Rhode Island picked up a tremendous point guard prospect Saturday when E.C. Matthews pledged to the Rams.
The 6-foot-4, 180-pound Matthews out of Romulus (Mich.) High also had offers from Minnesota, Iowa, Marquettte, Providence, Missouri, UConn, Xavier and Dayton, his coach, Nate Oates, told SNY.tv.
“I was real comfortable with the coaching staff and the Hurley Brothers,” Matthews told SNY.tv. “What stood out the most was that they wanted me as a point guard only. They’re telling me that they see something in me as a point guard only, and academic-wise it stood out for me, too.”
“First off, Preston Murphy had been recruiting him for a long time,” Oates added. “He wouldn’t have gone there with the last staff. But Danny [Hurley] has done an unbelievable job.
“E.C.’s big into player development. Danny’s big on player development. They feel they can make E.C. into a big time point guard and at the end of the day that’s what made the decision, his comfort level with the staff and the fact that they were recrutiing him as a straight point guard.”
The Rivals No. 25 point guard in the Class of 2013, Matthews said he could’ve chosen a bigger-time school but felt he made the right decision.
“I’m a big addition to it but at the end of the day it’s a team game,” he said. “I know I’ll bring a lot of energy and a new style of play.
“Coach Hurley believes in me to lead the program to new heights so I’m looking forward to the opportunity because I know a lot of players would commit to a bigger school because it sounds good or it looks good on paper but I committed to Rhode Island for the right reasons.”
