Friday, April 25, 2008

Recruit on campus

Jorge Gutierrez, a 6-foot-3, 200 pound point guard from Chihuahua, Mexico, is on campus this weekend for his first official visit.
I spoke with him briefly. He said he has offers from Cal, UTEP, Utah State and Northern Colorado. Arizona is also in the mix.
From what I have read on him, he is described as a "glue" type of player, who does a lot of things well. He played for Findlay Prep in the Las Vegas area, going 32-1 last year. He averaged 13 points, six rebounds, three steals and 3 assists per game in 29 games. Highs include 27 points and 10 assists last year.
He has only been speaking english for two years.
When asked what he thought of Las Cruces and NMSU, he said, "I think it's a good program and the conference is good."


Here are a couple of excerpts on him
From the Findlay web site:
DraftExpress Review from the National Prep Showcase Rodger Bohn. There was not a player in attendance who was more fun to watch for basketball purists than Jorge Gutierrez, a scrappy combo guard from Mexico. While he did not stand out in any one particular facet of the game, he was able to do a little bit of everything and displayed all of the intangibles that college coaches dream of. Any time that Findlay Prep ran into a jam, he seemed to always find one way or another to pull them out of it, whether it be through drawing an offensive foul, coming up with a steal, or setting up a teammate for an open scoring opportunity. Actually an adequate scorer, Gutierrez showed off a decent first step and the ability to finish at the basket with either hand consistently. Although he did not hit any three pointers this weekend, he did prove that he could hit the 18 foot jumper on a consistent basis. All weekend long, Jorge was placed on the most talented perimeter player that his team was matched against. Boasting excellent lateral quickness, toughness and defensive awareness, he showed his credentials as a lockdown defender. We would love to see how he plays without his Rip Hamilton-style face mask, since you could clearly see that it was bothering him all game long, even if it didn’t stop him from making big plays. With the vast majority of the nation’s top prospects already committed, do not be surprised to see Gutierrez land at a high major program near you. The defensive presence, basketball IQ, and intangibles that he presents make him enviable to virtually any coach looking for a guard to help his team. Presently Texas, New Mexico, UNLV, and Colorado State appear to be in the running for Gutierrez, but expect that to change if he is able to continue his outstanding play the remainder of the season.

From ESPN
February, 2008: Another glue guy, Gutierrez does whatever his team needs for a win. His team does not need any plays runs for him on offense to keep him involved. Gutierrez has a high basketball IQ as well as great basketball instincts. He prefers to involve his teammates over scoring the ball himself, though he indeed has the ability to score. He easily finishes around the rim, using his either hand, though he shoots jumpers as a righty. He rebounds the ball well for a player of his height and seems to make the right plays at the right times. He also plays defense well and typically matches up with the opposing teams best perimeter player. Gutierrez plays with a remarkable amount of poise and maturity beyond his years and does all of the dirty work for his team.

Gutierrez arrived Thursday and will leave on Saturday.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mexico is known for it's soccer and baseball players.
A Mexican BB player? ZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Anonymous said...

Without Fred Peete's D next year, someone like this guy will be sorely needed. Hope MM can reel him in.
-Aggie Glare

Anonymous said...

We always need some more D, but we need D from someone who can score. J. Young is a great defender who can also score, but we need to make sure his legal issues are resolved and he keeps his head screwed on straight.

Anonymous said...

Utah State, and UTEP both signed Point Guards, so NMSU should have a great chance at landing him.

Anonymous said...

NMSU's Chris Gabriel is a three-star on rivals.com. He is rated the 18th best player in California.

Anonymous said...

So because he may have legal status (totally unsubstantiated BTW) he also is a screwball? You keep defending those borders and purist thoughts and expectations and we will welcome him to the home of the Lobos' most rescent slayer: The University of California. GO BEARS!