Standout sophomore to join Hoosiers in 2011

Highland High School (Ariz.) sophomore Matt Carlino verbally committed to play for IU on Saturday, ending both his recruitment and the accompanying stresses of being highly touted without a college destination.

“(IU coach Tom Crean) told me that when I get there that I’ll be an impact player at Indiana,” Carlino said. “He told me he wants to get me to the next level, and he thinks he can do that for me. I know he can. I just have a lot of faith in Coach Crean – in the way he can develop me as a player.”

Carlino’s father and high school coach, Mark, is well aware of the benefit of his 16-year-old son ending his recruitment early and says they can now use the next few years to make sure he improves his basketball game.

“When you’re in the process, when you’re being hunted by all these coaches, you tend to play for them, and you don’t play for yourself or your team,” Mark Carlino said on Monday. “Now he can just really get down and dirty and try to develop his game, play for himself and the teammates he’s playing with and just get himself as ready as possible – as ready as he can be for Indiana when he gets there.”

The younger Carlino measured in at 6-foot-2 and one-half inches and 170 pounds this past weekend, and although he’s listed as a combo guard, the sophomore from Phoenix considers himself “more of a point guard.” Recruiting service Scout.com already lists Carlino as a 4-star recruit, while the Hoop Scoop recently tabbed him as the No. 16 prospect in the class of 2011.

Carlino received a scholarship offer from Crean in June when he was in town for a team camp. This past weekend the entire Carlino family made it back to Bloomington for the second Elite Camp, and it was only a matter of time between interacting with the coaches and seeing some of the famous IU alumni that Carlino knew where he wanted to play.

“He was always very high on Indiana ever since we were there for the team camp, and I think just having been there again and really kind of confirming in his own mind from which he liked it, I think he decided,” his father said.
Carlino calls the IU basketball tradition “unbelievable” and said it’s “hard not to love” Bloomington. It’s Crean and the rest of the coaching staff, though, that really sold him on coming to IU.

Although Carlino averaged more than 16 points per game as a freshman, the sophomore said he needs to improve his consistency, instead of just the occasional spectacular play. Carlino’s father said he needs to get stronger and shoot more consistently, but both he and the IU coaches would also like to see him become a leader on the court.

“More than anything, I think, and this is also Coach Crean who has talked to him about this, he needs to really become one of those leaders who brings the best out of his teammates and make them better,” Mark Carlino said.

While Carlino shied away from listing his strengths, knowing he “can improve on everything,” future IU teammates Jordan Hulls and Bobby Capobianco – both commits for 2009 – were sold on the sophomore at this weekend’s Elite Camp.

Hulls said Carlino is a “real strong, tough player” who can play both ends of the floor well, and he’s “glad that he’s going to come to IU.” Capobianco said they scrimmaged on the same team this weekend and was impressed with his game, his basketball IQ and his athleticism.

“In layup lines he was throwing down windmill dunks, and any kid that can do that of any height is super athletic,” Capobianco said. “I’m really excited.”