Recruiting Report: Dalton Banks (2020)
Dalton Banks is now the third ranked senior-to-be in the state of Wisconsin. The 6-foot-1 lead guard had a great summer with D1 Minnesota and is now prepared for recruiting and his senior year. Banks just finished up a three…
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Continue ReadingDalton Banks is now the third ranked senior-to-be in the state of Wisconsin. The 6-foot-1 lead guard had a great summer with D1 Minnesota and is now prepared for recruiting and his senior year.
Banks just finished up a three year career with D1 Minnesota that has helped put Banks on the map of eight different division schools that have offered the point guard a scholarship.
“Overall these last three years have been great,” Banks said. “As far as development as a basketball player and as a person. I think there is no place I would rather be. I would say these last three years have been a blessing. Al Harris is getting the best out of me. He cares about me and he is concerned with getting the best out of me. Al might be a little tough on me sometimes but I know that’s because he wants me to be successful and he cares about me. Playing for D1 Minnesota has been a great opportunity.”
Banks can score, his 24 points a game at Eau Claire North shooting 45 percent from the field shows that. But on D1 Minnesota, Banks took the floor with four different guys that have been ranked or are about to be ranked top 75 in the nation (Dawson Garcia, Kendall Brown, Ben Carlson, and Kerwin Walton) and another four that are division one level players themselves (Connor Christensen, Austin Andrews, Drake Dobbs, Steven Crowl). His role is different with this group and he played it well enough for D1 Minnesota to win 33 of 38 games this season.
“I take pride in taking care of the ball and getting other players good looks,” Dalton said. “We have so many guys on this team that can make plays and that are so talented. For me I just try and set everybody up a bit.”
Dalton plays his high school basketball in Wisconsin but his spring/summer basketball with a Minnesota team. Is one better than the other? Banks is too smart to answer that question in the wrong way.
“Honestly I think it’s pretty close between the two states and honestly I think people around the country sleep on both states. I think Wisconsin and Minnesota have some of the best basketball in the country. So I can’t really go either way, home is on both sides of the border!”
Banks has earned eight scholarship offers to this point. Next up for him is deciding which school will be the right fit for a visit, and then ultimately a decision.
“I have been telling every school that I just want to get through this last week of play with my teammates, enjoy that, and then I will go from there,” Banks said. “Right now I have eight offers. It’s Wright State, Ball State, Southern Illinois, Green Bay, Milwaukee, South Dakota, North Dakota State, and Montana.
“I think the schools recruiting me the hardest would be Southern Illinois, Ball State, North Dakota State, and Milwaukee. I will probably set up those official visits after this week.”
Dalton commonly took three or four shots a game when we watched him play with D1 Minnesota. Sometimes less. With his high school team the role is much different. Last year Banks averaged 24 points, 7 boards, and 7 assists a game as a junior.
“On my high school team I don’t want to say I do everything but I definitely have a bigger role,” Dalton explained. “Last year I averaged high numbers in three categories often getting close to triple doubles. I think it’s good to play with D1 Minnesota at a high level and then be able to maintain that level while playing a lower level of play.”
Last question as I sat between Banks and Connor Christensen, commonly considered the best defender in Minnesota (or at least the most consistent wing defender), who is the best at taking charges between the two?
“It’s got to be me!” Dalton quickly stated. “You have to say yourself in this situation!”