Matt Terwilliger

OFFERED. Visited May 16-17, 2003. Commited to Ohio State June 20th

06/08/04: Jim OBrien was fired today from Ohio State.

05/12/04: Listed as the 79th best player in his class. - www.theInsidersHoops.com

08/28/03: Listed as the 95th best player in his class. - HoopScoop

06/22/03: "In the end, there wasn't any one thing that made The Ohio State University stand out amongst all the schools showing an interest in Troy basketball player Matt Terwilliger. Rather, it was a little bit of everything that made the Buckeyes appealing enough to Terwilliger for the 6-foot-9 senior-to-be to make a verbal commitment to OSU Friday morning. "I loved everything about the whole school," Terwilliger said. "It's a great campus atmosphere, a great school and I love the coaching staff."

While NCAA rules may prohibit Ohio State head coach Jim O'Brien and his staff from talking about Terwilliger -- or any other high school recruits -- until they've signed a letter of intent, there's much about Terwilliger for basketball coaches to love.

He's ranked by one recruiting service as the 92nd best senior prospect in the country and the 27th best at his position. Terwilliger -- who led the Trojans in both scoring and rebounding last season -- is ranked as one of the top 10 big men in the Midwest.

He's shown he can play with his back to the basket and has a soft touch when he steps out to shoot. Terwilliger's ability to shoot the ball would make him a perfect fit within the college game if the NCAA rules committee goes ahead with its proposal to expand the current rectanular lane to the internationally-used trapezoid lane, measuring 12-feet at the top of the key and 19-83/4 at the bottom. "They've told me I'll really be a three-four (small forward-power forward) mix," Terwilliger said. "It will be a great advantage to have someone who is 6-foot-9, 6-foot-10 who can shoot from outside. They are actually talking about changing the rules in college basketball and they may expand the lane and make it triangular in shape. If they expand the lane, it would be too far out for a lot of post players -- that's why they want someone who can shoot. They've told me coming in I could get minutes as a freshman if I can come in, work hard and do my best."

Before he ships off to Columbus, however, Terwilliger still has one more season to play with the Trojans. It was his desire to focus on having a strong senior season that led Terwilliger to make an early verbal commitment. The earliest he could sign a letter of intent to Ohio State would be in November. "This is a great relief," Terwilliger said. "I feel like one million pounds has been lifted off of my shoulders. I'd get people asking me where I was going to college at least 20 times a day, depending on where I was. When I was playing in my summer league, people I didn't even know were coming up to me and talking about it."

With his decision out of the way, Terwilliger said he wants to have a strong senior season and work toward becoming a viable Big 10 player. "I've got to work on my strength and aggressiveness," he said. "Night-in and night-out, it's going to be a challenge for me."

Division I college programs throughout the country had been seeking Terwilliger's services. He narrowed his list down to three -- Ohio State, the University of Cincinnati and Notre Dame -- in the spring. He didn't make his final decision until "around 11:30 p.m. Thursday night. All three schools had great things to offer -- and all three would have been a good choice," Terwilliger said. "I think by choosing Ohio State I'm going to make a lot of people happy -- but I'm also going to make some people unhappy. But I'm very comfortable with my decision. All the little things came together." And sometimes it's the little things that mean the most. – Troy Daily News

06/20/03: "I'm just really happy with my choice," Terwilliger told Hoopmasters.com. "I really liked all three schools, but felt that Ohio State was the best place for me academically and athletically." Terwilliger had just spoken with Coach O'Brien, Coach Brey, and Coach Huggins when I spoke with him this morning. "When I called the Ohio State basketball offices to announce my decision, I could hear the coaching staff celebrating in the background," Terwilliger told me. "That made me feel pretty good about my choice." - HoopMasters.com

06/19/03: "I’m getting a lot closer to making a decision about what school I will attend,” Terwilliger said. "This has been a real tough process for me, but it should be over soon. I leave for Xavier’s team camp tomorrow and will be back on Saturday (June 21)." It appears that Cincinnati might be the team to beat for Terwilliger. Future Bearcat Jamar Butler and Terwilliger are the best of friends, so that could quite possibly be the deciding factor. "Jamar and I are real good friends," he said. "Actually, he is my best friend. We spend a lot of time together, especially in the summer because we play for the same AAU team." - http://rivalshoops.rivals.com/

