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For now, the Mountain Crest High School senior can only verbally commit to where he will take his game collegiately. Hanks is staying in the Beehive State as he will sign with Southern Utah University on Nov. 11.
“I have looked at several universities,” Hanks said. “At Southern Utah, the coaches treated everybody with respect. They care for everybody they have. ... I just had an overall good feeling about them.”
After some a discussion with his parents, Hanks was convinced to join the Thunderbirds. He was also recruited by St. Mary’s, Weber State and Utah Valley University.The 6-foot-11 Mustang has improved his game the past few years, which started drawing attention from Division I schools. This past summer he traveled to camps in Kentucky, Long Beach, Calif., and Las Vegas with his AAU state team — Salt Lake Metro.
“They are good guys and have helped me a lot,” Hanks said of Salt Lake Metro. “They have helped improve my skills. ... I have worked hard over the summer against some of the best kids in the state.”
The tall Millville resident thinks he is done growing, but also said “you never know.” He currently weighs 215 pounds. Hanks has put on 15 pounds from a year ago and hopes to put a few more on before arriving in Cedar City.
Mountain Crest boys coach Jim Crosbie has seen drastic improvement from his center. Hanks made the starting lineup midway through the 2008-09 season.
“As the season progressed, he came along pretty fast and by the end was starting,” Crosbie said. “... He had worked really hard. He has progressed a lot since he was a freshman.
“I have talked to a lot of college coaches, and I think his best basketball is going to come well after high school. He is maturing and developing so much. A few more years and another 30 to 40 pounds of muscles, he will be a totally different player. He is pretty athletic and works so dang hard to get better.”
Crosbie played at SUU and met his wife there.
“It’s kind of weird, because I have been gone so long I’m kind of out of touch with my time there,” Crosbie said. “Sometimes I wonder if the kids even know that I played. It’s cool. I had a wonderful time down there, great memories.”
The son of Del and Rachelle Hanks will play for veteran head coach Roger Reid at SUU. College coaches can not commit until after a player has signed.
“I like the overall character of him (Reid),” Hanks said. “I have no doubt in his coaching skills. He told me if I work hard, I could possibly go on to the next level.”
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| Mountain Crest's Cal Hanks (32) goes up for a rebound against Timpview's Loncoln Selk during their game Friday night in Hyrum. (Eli Lucero/Herald Journal) |
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