Beavers Recruiting Point Guards

Pictured: Missouri Point Guard Wesley Stokes

The Beavers have signed one new point guard and have considered another. The state of the OSU basketball team improved when Lamar Hurd agreed to play for the Beavers, and Coach Jay John is continuing to make progress only months after taking over as head coach. Oregon State is getting back on the map after wandering off the winning trail during the past decade.

The signing of Lamar Hurd wasn’t a major surprise. He had been interested in Oregon State for some time and returned from a “very good trip” in May. He’s the type of prep player that the Beavers need, and his athleticism will stand out on the current team. He has the potential to be a cornerstone at the point.

He is a prep from Cleveland, TX, and he has great all-around ability. This is an important attribute for Jay John's players because they are expected to play an up-tempo style. Hurd may be a better defender than he is a scorer, which makes him dangerous in any system.

The Beavers need point guards, and Hurd is one of the best. He’s rated highly by recruiting publications, and more importantly, he’s an unselfish team player who is accustomed to winning. Oregon State has historically had some great point guards, and there are immediate openings on the current roster.

Another potential point guard signee is still looming on the horizon for the Beavers. Wesley Stokes has reportedly moved Oregon State near the top of his list. HoopScoopOnline is reporting that Stokes now has the Beavers as the team to beat, but it’s still unknown where he’ll end up. We also have confirmation that Oregon State had shown interest in him while he was in Long Beach, CA as a prep. The impression OSU made then may have carried over.

Wesley Stokes is a talented sophomore point guard from Missouri. He will be transferring from Missouri to another school at the end of the year, and spend his time sitting out in 2002. Oregon State was one of his biggest supporters when he came out of High School.

Stokes was an average scorer for the Tigers, but he distributed the ball well and led the team in assists. He has the ability to find openings in the lane, and he elevates well for his size. His scoring average dropped to 5.8 points by the end of the season, but he led his team in assists with 4.1. He’s a good free throw shooter, and he was a top 10 3-point shooter during conference play. He played well during the big games and was a crowd favorite during his stay at Missouri.

The left-hander played very well as a freshman, but he didn’t repeat the success in his sophomore season. Regardless, he is still a top talent at point guard and a fresh start could be the solution. We’ll keep an eye on Stokes because a decision could come at any time.