K-Stated

We’re focusing on three ‘08 targets: Lee College forward Dominique Keller, North Kansas City High center Garrett Stutz and Chipola (Fla.) College forward Mario Little.

But let’s start with Stutz (pronounced STUTTS), who has an unbelievable story — some of which you might have read here.

A year ago, he was a 6-foot-8, 190-pound small forward from tiny Plaza Heights Christian Academy (enrollment: 37), wondering if any NAIA schools might be interested in him. If not, Stutz reasoned, he’d follow the lead of his older brother Logan, who plays for Butler County.

Now, he’s a 7-foot-plus center, about 220 pounds, with 8-10 Division I scholarship offers — including K-State. Kentucky and Kansas are interested, as is Marquette, but those three universities are adopting a wait-and-see attitude. Basically, they want to see if he dominates at North Kansas City, and then they’ll probably offer Stutz late, which is convenient because he doesn’t plan on signing during the early period.

For now, though, it’s Iowa State, Nebraska, Missouri State, Wichita State, St. Louis, SMU, Northwestern and the Wildcats.

“Any offer would have been good,” said Bill Stutz, Garrett’s father.

That was before his son blew up on the AAU circuit. Participating in the Kingwood Classic in Houston in April, Scott Wedman, Garrett’s AAU coach, contacted Bill Stutz after the first day.

Wedman had already received six phone calls from interested coaches.

“Every coach always says (Garrett) is so skilled,” Bill said.

Now, Dad is biased. He admits as much. But he’s also a coach, having coached Garrett for two seasons at Plaza Heights, and it’s clear the son has gleaned some of his feel, his touch from being around the game.

Because he wasn’t always a classic big game, there isn’t much he can’t do.

He can shoot it from 21, 22 feet. He has great shooting form — his father says Garrett shoots 80 percent from the free-throw line. He can grab a defensive rebound, take three dribbles and not trip over his feet.

Plus, he’s 7-foot and growing, with a 7-foot-2 wingspan and a reach of 9-foot-2.

He was at Missouri State last week and at Wichita State over the weekend. Here’s his schedule for the coming weeks: nothing this weekend, at Nebraska Sept. 15 for the USC football game, at Northwestern Sept. 29 for the Michigan football game, at K-State Oct. 6 for KU-K-State, at Kentucky Oct. 13 for Midnight Madness, and at Iowa State Oct. 20 for the Oklahoma football game.

AND then there’s Little, a 6-foot-5, 210-pounder whom Chipola coach Greg Heiar likens to “a young Ron Artest, the Artest back at St. John’s.”

In other words, he’s not crazy.

Despite averaging only 10 points and six rebounds as a freshman last season, Little is in demand.

“He can really, really score the ball,” Heiar said Friday.

He’s a Chicago native, so it makes sense Illinois is one of his three finalists. Actually, that might be misleading. According to Heiar, Little is planning only three early visits — to Illinois, KU and K-State.

The Jayhawks are in the mix because of all of the players from the Windy City already on the roster. As for the Wildcats, Heiar said the fact that K-State is “up and coming” certainly helps. As does the fact that the staff — all together now — is recruiting Little harder than anyone else.

“He’s going to visit those schools, come back, talk with me about it and unless something drastic happens, he’s going to make his commitment and sign with one of those schools,” Heiar said.

It’s Lawrence this weekend (a football game against Southeastern Louisiana), followed by Manhattan next weekend (a football game against Missouri State). He’ll go to Champaign the last weekend of the month, when the Illini meet Penn State in football.

FINALLY, here’s a little on Keller from his coach, Roy Champagne:

“He’s a long 6-foot-7, 220-pounder with versatility. He can play the ‘3’ but also with his back to the basket. He was the fourth-leading scorer in the conference at 18.1 points. He also averaged six rebounds. As a freshman, that’s tough to do in our league.

“He’s more than just an athlete. … His abilities can take him very far. It’s a matter of maturing within the game. If he grasps that. … He has a beautiful body, but he can do more. I mean, we’d all like to look like LeBron James. … He could become a 240-pound lean, mean, fighting machine.

“The sky is the limit as long as he matures his basketball IQ.”

As for K-State, which Champagne said is the front-runner for Keller’s services, the forward plans to be in Manhattan for the Oct. 5 football game against KU. He, too, plans to decide during the early signing period, choosing between the Wildcats, UNLV, West Virginia, Charlotte, Texas A&M, and, of course, KU.