Gardner Chooses Marquette (The Inside Scoop)

[bradforster]

By Matthew Hatfield
Virginiapreps.com

The long awaited end to the recruiting process for King's Fork's Davante Gardner came Monday as the 6-foot-8, 280-pound big man from Suffolk has decided to continue his basketball career in college with Head Coach Buzz Williams and the Marquette Golden Eagles of the Big East.

It came down to two schools for the interior force nicknamed 'Big Ox.'  Gardner chose Marquette over another Big East school which he visited last month, South Florida. 

"They did a good job recruiting him and they built that relationship early towards the end of November and into December.  They kept plugging along with him, and he got up there for an official visit for their last home game, which was their Senior Night," said King's Fork Head Basketball Coach Josh Worrell.  "It took him a while to figure what the best situation would be due to the fact he got another offer from South Florida and South Florida was more recent.

Williams and assistant coach Aki Collins from Marquette made sure they were extremely visible during the entire recruiting process.  A chance to play immediately also lured Gardner.

"The coaches there at Marquette knew from the three-point line in on both ends of the floor exactly what he could do, and they think he can be very successful there," added Worrell.  "Granted, they believe he's going to need lose some more weight just like any other program stated to be in even better physical shape.  They won quite a few games this year with a 6-7 big kid that played in and out.  They needed that one inside presence, and they let Davante know you're the big guy we're recruiting and the one big guy we're recruiting."

 

Davante Gardner picks Marquette!
For King's Fork, it is the fourth Division I player for the program in two years.  Jaquon Parker signed with Cincinnati, also out of the Big East, a year ago and guard Jamar Wertz went to University of Maryland Baltimore County.  Gardner's twin tower teammate, Jay Copeland, signed last week with Ball State out of the MAC.

Selected 1st Team Group AAA All-State by the VHSCA, Gardner scored 1431 points and collected 992 rebounds in his Bulldogs career.  During his junior season he put up 15.6 points and 7.6 rebounds per game for the Bulldogs as they won the State Championship. 

The numbers were even better in 2009-10.  This past season Gardner scored more points than any other player in the Eastern Region.  He finished up his senior year averaging 22.6 points, 12.2 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game for a Bulldogs team that has gone 55-4 in their last 59 games.

Combining great footwork and touch with muscle and power, Gardner was ultra consistent all season long for King's Fork, scoring no less than 14 points in any game and notching 21 double-doubles.  Gardner, an All-Eastern Region 1st Team selection as well, was named the MVP of the Southeastern District Tournament and helped King's Fork claim their third straight district tournament title as well as their second consecutive regular season league crown. 

"They feel if he gets played one-on-one he has that skill-set with his footwork, hands, being able to shoot that mid-range jumper, get his body ready before the ball gets there," Worrell remarked on Gardner.  "If they can win 20, 22 or 24 games without a big man, what's going to happen when they get one?"  They let him know if you were just a low post guy who couldn't do anything else, we really wouldn't recruit you.  But he can shoot the ball, handle the ball, can move and do a lot of things that a lot of big guys can't do.  They were really impressed by that."

Marquette went 22-12 overall last season, falling to Washington 80-78 in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.  The program has recorded five consecutive 20-plus win seasons, all resulting in trips to the NCAA Tournament.

Gardner joins a 2010 recruiting class for the Golden Eagles that includes Pennsylvania Class AA Player of the Year Devonte' 'D.J.' Newbill, Junior College Player of the Year Jae Crowder, small forward Jamail Jones, guard Reggie Smith and five-star point guard Vander Blue.

"I've known him since sixth or seventh grade and his transition of becoming a very good basketball player took hard work and time for him," noted Worrell.  "He put a lot into it, and from one year to the next, losing some weight made his game that much better this year.  He could play a long period of time without rest and still be effective on both ends, and I just see him getting that much better at Marquette by losing 20 more pounds.  He can put the ball in the hoop.

[jesmu84]

By Matthew Hatfield
Virginiapreps.com

The long awaited end to the recruiting process for King's Fork's Davante Gardner came Monday as the 6-foot-8, 280-pound big man from Suffolk has decided to continue his basketball career in college with Head Coach Buzz Williams and the Marquette Golden Eagles of the Big East.

It came down to two schools for the interior force nicknamed 'Big Ox.'  Gardner chose Marquette over another Big East school which he visited last month, South Florida. 

"They did a good job recruiting him and they built that relationship early towards the end of November and into December.  They kept plugging along with him, and he got up there for an official visit for their last home game, which was their Senior Night," said King's Fork Head Basketball Coach Josh Worrell.  "It took him a while to figure what the best situation would be due to the fact he got another offer from South Florida and South Florida was more recent.

Williams and assistant coach Aki Collins from Marquette made sure they were extremely visible during the entire recruiting process.  A chance to play immediately also lured Gardner.

"The coaches there at Marquette knew from the three-point line in on both ends of the floor exactly what he could do, and they think he can be very successful there," added Worrell.  "Granted, they believe he's going to need lose some more weight just like any other program stated to be in even better physical shape.  They won quite a few games this year with a 6-7 big kid that played in and out.  They needed that one inside presence, and they let Davante know you're the big guy we're recruiting and the one big guy we're recruiting."

the boards have been alive with chatter about hahn, noreen, cothron and others, so i'm a little confused about the bolded portion.  was this just "recruit-speak"?

[wadefan#1]

Let's hope this guy can lose some pounds.

[NCMUFan]

Todd Smith and dedication and effort by Gardener will shed the pounds.

[Dawson Rental]

the boards have been alive with chatter about hahn, noreen, cothron and others, so i'm a little confused about the bolded portion.  was this just "recruit-speak"?

I have to admit with Hahn and Dieng in for visits recently that quote caught my eye too.  Maybe that's what Davante was hearing until he almost committed to USF on April 14th.