UPDATE: Jackson High School guard Brett Kingma commits to Oregon
Published 7:33 pm Sunday, September 26, 2010
Brett Kingma wants to be a Duck.
Kingma, a senior at Jackson High School, verbally committed to play for the University of Oregon men’s basketball team.
I talked to Kingma and Jackson coach Steve Johnson this morning. Here is the first part of my story about Kingma’s commitment. Read the full version in Sunday’s print version of The Herald or on Heradnet.com later today.
By Mike Cane
Herald Writer
Brett Kingma didn’t sleep much the last few days. He’ll have a much easier time resting now.
After riding a wild recruiting wave that heated up in the summer and continued most of this month, Kingma verbally committed late Friday night to the University of Oregon men’s basketball team.
The 6-foot-1 guard from Jackson High School of Mill Creek said Saturday his decision came down to two programs: Oregon and Brigham Young University. In the end, family was the biggest factor, Kingma said.
Oregon’s campus in Eugene is “far enough away from home that I can grow up, but close enough that I can watch my little brother and sisters grow up,” said Kingma, a prolific scorer who helped Jackson reach the 2010 Class 4A state championship game.
Meanwhile, Kingma liked BYU but decided the Cougars’ campus in Provo, Utah was too far away.
Kingma’s verbal commitment to Oregon is non-binding. He plans to sign an NCAA National Letter of Intent on Nov. 10, the first day Class of 2011 high school basketball players are allowed to sign.
Making a decision was a relief, Kingma said.
“It feels really good to know that now my focus is winning a (high school) state title,” he said. “Now I’m decided and I don’t have to worry about it anymore.”
Kingma’s high school coach thinks Kingma made a great choice.
“I think he’s put himself at a school where he’s got a chance to be successful and be part of a rebuilding process and get in on the ground floor,” Jackson boys basketball coach Steve Johnson said.