06/16/03: "We also are waiting to see what 6'9 Jr Matt Terwilliger from Troy (H.S.) OH, who is ranked #2 in the state by our Ohio Editor Chris Johnson, is going to do. Actually we thought an official annoucement would be forthcoming late last week, but apparently there is some division in the family with regards to where Terwilliger should go. Terwilliger is leaning towards Cincinnati, but his parents are pushing Ohio State. So it should come as no surprise that the family decided to put some distance between themselves and the recruiting process by going on vacation for a week. Perhaps a decision will be forthcoming when they get back later this week, but hopefully they won't be pressured into doing something prematurely." - HoopScoop

06/13/03: "It was only last night that a source close to Terwilliger told RivalsHoops.com that Notre Dame withdrew its scholarship offer. And it was only this past week that Terwilliger took trips back to Cincinnati and Ohio State (Buckeyes on Wednesday, Cincinnati on Thursday)." - RivalsHoops.com

06/12/03: "There's reason to believe Ohio State could win what has been a very close competition with Notre Dame and Cincinnati, especially since Terwilliger had a productive face-to-face meeting with OSU head coach Jim O'Brien yesterday during an unofficial visit. Matt's father, John Terwilliger, told BSB today that his son has been impressed with Ohio State. Matt told BSB after his official visit to the school last month that he was surprised at the homey feel of the OSU campus and that he got along very well with all members of the team." - Buckeye Sports Bulletin

06/10/03: "Matt Terwilliger, one of the nation's top prospects, has trimmed his list to three schools. Now he has a tough question to answer...where do I want to go? First, there's Ohio State who is in the Big Ten, it's close to home, and Coach O'Brien is a great coach. Then there is Notre Dame; they are a great school with a ton of tradition. Lastly, we have the Cincinnati Bearcats and their great Coach Bob Huggins.

Matt Terwilliger, a 6-9, 225-pound forward from Troy, OH, has been thinking about his college future at these schools for a while. He likes all three schools, but he will have to decide upon one. "I'm not sure what I'm going to do yet," Terwilliger told Hoopmasters.com last night. "Everyone wants to know, but I'm still not sure what I'm going to do yet. I'm thinking it over and when I'm sure about my choice...everyone will know." - HoopMasters.com

05/21/03: "he spent the month of May making official visits to three major Division I programs, where he treated like a king on three consecutive weekends. "I really still don't understand it -- why they make such a big deal out of me," Terwilliger said. "I get to hang out with the players on the team, play with them at open gyms and have people take me out and show me all the places on campus. I was able to meet with academic advisors. I met with athletic directors. I met with people who are going to be very involved with me for four years."

Terwilliger has pared his list of potential institutions of higher learning to three -- Notre Dame, Ohio State and Cincinnati -- weeding out Dayton, Xavier and Michigan State in the process. He made official visits to all three of his top choices in the last month, hoping that would help him narrow his choices.

The visits only made things harder, however. "It's down to three, but it's going to be a tough choice," he said. "Right now, I'd say all three are equal. All three have things to offer and all three are different. All three have things that I liked about them. At Ohio State, I loved the campus, the people and the atmosphere. At Notre Dame, I loved the feel of the team -- I loved the unity. And obviously, Notre Dame has academics. If I graduated from Notre Dame, I'd be set for life. UC had the most competitive basketball I've ever played. It's really just at a different level. I'd really have to step up if I went there."

Terwilliger had planned on waiting to the end of the summer to make his final decision. Now he doesn't think it will take quite that long. "I'll probably make my decision at the end of June or early July," he said. "Part of it is because I'm tired of people asking me all the time, 'Where are you going to go?' Also, if I can make my decision, why wait? I want to get it out of the way so I can concentrate on going to camps and then my senior season."

Terwilliger said academics are important to him -- he plans on studying business and computer applications within business wherever he goes. He said he was impressed with the business programs offered by all three of his top schools.

Playing basketball at all three schools was a highlight for Terwilliger, who saw all three teams playing in the NCAA Tournament just two months ago. While he admits he still has a long way to go, Terwilliger was surprised to find he could hold his own on the court. "That was great," he said. "You watch all these guys on TV, and then I get the chance to play with all of them. I was just like, 'This is so awesome.' And I could hang with them. I thought there was no way I was going to be able to hang with them. I obviously have a lot of work to do, but they didn't run me out of the gym, either."

