Oregon State Beavers MBB: Tinkle announces 2019 class
RELATED: The Civil War just means more
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Oregon State men’s basketball head coach Wayne Tinkle and his staff announced Tuesday the addition of three student-athletes who signed National Letters of Intent.
The 2019 class includes Julien Franklin, a 6-foot-7, 190-pound shooting guard from Villa Park, Calif., Gianni Hunt, a 6-foot-3, 180-pound point guard from Torrance, Calif., and Jarod Lucas, a 6-foot-3, 185-pound point guard from Hacienda Heights, Calif.
“We are very excited with this class,” Tinkle said. “We have three young, talented kids that bring an extra level of toughness to go along with the young bigs we have in this year’s class. All of these kids come from incredible families and will represent Oregon State the right way on the court, in the classroom and in the community.”
Franklin attends Villa Park High School in Villa Park, Calif., and is a three-star recruit by Rivals.com and 247 Sports. He holds the school record for points in a game (52) and led the team to the regional championship as a sophomore with 21 points and 10 rebounds in the game.
He was selected the Crestview League Most Valuable Player and First Team All-County following his junior season when he averaged 23.8 points, 7.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists.
Franklin was named First Team All-Crestview League, Second Team All-County and Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore when he averaged 14.7 points and 5.3 rebounds. As a freshman, he averaged 10 points and earned honorable mention recognition from the Crestview League.
His brother, Myles, Franklin, is playing basketball at Northeastern University.
He carries a 3.5 cumulative GPA at Villa Park High School.
Franklin chose Oregon State because: “I chose Oregon State because I believe in what the coaches are doing to turn the program into a top-tier university and Corvallis is a great atmosphere to grow as a person and as player.”
Wayne Tinkle on Julien Franklin:
“Julien Franklin has been a guard his entire life but has grown the last couple of years. He’s a skilled, tough-minded player who can play multiple positions. He defends his tail off, he can rebound and he has a great ability to score.”
Hunt attends Bishop Montgomery High School in Torrance, Calif., and is a four-star recruit by ESPN. This past season Hunt led Bishop Montgomery to a 28-2 record and a trip to the CIF Regional semifinals. He played with Ethan Thompson in 2016-17 when the team won the CIF Open Division state championship.
According to 247Sports, Hunt is the nation’s No. 13 point guard and No. 173 overall.
ESPN .com describes Hunt as:
“A strong defender who competes on every possession. Hunt has an intriguing combination of length, quickness and IQ. His ability to penetrate and locate shooters in rhythm makes him a threat for opposing defenders. Hunt understands the lead guard position and has a balanced game that is not predicated on scoring or ego. Hunt knows how to make his teammates better and can find teammates in both transition or half court settings.
“Hunt has high major upside at the point guard position. Hunt is a willing defender who has active hands and feet and loves to stay in front of the opposing guards. Hunt is a proven winner at the high school level and loves to compete on both sides of the ball. Hunt brings IQ, passing, leadership and aggressiveness at the point guard position.”
Hunt chose Oregon State because: “of the relationship I built with the coaches. They recruited me the earliest and the hardest.”
Wayne Tinkle on Gianni Hunt:
“We are very excited with the signing of Gianni Hunt. He comes from a great program at Bishop Montgomery. He’s a true point guard, he’s a leader and he’s very vocal. He really sets the tone on both ends with his style of play. He’s a very capable scorer, but is a pass-first, defend-hard, run-your-team kind of point guard.”
Lucas attends Los Altos High School in Hacienda Heights, Calif., and is a three-star recruit by ESPN, Rivals.com and 247 Sports. He already holds the school records for scoring (2,167) and 3-pointers made (251) heading into his senior season.
He has started every game in his high school career and is a three-time Hacienda League Most Valuable Player, three-time All-CIF and three-time All-State selection. He was named the San Gabriel Valley Tribune Player of the Year in 2018 and was a MaxPreps Freshman All-American.
As a freshman, Lucas averaged 26.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.1 assists while leading the team to a 24-4 record. As a sophomore, he averaged 25.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.0 assists while leading the team to a 21-6 mark. Last season Lucas averaged 26.2 points. 7.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists as the team finished with a 25-4 record.
Lucas is the first player from Los Altos High School to get a Division I basketball scholarship since his father, Jeff Lucas, who attended the University of Hawai’i.
He carries a 3.94 cumulative GPA at Los Altos High School.
Lucas chose Oregon State because: “My relationship to the coaching staff was incomparable to anyone else recruiting me. Both Coach Thompson and Coach Tinkle coach their own sons. Similar to my dad coaching me.”
Wayne Tinkle on Jarod Lucas:
“We are thrilled to be adding Jarod Lucas to our program. He’s a point guard but can play off the ball. He’s the all-time leading scorer and holds the record for most 3-pointers made at his high school. He plays for his dad, so you know you’re getting a smart kid. He brings a lot of toughness along with great skill level.”