Matt Willms Power Forward

[Blackhat]

Six-foot-11, 205-pound Findlay Prep big man Matt Willms is having trouble keeping up with his level of interest right now. Willms arrived in Nevada with a quality amount of teams recruiting him but since then high majors are coming out of the woodwork to see him workout. One of those teams is Minnesota.


Willms has been overloaded with interested schools
"He played last year at Detroit Consortium," said Findlay Prep Assistant Coach Todd Simon of Willms. "But Matt is originally from Canada. So he played a year in Detroit and then Matt transferred here.

"He is seven feet, Matt is athletic, he's a shot blocker, a rebounder, he runs the floor well, and he's pretty skilled. Matt has developed a pick and pop game, he can hit some threes as well as do stuff with his back to the basket. Plus he can get the ball off the glass and start the break.

"Matt is kind of unknown as he's kind of slipped under the radar but lately the attention is starting to come through for him."

And it's coming through in a big way. At first it was calls from Eastern Michigan, St. Bonaventure, and offers from Oakland, St. Joseph's, and San Diego State. However, the recruitment has hit a new level.

"Matt had St. Joseph's, UNLV, San Diego State, and Providence on to him early along with Marquette and Minnesota," said Simon. "Since he's been here he's drawn interest from Texas A&M, Kansas, UCLA, Cal, UTEP, Oklahoma, and that's whose come to mind immediately although I'm sure I missed somebody. But overall Matt has really done well, he's done well for himself."

The Gophers are actively looking for more size with the 2012 class particularly at the four position but they are looking at fives as well. Willms sounds like he can play either frontcourt position as he's listed as a power forward despite the size of a center.

"Tubby Smith came out here and he's always great with the guys and he's a great guy so it was good to have him here," Simon stated. "In terms of his amount of interest in the Gophers Matt is pretty quiet about all of the recruiting, I think he's just taking it all in.

"Right now Matt's taking a deep breathe and collecting his bearings as the recruitment is coming at him pretty fast. I just think he's getting really good really fast. And I think that combined with all the teams seeing that he is getting that good has been kind of a whirlwind for him."

Although all the interest is still new to him it seems like Willms would like to get his recruitment done during the early signing period.

"I don't think Matt is a guy that wants to drag out his decision very long," Simon explained. "I don't that he's really crazy about the recruiting process in general."

[bamamarquettefan]

A lefty and from Canada - we've got to get him!

[TedBaxter]

This guy might be one of those guys who turns into a very good college player like Chas McFarland did at Wake Forest.  I had kind of forgot about him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c80hTyRnzAw

Really, really like his potential and I just don't know if MU has been recruiting him hard behind the scenes.  From Leamington, Ontario which is on Lake Erie just east of Detroit.  (Richard Shaw area)

[brewcity77]

Just saw on Twitter that Willms is visiting Texas A&M this weekend with Shabazz Muhammed.

[TedBaxter]

Just saw on Twitter that Willms is visiting Texas A&M this weekend with Shabazz Muhammed.

If he's at A&M this weekend, my guess is that Marquette either isn't involved or may be trying to get a visit for October.  This would be his 3rd official visit as I think he's been to San Diego State and St. Joe's.

[brewcity77]

If he's at A&M this weekend, my guess is that Marquette either isn't involved or may be trying to get a visit for October.  This would be his 3rd official visit as I think he's been to San Diego State and St. Joe's.

Yeah...right now I just have no clue. Auguste was clearly our top priority. I haven't heard anything about Mbargorba or Nolan in weeks relating them to Marquette. Willms is said to not be a big fan of the recruiting process, but his list seems to be about 15 schools long. And I have no idea where Richard Peters or Jordan Hare are leaning.

Really hoping for Mbargorba, he's been my hope since Dunn and Cleare committed elsewhere. I guess it's good that he hasn't yet committed after the Vandy visit, but I've no idea where else he's seriously looking.

[Hards Alumni]

Yeah...right now I just have no clue. Auguste was clearly our top priority. I haven't heard anything about Mbargorba or Nolan in weeks relating them to Marquette. Willms is said to not be a big fan of the recruiting process, but his list seems to be about 15 schools long. And I have no idea where Richard Peters or Jordan Hare are leaning.

Really hoping for Mbargorba, he's been my hope since Dunn and Cleare committed elsewhere. I guess it's good that he hasn't yet committed after the Vandy visit, but I've no idea where else he's seriously looking.

I agree, but the problem with getting a "Power Forward" that is 6'11" and 205lbs is that he is probably more like 195lbs.  And I thought Steve Novak was a skinny power forward when he showed up his freshman year.