Recruiting Update: Samaad Hector (2018 Skyview HS/Lower Columbia)
Lower Columbia is chasing an NWAC title and leading the charge is Samaad Hector. The 6-foot-6 forward has been an unmitigated force as his dominant play both inside and out have the Red Devils near the top of the standings.…
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Continue ReadingLower Columbia is chasing an NWAC title and leading the charge is Samaad Hector. The 6-foot-6 forward has been an unmitigated force as his dominant play both inside and out have the Red Devils near the top of the standings. The Skyview alumnus has all sorts of four-year schools chasing his services but his focus for now is taking his team to the highest heights.
“I’m proud of my team’s efforts every day in practice and when the game comes they do their job and work for the guys next to them,” Hector said. “We have been executing game plans and the freshmen have been aggressive all season.”
Hector has certainly done his part. He’s averaged 18.3 points, a league-high 15.0 rebounds, 1.8 blocks while shooting a robust 54.7 percent from the field. He’s even extended his range, hitting 40.4 percent from three-point range. These are all increased numbers over his freshman campaign and at press time, he was 65 rebounds away from setting the single season and career record for rebounds at Lower Columbia.
His game has been a progression since his high school days at Skyview. “Individually I’m happy with myself and all of my hard work, and I still have room to improve but it takes getting in the gym and staying on the gun a lot to have that,” Hector said. “I think the most important thing for me was mentally I’ve gotten way better with not letting little things like opposing players, or a missed shot get into my head. And my maturity on the court to know when a bad situation is arising helps me keep my teammates away from those situations when I can. Because there is a time and place to talk to the other team, and those times are not in close games when a win is on the line.”
“I feel like I also have put a lot more muscle and speed and so much more IQ and intensity/motor/hustle into me,” he continued. “Through high school if you were to watch the game film, about 60 percent of the time when a shot went up, I’d go get the ball. Now, you would see me in there all the time, every play. And it helps my team out in that aspect because instead of losing a game by 5 points, we win by ten or 15 because we’ve got guys who can get us 10-15 extra shots a game and on the other side, limit a team to just one shot.”
Four-year schools have definitely noticed Hector and feel that he’s someone that can step right in and contribute right away. A whole host of Division II and NAIA schools have already offered scholarships such as Cal State East Bay, Cal State San Marcos, Antelope Valley, Newman (KS), Lewis-Clark State, and Western Washington. D-I schools such as Idaho and Portland State have not yet offered but have been in very close contact.
Hector is keeping all of his options open but does have a few schools that have made a particular impression on him. “Right now, the top five that stand out to me are, Portland State, Idaho, Western Washington, California State East Bay, and California State San Marcos,” Hector said. “This isn’t in any particular order. I am open to all other offers coming in, and I am expecting a lot more from D2 and a few more from D1. I want to get school completely paid for, both academically and athletically, however that works. I don’t have any regards to the area I end up because I am a military child and I’ve lived all over the world. So any school who has offered me has the chance to get me it doesn’t matter where.”
“I would like to get my degree in Law and move on to be a lawyer,” Hector continued. “I’m not sure whether I will go division 1 or 2 yet I haven’t made that choice. But hopefully after my collegiate career is done and in the books I can head overseas and be a professional at what I love to do the most.”
Hector plans on taking his time with his recruitment and currently is doing research on where he’ll take his five allotted official visits as well as five unofficial visits. It will all come after the season though, one in which he hopes finishes with the Red Devils hoisting a trophy.
“We’ll play a game against South Puget Sound who is undefeated in league and stole a win from us on a buzzer beater last month,” Hector said. “So we’re playing for a league title.”