Matt Sargeant, a 6-foot-4, 190-pound combo guard from Ocean View High School in Huntington, California is quietly establishing himself as one of the better guards out West. It has taken Sargeant a little bit longer to get the respect and recognition he deserves, but hard work and his dedication to the game are finally paying off.

“My recruitment is going really good right now,” Sargeant said. “I’ve taken unofficial visits to Princeton and Yale. I plan to take official visits to Northwestern and Princeton, but I do not know what other schools I will officially visit.

“I plan to take all five official visits, but there is no guarantee that all five visits will take place,” he added. “If there is one school that I really like, there is a chance that I could make a commitment before taking my fifth and final visit.”

Stanford is one school in particular that has been showing Sargeant quite a bit of interest, but it is not yet known how serious they are about the multitalented combo guard.

“I went to Stanford for their High Potential Camp, but I couldn’t play because of an ankle injury,” Sargeant said. “The coaches thought it would be a good idea to make the trip anyway because it gave me the opportunity to meet some other guys from the team.

“I really don’t know how serious Stanford is at this point,” he added. “I’ve sent in my application and I’m just waiting to hear back from them. When it comes to making a decision, I’m just looking for the right situation.”

Some of the best guards in the class of 2004 come from the state of California, so there is a tendency for some players to be overlooked.

Some players just fall through the cracks and others are noticed later on in the process.

“I’m trying to get out and get some exposure,” he said. “I don’t worry about the rankings because I can’t control things like that. I just go out and play my game the best I can. I will be in New Jersey next week for ABCD camp and I will be in Las Vegas for the Adidas Big time, so there is still plenty of time for coaches to see me play.

“I’m pretty happy with my list of schools,” he added. “I’m definitely going to leave my list open and I will consider all my options.”

While Sargeant has the skills necessary to play Division 1 basketball at the high major level, he knows there will be a point in time when his time on the hardwood will end. The realization that basketball will one day end might be his greatest asset.

Schools like Princeton and Yale do not offer athletic scholarships, but he is very interested in both of those schools. While basketball is a very important part of his life, the education he receives, especially from an Ivy League school, will pay significant dividends down the road.