When it comes to recruiting international basketball talent on the high school level, few have more experience than Montrose Christian Coach Stu Vetter. He has coached dozens of foreign players during his career and knows that the players who arrive in the United States often look -- and play -- differently than advertised by middle men and other overseas contacts.
"You always hear that these guys can play," Vetter said. "We've been fooled before."
In the case of Greivis Vasquez, things were no different. Vetter and assistant Dave Adkins were told the Venezuelan teenager was 6 feet 9 inches tall.
"We thought we were getting a big guy," Vetter said. "As the [recruiting] process began to draw to a close, he began to get shorter and shorter."
It is perhaps the only way that Vasquez -- who is 6-5 -- has not measured up since he arrived in Rockville last September.
As the college basketball recruiting circuit kicks into high gear with the summer evaluation period in coming weeks, no local rising senior will be followed more closely than Vasquez. Maryland, North Carolina, N.C. State and others already have offered scholarships and it seems certain that Vasquez will be able to go just about wherever he chooses.
Not bad for a guy who this time last year was still in Venezuela and spoke almost no English.
"He's a very unique player," Vetter said, adding that Vasquez has offers from "just about everyone who has seen him play."
Indeed, Vasquez can dribble like a point guard, has the range to play shooting guard, can get to the basket and uses his size well as a rebounder.
Although he averaged only 12.9 points per game this past season, Vasquez began to make a name for himself as coaches coming to scout other Montrose players saw him on the court. Somewhat tentative at the start of the season, Vasquez gradually loosened up as he became more comfortable with new teammates, a new style of play and a thoroughly new experience.
In Venezuela, Vasquez said, basketball is popular, but still not taken as seriously other sports. Players didn't always want to practice every day, he said, and coaches sometimes were unable to attend practice. At Montrose, it's different.
"I take it really seriously," Vasquez said. "I don't play just to have fun."
