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July 9, 2010

Terre Haute North's Justin Gant to play at Indiana State

Todd Golden The Tribune-Star

TERRE HAUTE — Terre Haute North center Justin Gant had a wealth of teams to choose from when it came time to make the decision on where he’d play college basketball. He traveled the country to decide which school was best for him.

In the end, Gant decided the best thing was to stay right here at home.

Gant, who is 6-foot-8 and who has been a versatile threat for the Patriots as a three-year starter in the post, has made a verbal commitment to play at Indiana State.

Gant informed ISU of his final decision on Friday, though he had made his choice earlier in the week.

“The coaching staff is one I could see myself being coached by and ISU has great players. It’s nice to stay in town with my family and friends. ISU is moving in the right direction. I want to be a part of that to help me be successful and get them back in the tournament,” explained Gant on his reasons for choosing the Sycamores.

By NCAA rule, ISU coaches are not allowed to comment on a recruit until he signs his letter of intent. Gant will sign with ISU during the November signing period.

Gant was third in the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference in scoring, averaging 17 points per game for the 17-7 Patriots. Gant averaged 17 on a team that scored 50 points per game, one of the best percentages among MIC leaders as far as percentage of points he provided for his team. He also averaged 8 rebounds per game.

In addition to Indiana State, Gant had considered Creighton (a scholarship was offered at the beginning of the July recruiting period), Iowa, Xavier, Purdue, Clemson, Virginia Tech, Ball State, Northern Iowa, Bradley, Evansville, Miami of Ohio, Saint Louis, Southern Illinois, Wright State and several others at various points of his recruiting process.

ISU was always in the mix, but when Greg Lansing was elevated to head coach when Kevin McKenna left to join Oregon’s coaching staff in June, it changed the paradigm a bit for Gant, who said he had more of kinship with Lansing.

“It definitely influenced the decision. Greg has always been the one recruiting me. When the coaching change was made, it was a lot better, because I’m close with him and we were close friends,” Gant said. “I definitely feel like it was a better thing that he’s the head coach, but also, me and McKenna were good friends too, so it wasn’t really a bad thing. Coach Lansing and I were just a lot closer.”

Lansing plans to run more motion offense and that suited Gant too.

“It definitely influenced me because I wanted a style I could into and help the team be successful in. Motion is something I can be successful with. I can go inside and out. I can play on the perimeter and go in the post. I think it’ll work out in the end,” Gant said.

Gant’s decision ended a process that began in earnest three years ago as the senior-to-be began his career at North. Gant has been on an endless slew of visits since then, and while the journey to Friday’s decision was fun, it was also grueling at times.

“I’m definitely happy it’s over. It’s kind of a relief to be done with it. I can go into my senior season with no worries,” Gant said. “It was exciting when it first started out my freshman year when I got my first offer from Bradley. I knew it would be a fun trip, but I also know its harder than most people think it would be. As it went on, it was still exciting, but it was getting harder and harder.”

Gant will join a Sycamore roster that continues to build with local talent. Terre Haute South’s Jake Odum, Rockville’s R.J. Mahurin, Marshall’s Logan and Lucas Eitel will all be future teammates of Gant during the 2011-12 season. Terre Haute’s Jake Kelly is also on the team, but his eligibility will be exhausted by the time Gant suits up for ISU.

Gant has been playing AAU basketball for the Spiece Select 2011 team, but has elected to stop playing AAU basketball now that he’s made his collegiate choice so he get in shape for his final season at North. Gant was averaging 16 points and 10 rebounds per game for Spiece. He also played for the Indiana Elite team between his sophomore and junior seasons at North.

Gant is the first North player to go to ISU on scholarship since Jim Cruse in 1993. Several ex-Patriots have been walk-ons at ISU since Cruse played for ISU. Stephen Jeffers and Adam Lottino were the most recent ex-North players to be on the ISU roster.

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