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Two guards sign to play with the Griz
- Thread starter Grizzaholic
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GRZFTBL
Well-known member
Griz men sign pair of guards
Posted: Nov 14, 2012 3:04 PM by Q2 Sports
Updated: Nov 14, 2012 3:05 PM
MISSOULA - The University of Montana signed two standout high school guards to early National Letters of Intent Wednesday, announced seventh-year Grizzly head basketball coach Wayne Tinkle. Wednesday is the first opportunity for players to sign early NLIs.
The two additions to the Griz basketball program are Mario Dunn Jr., a 6-0, 170-pound point guard from Salesian High School in Richmond, Calif., and Brandon Gfeller (JEE-feller), a 6-4, 180-pound shooting guard from Colfax High School in Washington state.
Dunn's high school team is coming off a 34-2 record and won the Division IV state title last season. Dunn is one of three starters for the Pride from that state championship team. His high school team does not keep individual player statistics.
Rated a 3-star prospect by Scouthoops.com, Dunn was the starting point guard for the Oakland Soldiers AAU team, the top-ranked AAU squad in the nation last year.
"Mario Dunn Jr. comes from a great high school program, Salesian (sal-EE-shun)," Tinkle said. "Coach (Bill) Mellis has done a great job there. They have won a couple of state titles (2012 and a 31-4 team in 2009) there in the last few years, including last year when Mario was the starting point guard as a junior.
"He (Mario) also played for the number one ranked AAU team in the country, with recruits Jabari Bird (a five-star wing who committed to Cal) and Aaron Gordon (a 6-7 forward who has had offers from Kansas, Arizona, Kentucky and others) two of the top recruits in the country," Tinkle said. "So he has played a lot of games and is very experienced.
"I love his (Dunn) personality," Tinkle said. "He's a high character, high energy kid. He's a very shifty point guard and can get wherever he wants on the floor. He's a great athlete and he shoots the ball pretty well. We are really excited about getting a player of his caliber up here."
Gfeller was chosen the 2B "Player of the Year" as a junior last season, and his Bulldog hoop team went 22-5 and also won a state championship (his school's first state title since 1979) a year ago. He averaged 18 points a game and is a proficient three-point shooter. He played AAU basketball for Spokane's Pump N Run team.
"Brandon reminds me a lot of some of the outstanding shooting guards that Montana has had over the past few years," Tinkle said. "I think he's got around a 6-foot-7 wing span, and he really elevates and has a high release on his shot. Our staff identified him as one of the best shooters that we've see the past couple of years.
"He's from Colfax, his family farms, and they are very blue collar, and he's just a delightful young man from a great family, and we're thrilled about his prospects of playing right away," Tinkle said. "He's a very mature kid. He's going to be a very versatile player. I think that he can play multiple positions for us, and he's not just a shooter. He also comes from great high school and AAU programs."
"When you look at years when we've had great success we've had really good guards, and we obviously feel very good about the guys that we've had here the last few years," Tinkle said. "With those two (signees) we feel very good about our backcourt down the road."
Tinkle said that he does have one scholarship available saying, "we will continue to recruit, and we need to sign a big late. We are looking far and wide for a good post player to join Marion and Brandon."
"We're excited about where we've gone with our recruitment over the last several classes," Tinkle said; "and we are even more thrilled about this year's."
Posted: Nov 14, 2012 3:04 PM by Q2 Sports
Updated: Nov 14, 2012 3:05 PM
MISSOULA - The University of Montana signed two standout high school guards to early National Letters of Intent Wednesday, announced seventh-year Grizzly head basketball coach Wayne Tinkle. Wednesday is the first opportunity for players to sign early NLIs.
The two additions to the Griz basketball program are Mario Dunn Jr., a 6-0, 170-pound point guard from Salesian High School in Richmond, Calif., and Brandon Gfeller (JEE-feller), a 6-4, 180-pound shooting guard from Colfax High School in Washington state.
Dunn's high school team is coming off a 34-2 record and won the Division IV state title last season. Dunn is one of three starters for the Pride from that state championship team. His high school team does not keep individual player statistics.
Rated a 3-star prospect by Scouthoops.com, Dunn was the starting point guard for the Oakland Soldiers AAU team, the top-ranked AAU squad in the nation last year.
"Mario Dunn Jr. comes from a great high school program, Salesian (sal-EE-shun)," Tinkle said. "Coach (Bill) Mellis has done a great job there. They have won a couple of state titles (2012 and a 31-4 team in 2009) there in the last few years, including last year when Mario was the starting point guard as a junior.
"He (Mario) also played for the number one ranked AAU team in the country, with recruits Jabari Bird (a five-star wing who committed to Cal) and Aaron Gordon (a 6-7 forward who has had offers from Kansas, Arizona, Kentucky and others) two of the top recruits in the country," Tinkle said. "So he has played a lot of games and is very experienced.
"I love his (Dunn) personality," Tinkle said. "He's a high character, high energy kid. He's a very shifty point guard and can get wherever he wants on the floor. He's a great athlete and he shoots the ball pretty well. We are really excited about getting a player of his caliber up here."
Gfeller was chosen the 2B "Player of the Year" as a junior last season, and his Bulldog hoop team went 22-5 and also won a state championship (his school's first state title since 1979) a year ago. He averaged 18 points a game and is a proficient three-point shooter. He played AAU basketball for Spokane's Pump N Run team.
"Brandon reminds me a lot of some of the outstanding shooting guards that Montana has had over the past few years," Tinkle said. "I think he's got around a 6-foot-7 wing span, and he really elevates and has a high release on his shot. Our staff identified him as one of the best shooters that we've see the past couple of years.
