Gonzaga College High School is one of the premier basketball programs in the Washington D.C. area, and a valuable member of the city's famed Catholic League. This year's team added to the legacy Sunday night with a 55-49 win over Wilson to win the DCSAA Boys State Championship.
One of main cogs for Gonzaga was Myles Stute. The Top 150 forward in the 2020 Class according Rivals signed with Vanderbilt in November, and put together a strong senior campaign with the weight of a college choice off his shoulders. He averaged 10 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2 assists on the year.
A constant in the program has been Head Coach, Steve Turner. He spoke with VandySports.com on Monday afternoon, where he gave a unique and educated perspective; a look at what it is like to coach Myles Stute.
Q: Congratulations on your DCSAA championship. Tell us about that and how the season went for you.
Turner: "This senior group has really had a tremendous four year run playing in two of our last championships in their first three years, and winning two of the three. We decided this year to put them through the gauntlet in terms of our national schedule. The schedule we put in front of them challenged them to be the best they can be, and gave them the opportunity to play against the best in the country. I felt like they stepped up and lived up to it. We had things go against us, but it helped develop us as a program and a team, and gave us the opportunity be be strong and compete at the end of the year and try to win the WCAC title. Unfortunately we fell short and lost in the semi-finals, but we were fortunate enough to come back an win the DC State. So I think the guys had a great season setting there at 25-10. Pretty much all of their losses were to nationally ranked teams, and they were single digit losses for the most part. I'm just proud of the group, proud of Myles being part of that group and the leader of that group. We still have three games left. We have a tournament coming up next week called the Alhambra Catholic Invitational, and that's when we will finish our season."
Q: What kind of year did Myles have for you?
Turner: "He was pretty Steady Eddie for us. He does so many different things. There are some nights he doesn't have big numbers in the book, but he's either guarding one of their best players or he's doing things for us inside and out. He can score at the rim. He can really shoot the ball. So he was one of the guys who was the focal point of our team."
Q: From speaking with him, he just seems like an exceptional kid who has it all together. I would think he has great leadership qualities.
Turner: "He really understands it. It's been instilled in him at home by his parents. It created in him such a tremendous work ethic. He's a guy that can lead us in so many different ways. Sometimes it's not vocally, it's just by example. I thought last night he really didn't score for us, but his energy was off the charts with how hard he played. It got the rest of out team up watching him play with that kind of energy and he led our guys in a lot of different ways without him having to say a word."
Q: On the next level is he more of a three, a four, a three/four combo, or is he positionless? How do you see him?
Turner: "I think he can be a three/four combo, but I think he'll be more of a three. I think Coach (Stackhouse) has really talked about what they fell in love with and how well he shot the ball last summer when the offer went on the table. I think I see him more of a guy who plays out of the wing spot to knock down shots, but his athleticism and his versatility allows a coach to be able to play him in a couple of different ways."
Q: You have had a lot of college players. How do you see him doing on the next level?
Turner: "I think his best basketball is still ahead of him. I don't think you've seen the best of Myles Stute yet. I think it is still to come. Certainly he has played great for us for four years, but I think he will blossom in college with the opportunity to continually grow."
Q: How quick do you see his growth in college? Can he come in right away and contribute or does he need a year or two under his belt?
Turner: "I think he'll be contributing in some type of way. I really haven't broken down the lineup and who they are losing and who they have coming back. But the one thing that is valued more than anything else in the game today is shooting, and Myles can shoot the ball. So I think that is an area he can come in and make contributions immediately. Certainly he has a body that I believe is college ready. He certainly has a body that can put on more mass once he gets into a college weight room and a college dinner table. That is going to change that part of him as well going forward to becoming even better."
Q: What is his height and weight right now?
Turner: "6-foot-6, 6-foot-7, about 210."
Q: I've heard a lot of the same things from Corey Evans about his shot progressing and being able to move out on the floor. I'm sure you were with him each step of the way. Talk about how that part of his game has expanded.
Turner: "I think the thing is as an eighth grader the thing he was probably most noted for was his shot and his athletic ability. In the high school level you move guys around depending on what you have on the roster. He got play more in the forward spot as a face-up four than being a three. So he had to battle a little more inside and do some things as an interior player for us. But his shot has always been there. I believe it always stays with you, but he can practice and even get better at it."
Q: How far out is he comfortable with his range?
Turner: "He's got NBA range. That's not an issue for him."
Q: One other question off the subject. I know you are familiar with D.J. Harvey. You coached against him when he was at DeMatha. He's red shirting at Vanderbilt right now. How do you see him as a player?
Turner: "When D.J. was at DeMatha he was a high energy, high level player above the rim. Really, I thought he had an unbelievable one-two pull-up mid-range game. He can score at all three levels. I think he excels them most at the mid-range and getting to the rim, but has the ability to stretch it out to the three-point line. With his athleticism he can be a very good defender."
