Recruiting Report: Matthew Poquette (2018)
After breaking his jaw midway through the season, Morton/White Pass combo-forward Matthew Poquette is eager to get back on the court, and prove he’s truly one of 2018’s best prospects.
The 6-foot-7 junior received his first offer last month from Division II program Hawaii-Hilo. Other schools are hot on is trail.
“I’ve been getting looked at by a couple NAIA schools and some other D2s, like Point Loma Nazarene in San Diego, Lewis-Clark State in Idaho and a couple other ones,” said Poquette.
“I’ve been in contact with some Division I coaches, but not often. I’m hoping to change that this summer.”
Washington’s 14th-ranked 2018, Poquette says what’s most important is the fit, not the level he plays at.
“For me it’s more of a fit thing,” he said. “I just want to go to a program where I get along with the coaches and players, and just have that family feeling.”
With good size and an increasingly diverse skill-set, Poquette is able to do a little bit of everything for his teams.
“I like to make my teammates better, and I’m a good athlete so I like to play defense and rebound, and then get out in transition and run the floor — looking for teammates and scoring myself too,” said Poquette.
He says that he plays small forward on his high school team, and with his grassroots squad, he plays power forward.
“It just depends on whatever the team needs, I‘ll do whichever. I think I’ll be recruited more as a wing,” said Poquette.
“When I first started I was strictly a post, right now my handles are getting better and I’m working on my ball-handling and shooting from the outside. It’s improved a lot over the past year, and it’s really been paying off.”
After sitting out the second half of the season because of the jaw injury, he’ll be ready to go this spring, and will again play with Washington Supreme on the Under Armour circuit.
“This summer is really big obviously, I just want to get out there and prove myself, and that I belong as one of the top recruits in Washington,” said Poquette.
“I just want to go out there and have success, and show my improvements from last year to this year.”