Recruiting Report: Gaven Pinkley (2018)
Hillsboro (MO) 2018 combo forward Gaven Pinkley is an underrated player in the Missouri 2018 class. He is extremely skilled at 6’8” as he can put it on the deck getting to the hoop through traffic. Solid athlete around the hoop. What he does best is shoot the ball with a clean stroke from three. His combination of being able to finish inside on drives, stretch the defense, and get on the glass make him a very intriguing low-major prospect. We caught up with Pinkley to discuss his senior season.
“My senior season is going well. We are currently 18-3 and have won two tournaments. After a 17-0 start we had a rough week last week at the Ameritime Tournament. We dropped all three games, two in overtime. We bounced back Tuesday with a conference win making us 2-0 in the conference. Individually I am averaging 19.5 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 blocks. Approaching 2,000 career points and 1000 rebounds.”
He spoke about where he has seen the most improvement in his game.
“This year I’ve been getting double and triple teamed a lot more. I feel like I have improved on seeing where the extra defenders are coming from and being able to make the right decision. Being able to do this is really making my teammates better. Instead of just being a pick and pop shooter I’ve improved on being able to put the ball on the floor and beat my guy and get to the 15 foot area and hit the pull up jumper.”
What can he bring to a team at the college level?
“I think my biggest strength is being versatile at multiple positions by being able to defend people at the 5, 4, and 3 positions. Offensively I can stretch a bigger defender out and take him off the dribble as well as work him in the post being able to finish over both shoulders. If I have a smaller player guarding me I can take advantage of that in the post. Coaches who come and watch me know that I can shoot and finish at the rim, but are impressed at how well I pass the ball. Being able to play multiple positions is what would make me valuable at the next level.”
The Hillsboro senior says he holds offers from SIU-Edwardsville, Lindenwood, Maryville, and Central Missouri. North Dakota State has started talking to him lately. D2’s Lincoln Memorial, Drury, and Northwest Missouri State are also in the mix. He will take a visit this weekend to Pittsburg State. He told us what he will be looking for in a school.
“When making my decision on a school I’ll be looking for a place where I fit into the program. A place where I have a good relationship with the coaches and where I can see myself getting better. Somewhere with a good sense of family and community support is a nice quality in a school as well.”
Pinkley ran with Ramey-Jets United on the travel team circuit where he was a consistent threat for the Adidas squad. He is ranked #15 overall in the PrepHoopsMissouri 2018 class.