One of main cogs for Gonzaga was Myles Stute. The Top 150 forward in the 2020 Class according Rivals signed with Vanderbilt in November, and put together a strong senior campaign with the weight of a college choice off his shoulders. He averaged 10 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2 assists on the year.
A constant in the program has been Head Coach, Steve Turner. He spoke with VandySports.com on Monday afternoon, where he gave a unique and educated perspective; a look at what it is like to coach Myles Stute.
Q: Congratulations on your DCSAA championship. Tell us about that and how the season went for you.
Turner: "This senior group has really had a tremendous four year run playing in two of our last championships in their first three years, and winning two of the three. We decided this year to put them through the gauntlet in terms of our national schedule. The schedule we put in front of them challenged them to be the best they can be, and gave them the opportunity to play against the best in the country. I felt like they stepped up and lived up to it. We had things go against us, but it helped develop us as a program and a team, and gave us the opportunity be be strong and compete at the end of the year and try to win the WCAC title. Unfortunately we fell short and lost in the semi-finals, but we were fortunate enough to come back an win the DC State. So I think the guys had a great season setting there at 25-10. Pretty much all of their losses were to nationally ranked teams, and they were single digit losses for the most part. I'm just proud of the group, proud of Myles being part of that group and the leader of that group. We still have three games left. We have a tournament coming up next week called the Alhambra Catholic Invitational, and that's when we will finish our season."
Q: What kind of year did Myles have for you?
Turner: "He was pretty Steady Eddie for us. He does so many different things. There are some nights he doesn't have big numbers in the book, but he's either guarding one of their best players or he's doing things for us inside and out. He can score at the rim. He can really shoot the ball. So he was one of the guys who was the focal point of our team."
Q: From speaking with him, he just seems like an exceptional kid who has it all together. I would think he has great leadership qualities.
Turner: "He really understands it. It's been instilled in him at home by his parents. It created in him such a tremendous work ethic. He's a guy that can lead us in so many different ways. Sometimes it's not vocally, it's just by example. I thought last night he really didn't score for us, but his energy was off the charts with how hard he played. It got the rest of out team up watching him play with that kind of energy and he led our guys in a lot of different ways without him having to say a word."
Q: On the next level is he more of a three, a four, a three/four combo, or is he positionless? How do you see him?
Turner: "I think he can be a three/four combo, but I think he'll be more of a three. I think Coach (Stackhouse) has really talked about what they fell in love with and how well he shot the ball last summer when the offer went on the table. I think I see him more of a guy who plays out of the wing spot to knock down shots, but his athleticism and his versatility allows a coach to be able to play him in a couple of different ways."
Q: You have had a lot of college players. How do you see him doing on the next level?
Turner: "I think his best basketball is still ahead of him. I don't think you've seen the best of Myles Stute yet. I think it is still to come. Certainly he has played great for us for four years, but I think he will blossom in college with the opportunity to continually grow."
Q: How quick do you see his growth in college? Can he come in right away and contribute or does he need a year or two under his belt?
Turner: "I think he'll be contributing in some type of way. I really haven't broken down the lineup and who they are losing and who they have coming back. But the one thing that is valued more than anything else in the game today is shooting, and Myles can shoot the ball. So I think that is an area he can come in and make contributions immediately. Certainly he has a body that I believe is college ready. He certainly has a body that can put on more mass once he gets into a college weight room and a college dinner table. That is going to change that part of him as well going forward to becoming even better."
Q: What is his height and weight right now?
Turner: "6-foot-6, 6-foot-7, about 210."
Q: I've heard a lot of the same things from Corey Evans about his shot progressing and being able to move out on the floor. I'm sure you were with him each step of the way. Talk about how that part of his game has expanded.
Turner: "I think the thing is as an eighth grader the thing he was probably most noted for was his shot and his athletic ability. In the high school level you move guys around depending on what you have on the roster. He got play more in the forward spot as a face-up four than being a three. So he had to battle a little more inside and do some things as an interior player for us. But his shot has always been there. I believe it always stays with you, but he can practice and even get better at it."
Q: How far out is he comfortable with his range?
Turner: "He's got NBA range. That's not an issue for him."
Q: One other question off the subject. I know you are familiar with D.J. Harvey. You coached against him when he was at DeMatha. He's red shirting at Vanderbilt right now. How do you see him as a player?
Turner: "When D.J. was at DeMatha he was a high energy, high level player above the rim. Really, I thought he had an unbelievable one-two pull-up mid-range game. He can score at all three levels. I think he excels them most at the mid-range and getting to the rim, but has the ability to stretch it out to the three-point line. With his athleticism he can be a very good defender."
