as West Virginia, Rutgers, Seton Hall, Colorado, Boston College, Oregon State and Saint Mary's.
Matthews advised me that he is unsure at this point as to which direction he will go or what schools peak his interest. Rather he would like to see what options are available to him.
Matthews averaged 22 points and 11 rebounds as a senior at St. Mary's HS, and also averaged 18 points and 8 rebounds for a talented post-graduate team at Westwind Prep - a team that was rated as high as the #8 prep school team in the country.
Arizona Hoop Review Scouting Report: As a player, Matthews is a bit of a throw-back performer. A fundamentally sound forward that likes to score either from long-distance or from mid-range off the dribble. He utilizes pump fakes and jab steps to gain an offensive edge on his defender, while using either hand around the basket to score. He is a very strong finisher around the basket, utlizing a variety of moves and is able to dunk the basketball with ease as a result of his very long wingspan. He has a long, rangy body. A very good defender for his size, he has good lateral foot quickness to stay in front of his offensive opponent - when he is focused. His long wingspan also allows him to alter or block shots, making it tough for opposition to score on him. He is also a very good offensive rebounder that is always around the basketball. Has very good upside. While he has very good work ethic off the court, his focus on the court remains the key to his development as a player.