"He's from Colfax, his family farms, and they are very blue collar, and he's just a delightful young man from a great family, and we're thrilled about his prospects of playing right away," Tinkle said. "He's a very mature kid. He's going to be a very versatile player. I think that he can play multiple positions for us, and he's not just a shooter. He also comes from great high school and AAU programs."
"When you look at years when we've had great success we've had really good guards, and we obviously feel very good about the guys that we've had here the last few years," Tinkle said. "With those two (signees) we feel very good about our backcourt down the road."
Tinkle said that he does have one scholarship available saying, "we will continue to recruit, and we need to sign a big late. We are looking far and wide for a good post player to join Marion and Brandon."
"We're excited about where we've gone with our recruitment over the last several classes," Tinkle said; "and we are even more thrilled about this year's."
WaGriz4life
Well-known member
:clap: :clap: :clap:
mtgrizrule
Well-known member
GrizWhiz said:
Riley will be eligible to play just after the 1st semester ends, from what I understand. I have no idea where we will come up with a scholarship for him, and the big man we need. Maybe Riley will get financial aid through next season.
I have no doubt, Tinkle will add a good post man. :thumb:
I love these gets. The GRIZ are loaded at guard for the next 3 plus years. Dunn is one hell of a player, breaks down defenses well, distributes, good defender, and very capable scorer (when needed to do so). He is a true PG. Gfeller sounds like an under the radar get, that can score and shoot well. I have not heard much about his defense, but he is pretty athletic.
Do not be surprised if a post player tied to, or rumored to have been interested in the GRIZ materializes again in the late signing period. We might a somewhat familiar name.
Damn, Tinks can recruit.
Baller1
Well-known member
Here is Mario Dunn's highlight video that was attached to the Missoulian article. I know that many here (including myself) are excited about Riley Bradshaw's return to Montana, but Mario Dunn is a guy to be extremely excited about. Dunn is as good of a PG recruit that we've ever had. Will he develop and be as good of a college player as Will Cherry? That will obviously be answered down the road, but his skill set is incredible and he might be a better overall athlete than Cherry. Dunn is definitely a better offensive player at this stage in his career. Hopefully Bradshaw becomes a better defender by chasing Dunn around during practice next year. The kid is incredibly explosive.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbGsjdshJbs[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbGsjdshJbs[/youtube]
I don't know how Tinkle can manage to land kids like Dunn. What a big get. He looks like he will show up ahead of where Cherry was his FR year. This team will not miss a beat when we lose great players like Cherry and Jamar. Incredible.
Hopefully we can find a good JC big to go with these guys and next years team will be better than this one. Great job Tinks and staff!
Hopefully we can find a good JC big to go with these guys and next years team will be better than this one. Great job Tinks and staff!
ilovethecats
Well-known member
EverettGriz said:
:ditto:
grizzlyjournal
Well-known member
Wonder what Dunn's vertical leap is?
Also... based upon what we got to see from Keron DeShields in particular, and Jordan Gregory as backup, the Griz are set at the point (adding Dunn into the mix) for the next 5 years.
I also noticed that K. Henderson logged minutes at the two-guard slot. He wasn't credited with an assist, but I know he got one on a left wing trey by Jamar on a nice penetrate & kick pass.
Also... based upon what we got to see from Keron DeShields in particular, and Jordan Gregory as backup, the Griz are set at the point (adding Dunn into the mix) for the next 5 years.
I also noticed that K. Henderson logged minutes at the two-guard slot. He wasn't credited with an assist, but I know he got one on a left wing trey by Jamar on a nice penetrate & kick pass.
Baller1
Well-known member
grizzlyjournal said:
He's gotta be flirting with a 40" vert. Plus he has extremely long arms that make him play much bigger on the defensive end than his listed 5'10".....if Dunn is still growing and hits the 6' to 6'1" range he'll be a nightmare.
DeSheilds has really impressed me this year. He seems like he grew a bit and is definitely another long and athletic guard who is turning into a really good player on both ends. Only a true Soph. Gregory reminds me a lot of Criswell with his size and versatility to play both guard spots and knock down shooting. Will he posses the same toughness and competitiveness as Criswell?
I'm really high on Kevin Henderson and like him developing into a true SG. He is extremely athletic and has shown the desire to be a true lock down defender, but also has a solid and evolving offensive game.
Can you imagine us defensively in the coming years? 7 footer Martin blocking shots, Keron Desheilds, Kevin Henderson and Jake Wiley running, pressing and trapping with Mario Dunn pressuring the ball. It's going to be really fun to watch.
mtgrizrule
Well-known member
WOW, I watched the video, that kid has some mad hops and offensive game!!! He is advanced offensively compared to Cherry, Now let's see some defense.
grizzlyjournal
Well-known member
I found this composite of Brandon Gfeller from summer play (I think). This gives a better idea of Brandon's quick-release jumper. The kid can shoot from any location along the arc. Very quick release, not much arc... the ball gets to the bucket quickly. He's also pretty good at pull-up jumpers, particularly floating to his right. He's listed as a guard, but is 6-3. If he grows any during the year he might be able to swing between 2 & 3.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYAS0oIuD4U" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYAS0oIuD4U" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Both players are very intriguing. Dunn seems like Will Cherry with a better shot. Great jumper. Gfeller seems like a very, very good pure shooter. Hard to tell about the rest of his game from the video, but I assume Tinks and staff are satisfied. He could be one who grows 2-3 more inches, and assuming he hits the weights as Tinks mentioned, he could be a nightmare for our opponents at the 3.
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