Bayron Matos Looking at Bulldogs
September first Dominican Bayron Matos (Hamilton Heights Christian Academy) added a Mississippi State offer. Later this month Mississippi State Bulldog Head Coach Ben Howland will get Matos on campus for an official visit.
Mississippi State University official visit October 25-28 ???????????????????????????? I am very excited for my great visit to the University of Mississippi State???????????????????????? @PrepHoopsTN @FDMAthletics @HHhawksbball @EveryDayCam @VerbalCommits @EAB_Tennessee @HailStateMBK @juliansuero pic.twitter.com/jQyrNsPxJc
— Bayron matos (@Big_Matos07) October 11, 2018
Mississippi State is adidas’ attempt to control a portion of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Only Texas A&M and Mississippi State are under adidas uniform/gear contracts (see below).
SEC
Alabama: Nike
Arkansas: Nike
Auburn: Under Armour
Florida: Nike
Georgia: Nike
Kentucky: Nike
LSU: Nike
Mississippi State: Adidas
Missouri: Nike
Ole Miss: Nike
South Carolina: Under Armour
Tennessee: Nike
Texas A&M: Adidas
Vanderbilt: Nike
The Bulldogs clawed many of the top players from the state of Mississippi in recent years (Weatherspoons, Keyshawn Feazell, Robert Woodard) and also already lured one HHCA player to the fold.
Remember the length and imposing defense of Abdul Ado? The Nigerian-born Hamilton Heights Christian Academy graduate helped HHCA to two NACA Championships with exceptional rebounding.
In his first season playing with Mississippi State, Ado started every single game, rebounded 6.4 per, and blocked nearly two shots per game.
That Mississippi State successfully transitioned Ado into a college-level player after he attended and thrived at HHCA certainly gives Matos a blueprint to follow…if he elects to commit.
Options
Bayron Matos is a hot commodity. In addition to Mississippi State, Matos already drew D1 offers from Florida, Dayton, Grand Canyon, Fresno State, Pacific, and Illinois.
Florida was the first to offer. They loved Matos when HHCA camped at Florida back in June. All of those offers from California and Arizona colleges came from Matos’ Pangos Camp explosion. His time in the United States has been extremely successful already and Matos has yet to play a high school game.
Official visits are allowed for high school juniors for the first time ever. Colleges can pay for full official visits starting in September of a prospects junior academic year now. Top tier players like Keon Johnson and Bayron Matos are taking official visits now.
How will those early entreaties be received? Is it too early to get a player on campus? Typically any opportunity to host a player is worth doing earlier rather than later. But Keon and Bayron can’t sign anything for another full year (November 2019), so will these visits be too soon or just a great move?
Keep an eye on Matos’ later this month. His high school season will be wonderful and follow HHCA’s journey to another NACA Tournament in the spring.