Class Of 2009 Hidden Gem: Matt Sullivan

December 30, 2007

1:00 P.M. CST

Matt Sullivan is a player whose name has never come up for conversation when discussing prospects in Illinois from the class of 2009.  However, Sullivan, a 6'4 junior wing from Loyola Academy in Wilmette, IL, has been his team's leading scorer this season and has put up big numbers in several games.  Sullivan did so once again last night at the Wheeling Hardwood Classic, scoring 27 points in helping Loyola capture its third straight tournament championship with a 69-54 victory over North Chicago.

While we ourselves were dismissing Sullivan as a mere afterthought at first, he continued to grow on us as the championship game at Wheeling wore on.  What makes him an intriguing prospect above all else is that he can score in a variety of ways. 

Sullivan is strong and as a result can consistently power his way to the basket and score inside.  However, he is also more than capable of torching opponents from beyond the 3-point arc.  To top everything off, Sullivan is also a better than average ball handler and is capable of bringing the ball up the floor versus pressure.

There are also a number of intangibles in Sullivan's favor, one of which is the fact that he plays extremely hard and has an outstanding work ethic.  He is also aided by the fact that he comes from solid blood lines, as his older brother Peter is currently playing basketball at Brown. 

Based on what we saw last night, we believe that Sullivan is a "hidden gem" in the truest sense of the word and there is no question in our mind that he has D1 ability.  When you factor in everything that has been discussed above, the bottom line is that we would not bet against him.

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