sid2000
Well-known member
I wonder if Tinkle has tried recruiting this kid.
www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2007/08/30/sports/local/30-phenom.txt
KILLDEER, N.D. - This small western North Dakota town is home to one of North Dakota's oldest rodeos, some of the best hunting in the state and a high school basketball player who is perhaps the state's mostly highly sought college recruit in the past 10 years.
Coaches from Arizona State, Washington State and Montana State showed up in the town of 700 people in July for a pickup basketball game that included Austin Dufault, a 6-foot-8 17-year-old.
"We were blown away," said Rich Dufault, Austin's father and coach. "These coaches were able to get here in one day. It showed they were really after him."
Before July, the only schools chasing Dufault were North Dakota State and Montana State. In a span of two weeks, Dufault became one of the hottest North Dakota recruits since Valley City's Jeff Boschee, who signed with Kansas in 1998.
Coaches from major universities scouting AAU tournaments in Louisville, Ky., Indianapolis and Las Vegas saw what coaches from NDSU already knew: Dufault is a tall player who can shoot from the outside and dribble downcourt.
The Dufaults' phone in Killdeer began ringing off the hook.
"Recruiters were telling us how he was doing," said Rich Dufault, who couldn't attend the tournaments. "It's something we never expected at all. It just kind of exploded."
Two weeks ago, Dufault got a scholarship offer from Minnesota's Tubby Smith, who had never seen him play. The next morning, Colorado's Jeff Bzdelik offered a scholarship.
Dufault, who is limited to five campus visits, said he plans to visit Arizona State and NDSU. For his three other visits, he has to decide among Minnesota, Colorado, Washington State, Montana State and possibly Northern Iowa and Creighton. All have offered him full scholarships.
"I'm starting to tell schools that I'm not interested," said Austin, who hopes to make a decision by the Nov. 14 early signing date.
Austin Dufault's name started to surface nationally on a June night in Wahpeton, during an AAU game. He drained eight 3-pointers on consecutive possessions and ended up with 45 points.
The next day, Rich Dufault received a text message from former NDSU coach Tim Miles, who is now at Colorado State. Three weeks later in Louisville, one coach sent a text message telling Rich his son had 31 points and 14 rebounds in one game.
"They thought he had a ton of offers," said Steve Grabowski, an AAU coach and assistant at Minot State. "I told them that he only had one Division I offer. Then the word kind of spread."
In addition to his skills on the court, Austin Dufault maintains a 3.6 grade point average and scored a 26 on his ACT college entrance exam, well above the national average of 20.
Arizona State athletic director Lisa Love recently made a call to the Dufault home and spoke with Karen, Austin's mother.
"They just think it's amazing that this is not a kid from Chicago or New York, but from little Killdeer, N.D.," Rich Dufault said.
Copyright © 2007 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Published on Thursday, August 30, 2007.
Last modified on 8/30/2007 at 12:43 am
Copyright © The Billings Gazette, a division of Lee Enterprises.
www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2007/08/30/sports/local/30-phenom.txt
KILLDEER, N.D. - This small western North Dakota town is home to one of North Dakota's oldest rodeos, some of the best hunting in the state and a high school basketball player who is perhaps the state's mostly highly sought college recruit in the past 10 years.
Coaches from Arizona State, Washington State and Montana State showed up in the town of 700 people in July for a pickup basketball game that included Austin Dufault, a 6-foot-8 17-year-old.
"We were blown away," said Rich Dufault, Austin's father and coach. "These coaches were able to get here in one day. It showed they were really after him."
Before July, the only schools chasing Dufault were North Dakota State and Montana State. In a span of two weeks, Dufault became one of the hottest North Dakota recruits since Valley City's Jeff Boschee, who signed with Kansas in 1998.
Coaches from major universities scouting AAU tournaments in Louisville, Ky., Indianapolis and Las Vegas saw what coaches from NDSU already knew: Dufault is a tall player who can shoot from the outside and dribble downcourt.
The Dufaults' phone in Killdeer began ringing off the hook.
"Recruiters were telling us how he was doing," said Rich Dufault, who couldn't attend the tournaments. "It's something we never expected at all. It just kind of exploded."
Two weeks ago, Dufault got a scholarship offer from Minnesota's Tubby Smith, who had never seen him play. The next morning, Colorado's Jeff Bzdelik offered a scholarship.
Dufault, who is limited to five campus visits, said he plans to visit Arizona State and NDSU. For his three other visits, he has to decide among Minnesota, Colorado, Washington State, Montana State and possibly Northern Iowa and Creighton. All have offered him full scholarships.
"I'm starting to tell schools that I'm not interested," said Austin, who hopes to make a decision by the Nov. 14 early signing date.
Austin Dufault's name started to surface nationally on a June night in Wahpeton, during an AAU game. He drained eight 3-pointers on consecutive possessions and ended up with 45 points.
The next day, Rich Dufault received a text message from former NDSU coach Tim Miles, who is now at Colorado State. Three weeks later in Louisville, one coach sent a text message telling Rich his son had 31 points and 14 rebounds in one game.
"They thought he had a ton of offers," said Steve Grabowski, an AAU coach and assistant at Minot State. "I told them that he only had one Division I offer. Then the word kind of spread."
In addition to his skills on the court, Austin Dufault maintains a 3.6 grade point average and scored a 26 on his ACT college entrance exam, well above the national average of 20.
Arizona State athletic director Lisa Love recently made a call to the Dufault home and spoke with Karen, Austin's mother.
"They just think it's amazing that this is not a kid from Chicago or New York, but from little Killdeer, N.D.," Rich Dufault said.
Copyright © 2007 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Published on Thursday, August 30, 2007.
Last modified on 8/30/2007 at 12:43 am
Copyright © The Billings Gazette, a division of Lee Enterprises.