Nothing, however, compared to the way he was treated by coaches and faculty members at every school he visited. Terwilliger admits he wouldn't be much of a college recruiter. "It would be a tough life for me," he said. Terwilliger does know, however, exactly how he would go about recruiting himself. "If I were recruiting Matt Terwilliger, the first thing I would do would be to take him to a place that had real good food," he said with a laugh. "I went to some very nice places on my visits. If I were recruiting me, I'd find a place that had a nice steak. It amazes me how much attention I get -- maybe because they see the things I do right, but when I play, I try to concentrate on the things I'm doing wrong so I can get beter at them." - Troy Daily News

5/19: "My visit to Cincinnati went really well,” Terwilliger said. "John Meeker, who is an old high school teammate of mine, was my host for the visit. “I really enjoyed playing pick-up games with the rest of the Cincinnati players. I also had the opportunity to tour the campus and got a view of the entire university,” he added.

Now that Terwilliger has completed all three official visits, only a decision about what school to attend remains. While he has not openly named a leader for his services, Cincinnati might have a slight advantage.

The Bearcats received a commitment from Jamar Butler, who happens to be good friends with Terwilliger. "Jamar and I are real good friends," he said. "Actually, he is my best friend. We spend a lot of time together, especially in the summer because we play for the same AAU team." - RivalsHoops.com

5/19: "Power forward Matt Terwilliger of Troy High Schools says there’s no way he could decide on a college right now. "If had to tonight, I don’t think I could," Terwilliger said. "I think I’d say hold on a second while I go to the bathroom and sneak out the window." And that’s where things stand with Terwilliger. He’s down to three schools but he’s not ready to narrow the field any further. Notre Dame, Cincinnati and Ohio State are the three schools battling it out." - InsidersHoops.com


5/16/03: Terwilliger visited Cincinnati's campus today.

5/12: "Matt Terwilliger, a 6-foot-9, 220-pound power forward from Troy High School in Troy, Ohio recently returned from his official visit to Ohio State. Terwilliger has already taken an official visit to Notre Dame and will officially visit Cincinnati the weekend on May 16-18. Terwilliger has completed two official visits and only one remains. He returned home from his official visit to Ohio State without giving a commitment, but it appears that he had quite an enjoyable visit." - http://rivalshoops.rivals.com/

5/11: "Despite being from down the road at Troy (Ohio) High School, Matt Terwilliger said he never really followed Ohio State, wasn't a particularly big fan of the program and always felt the school was a little too big for his liking. All that may have changed after making an official visit to OSU this weekend. A 6-9 center/forward and one of the top seniors-to-be in the Midwest, Terwilliger said he was "greatly impressed" with the Ohio State campus and hit it off with the coaches and players, particularly player hosts Matt Sylvester and Brandon Fuss-Cheatham. "I hung out with those guys and the other players. They're real good people," Terwilliger told Buckeye Sports Bulletin. "I'd say it went real well. I enjoyed seeing where those guys lived and just being on the campus. That was a huge consideration of mine going into the visit -- that it was too big a school -- but it's really not so unless your a medical major or something like that. The core area of campus is really just a couple blocks."

Terwillger, whose father, John, played football at Northern Illinois, assumed he wanted something a little more remote for his college experience. It's one reason why he raved about his first official visit, to Notre Dame last week. "I really liked it there," he said of ND. "I liked the people, the players, the coaching staff. It was like a family. Everyone knew everyone, it seemed like. But Ohio State was cool, too. The players didn't have to say much because it really sold itself. I've known Coach (Jim) O'Brien and coach Monte (Mathis) for a while now and I really like the guy they just got from Boston College (assistant Rick Boyages). He's real nice.

"I'd say Notre Dame and Ohio State are probably about the same right now."

Terwillger is sticking to his plan to take just three visits. He'll look in on Cincinnati for an official next weekend. He has considered the Bearcats from the start.

He recently set the end of July as a target date for his decision but now doesn't feel it will take that long. "I'm moving it up some," he said. "Hopefully I'll know before I start going to camps."

Terwilliger and his Cleveland Basketball Club AAU team will compete in the Bob Gibbons Tournament of Champions in North Carolina in a couple weeks and he is slated to be at the prestigious Nike All-America Camp in early July.

