SoCalHoops Recruiting News

Surratt Signs NLI With Fresno State;
DeAngelo Collins A "Lock"--(Nov. 20, 2001)

The Fresno State Bulldogs haven't yet officially released a press statement announcing the signing of Armando Surratt (5'-11" Sr. PG) of Oakland Tech HS, but he has told Eric Prisbell of the Fresno Bee that he signed the National Letter of Intent that the Bulldogs presented to him this past Sunday night, and presumably it's being sent by some method other than carrier pigeon and the Bulldogs just haven't gotten around to announcing it, so busy are they with celebrating their win over the formerly No. 20 ranked Trojans (who are now ranked No. 24 or 25 depending on which poll you read as a result of the loss).  But according to Prisbell, Surratt is coming to Fresno, and has always wanted to play there, whether Tark returns or not, and apparently if Tark doesn't, his son Danny Tarkanian, a current assistant, will apply for the job.

The more interesting tidbit in Prisbell's article---not that Armando Surratt signing isn't interesting in and of itself---at least for those of us in Southern California, is the quote from Inglewood HS head coach Pat Roy, who says if DeAngelo Collins doesn't opt for the NBA (which we think would be likely), that he's "a lock" for Fresno State.  Interesting team the Bulldogs would have with these two. Here's the story from the Fresno Bee, which appeared in Monday's paper (Nov. 19):

Surratt says he will play for Bulldogs, Tark or not
By Eric Prisbell
The Fresno Bee
(Published Monday, November, 19, 2001 4:45AM)

As the Fresno State men's basketball team heads to New York today with a No. 21 national ranking, a high-profile recruit is preparing to join the Bulldogs next season.

Oakland Tech's Armando Surratt -- ranked the 51st-best player nationally by Recruiting USA -- confirmed Sunday he has signed a letter-of-intent with coach Jerry Tarkanian's program.

"I've known all along I wanted to go to Fresno State; I just hadn't said it," Surratt said from his Oakland home. "When other schools weren't contacting me as much, Fresno State kept calling."

He sounded in awe when told his future team will play in New York this week in the semifinals of the Preseason NIT. He plans to attend games at Selland Arena this season, and said he will make a showing at the Dec. 11 game at Cal.

With home-court wins over Montana State and USC last week, the Bulldogs earned the trip and moved into the USA Today/ESPN coaches' poll at No. 21 Sunday.

Surratt is the first member of Fresno State's 2002 recruiting class. He said he plans to sway other West Coast players considering the Bulldogs. The most notable is Inglewood High's DeAngelo Collins, who is the No. 7 ranked
recruit in the country. The 6-foot-9 Collins is a lock for either the NBA or Fresno State next year, his coach, Pat Roy, has said.

This summer, Surratt played several times with Collins, who was the most valuable player of the adidas/ABCD Camp. At the Las Vegas Big Time tournament, Surratt said Collins told him he wanted to go to the NBA.

"But I think I can convince him to come to Fresno State," Surratt said. "If he can go to the league and get drafted, though, he'll probably do that. That's what I would do if I were him."'

There are concerns Surratt will have to sit next season as an academic nonqualifer. Surratt said he has a 3.0 grade-point average and is studying to take the SAT in December. With a 3.0 GPA, he would need an 820 SAT score to establish his athletic eligibility.

"I should be OK," he said.

Last season, the 5-10 Surratt averaged 18.3 points on a talent-laden Oakland Tech team that went 24-2. His teammates include heralded junior Leon Powe.

Surratt's weakness, he concedes, is his patience. Much like former Bulldogs point guard Tito Maddox, Surratt likes to push the ball, perhaps too much, he said.

At ABCD Camp, where he played well against Duke-bound Sean Dockery, Surratt appeared indifferent about Fresno State. But the Bulldogs, spearheaded by assistant Chris Farr, made a hard push after Las Vegas high school standout CJ Watson opted for Tennessee.

Surratt spoke to Tarkanian over the weekend, but discussion about Tarkanian's future was not broached.

"I think he'll come back next year," Surratt said. "But even if he doesn't, I'll be happy to play for Danny [Tarkanian]. Either way, I'm just looking forward to going to the school."

Whenever Jerry Tarkanian retires, his son and chief assistant, Danny Tarkanian, has said he will apply for the job.

Despite growing up in Oakland, Surratt has tried to model his game after East Coast-bred Stephon Marbury, a strong, hard-nosed point guard with the NBA's Phoenix Suns. The 165-pound Surratt said he can bench-press 190
pounds three times.

"I'm strong," Surratt said. "And I'm trying to get big like Stephon."

The reporter can be reached at eprisbell@fresnobee.com or 441-6625.

 
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