Young McDonald Stays In Texas

Sometimes a little extra attention will go a long way. Such is the case with Montrell McDonald, an energetic 6-foot-6, 166-pound small forward from OD Wyatt High School in Fort Worth. One college really showed McDonald a lot of love during the whole recruiting process, and McDonald reciprocated with an early verbal commitment during a recent in-home visit.

"I've committed to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi," said McDonald. "(Head Coach Ronnie Arrow) was at my house and he was happy. It's a nice school, and I'm supposed to go down there (for an official visit) now that I've taken the SAT on Saturday."

McDonald had been hearing from several schools in the process, namely Louisiana-Monroe, New Hampshire, and Texas-Arlington. Arizona State had even started showing some interest. But it was the TLC (tender loving care) that Arrow and the Islander program showed to McDonald that won him over.

"They seemed like they really cared," said McDonald. "They took the time to get my schedule, see what I needed on the SAT and everything."

What the Islanders get with McDonald is an athletic left-handed slasher who can effectively create off the wing. His ability to get up in the air ranks him as one of the top leapers in the state.

"'Trell's very explosive - he can jump out of the gym," said OD Wyatt head coach Archie Myers. "His strongest asset is his jumping and rebounding ability."

Myers likes McDonald's "hops" so much that he often thinks of legendary leaper David Thompson when talking about McDonald. But according to Myers, McDonald's game isn't just about raw ability.

"He's a student of the game," said Myers. "His knowledge of the game is in how he plays offense and defense. He can anticipate a lot of different things."

Myers and McDonald both recognize his need to improve his perimeter shooting and his usage of his off-hand. But his current set of skills will get him immediate court time at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

"He'll get a lot of playing time early," said Myers. "And he's going to get so much better in college. There he'll have other guys that will help push him. And he'll be more focused there because of that."

Jed Tai is a senior writer with Hoopville.com