He is among the top post players the Buckeyes are chasing. OSU also has its sights set on 6-8 forward Al Horford of Grand Ledge, Mich., and 7-0 center Seth Gorney of Vandalia, Ohio. Gorney made an official to Iowa this weekend and is scheduled to come to OSU next weekend." - Buckeye Sports Bulletin

5/8: "As a reminder to all the Buckeye diehards out there, this weekend will see Matt Terwilliger (6-9, PF, Troy OH, HS) on campus for his official visit." - InsidersHoops.com

5/6: "I truly believe it's between Ohio State and Cincinnati. Matt doesn't have to worry because as we all know D-1 schools loves a bigtime player." - Mike Duncan, Terwilliger's AAU coach on PrepSpotlight

5/6: "On Tuesday, it leaked out that the Irish landed Kurz. Rob Kurz told us last weekend that he liked Notre Dame and Indiana and wanted to make a decision before the end of his high school year. We learned on Tuesday that he’s made that choice. A source confirmed to TheInsidersHoops.com that Kurz picked the Irish and gave Mike Brey a commitment. (This could strongly affect Terwilliger's recruitment to Notre Dame. Kurz is a 6-8 PF/SF.) - InsidersHoops.com



5/6: Jamar Butler was named co-MVP of the Adidas Hoop Challenge along with Brandon Ivery. Matt Terwilliger was named to the All Tourney team. - Ohio Preps and Mike Ryan

5/5: Listed as the 72nd best player in his class. - RivalsHoops.com

5/4: "Rob Kurz, a 6-8, 210 pound combo forward from Penn Charter HS in Philadelphia, Penn., is currently on the campus of Notre Dame, according to Rob's family. Indiana and Notre Dame have offered Kurz." - RivalsHoops

4/29: " . . . . he is likely to make his decision at the end of July. "I want to take more trips," said the 2004 prospect. "I would like to visit Cincinnati and Ohio State before I make a decision."

Terwilliger, who averaged 17 points and nine rebounds per game last season as a junior, said his trips to Cincinnati and Ohio State are already set up. "I am going to visit Ohio State on May 9th through the 11th," Matt said. "Then I am going to visit Cincinnati on May 17th." - RivalsHoops


4/29: "I just got all the phone with Matt Terwilliger and the rumor's (of Matt giving a verbal to Notre Dame) are completely false. Matt did mention his visit went very well. Matt will be in Cleveland this weekend playing with Cleveland Basketball Club in there 7th Annual Adidas Hoop Challenge." - Mike Duncan, CBC AAU

4/24: "Terwilliger did a little bit of everything (last weekend), with 13 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.1 blocks per game." The Cleveland Basketball Club is ranked in the top 25 of the AAU teams in the country (#15) and includes Justin Orr (LaSalle HS) and Jamar Butler. - PrepStars

4/20/03: "ND's Mike Brey watched Matt Terwilliger a lot on Saturday in anticipation of the prospect's official visit next weekend."

"He'll visit Notre Dame next weekend and is also considering Cincinnati and Ohio State. Terwilliger has skills and touch, he just needs to beef up that frame. Joining Terwilliger on his official visit to South Bend will be former Arizona power forward Dennis Latimore. No one values a good transfer like Brey. He built the Blue Hens with transfer players." - Insiders Hoops


4/18/03: "Terwilliger was a dunking machine all weekend. He smacked glass on a dunk in the waning moments of their final four game against Cincinnati AAU and a very bad technical was called. It was a horrible call and was the talk of the tournament." - Ohio PrepScene (Ozie)

3/28/03: "The recruiting process has been a long one for Matt Terwilliger. And it isn't going to end anytime soon. Terwilliger - a 6-foot-9 junior basketball player at Troy High School and one of the top college prospects in Ohio - said Wednesday he won't make a decision on where he'll be going to college until the end of the summer.

But Terwilliger does plan on making his decision before the start of his senior season at Troy, that he may focus on his final year for the Trojans. "It's been long - very long," Terwilliger said of a recruiting process that began when he was a freshman in high school. "I'm going to wait until I'm done with all of my AAU stuff this summer before I make my decision, but it will be before next year starts. I want to go to a bunch of camps this summer."

While he hasn't made a decision yet, Terwilliger has narrowed his choices. He said the University of Cincinnati and Notre Dame are his two favorites so far, while Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Dayton and Xavier all are still very much in the running. With the exception of Michigan - which was ineligible for postseason play - all of the schools on Terwilliger's list qualified for the NCAA tournament this season. Michigan State and Notre Dame are still playing in the tournament.

Refreshingly, Terwilliger said his final decision likely will come down to the academic programs offered by his favorites. "That's why I haven't made my decision yet," said Terwilliger, who led the Trojans in scoring and rebounding this past year. "I don't know what I want to major in so far. When I decide what I want to major in, I'll see what schools offer that. I want to take my official visits before school is out (this June), but I don't think I'll take all five."

The pressure of picking his future has worn on Terwilliger. He said he no longer opens the 20 or so letters he receives daily from colleges all around the country. "My mom bought a big plastic thing for me to put them all in - I'm definitely going to save them and I may look at them one day, but I don't even open them anymore," he said. "I just take them up to my room."

Terwilliger said the worst part, however, is constantly being questioned about his college choices when he's out in public. At 6-foot-9, it's not exactly like he blends into the crowd. "A lot of people see my picture in the Troy Daily News and read stories about me," he said. "People are always coming up and asking me about it. They may not say where they want me to go, but you can tell by the questions they ask me where it is they want me to go." To their credit, Terwilliger's parents and Troy coach Keith Culley have been there for guidance, but have made sure to let him come to his own decision.

Culley said he doesn't offer any opinions to Terwilliger, he just sets up appointments with college coaches. "I try to be a facilitator," Culley said. "When college coaches call, I try to help them get the info they need and help make it easy for them to contact Matt. I'm also a liason with his parents, which is a little bit easier with Matt's father (John) being a teacher here at Troy. I'm kind of the middle man in the process. Beginning April 9, colleges will be allowed to come in and meet with Matt and his parents. I'll do my best to arrange those meetings and make things as easy as possible. But the final choice is up to him and his parents. My job is to help him understand what kinds of questions he should ask coaches and what kind of questions are important for him to consider. I try not to influence him one way or the other. I just want him to go to someplace that's a good fit for him."

Culley has been impressed with the way Terwilliger has handled the process and managed to keep his ego in check, despite being lured by some of the basketball's biggest coaching names. "I've had some kids go on to play Division I college basketball, but none have ever had such high profile people coming in," Culley said. "For the most part, it's been a positive experience. Matt's parents have provided tremendous guidance and Matt has remained very humble through the whole process."

"It would be easy for a lot of kids to become arrogant or to become full of themselves. Matt has kept his feet on the ground and shown a lot of class and character. This also comes with a great deal of pressure, because he has to live up to all the expectations, but Matt has handled that as well."

Terwilliger is quick to turn to his parents when he needs advice. "It's good, because my parents are so neutral," he said. "They are not really leaning one way or the other. They've told me this is my decision and they want me to do what's best for me." - Troy Daily News


3/15: "Second, 6'9 Jr Matt Terwilliger from Troy (H.S.) OH drops from #2 to #3 (behind Josh Duncan). Ohio State, Cincinnati, and Notre Dame are the top three schools for Terwilliger and (editor, Chris) Johnson thinks there is a good chance he will pull the trigger this spring, although he says the current plan is to wait until after the end of the summer to make a decision." - HoopScoop

3/4/03: "Aside from (Josh) Duncan, the Musketeers are interested in the Ohio players listed here: 6-10 Aaron Agnew of Bellaire High School, 6-11 Seth Gorney of Butler High School and 6-10 Matt Terwilliger of Troy High School." - CincyPost.com

2/23/03: "I was 195 before the season started and I've gotten up to about 220," Terwilliger said. "Hopefully I'll be up around 235 next year." Terwilliger said he's even excited about adding more weight before the AAU season starts. "Really my top three are Ohio State, Notre Dame and Cincinnati but I'm not sure if there's a leader there. I haven't given it a lot of thought." - InsidersHoops.com

2/13/03: "Terwilliger is a 6-9 power forward/center for the Troy Trojans. He is averaging around 16 points and eight rebounds this season, but the team is struggling. Matt blamed the struggle on the inexperience saying they do not start a senior on the team. He is currently interested in six schools, listing Dayton, Cincinnati, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Michigan State, and Xavier. He said he has received offers from all of these schools." - FlyerHoops.net

1/28/03: "This year I am trying to be a lot more physical, and go out and take the three," Terwilliger told PrepStars.com. "I'm just powering the ball in, being physical, making strong moves, and watching tapes of myself have helped me decide what I needed to work on as a player." Cincinnati, Notre Dame and Ohio State are my top three right now," said Terwiliger. "I will probably decide before my senior season, like maybe right after this season and before AAU stuff gets going. - www.PrepStars.com

1/20/03: "Terwilliger's list includes Ohio State, Cincinnati, Notre Dame, Michigan, and Michigan State. Matt Terwilliger from Troy (H.S.) OH (will be) ranked #3 . . . in the junior class of Ohio." - HoopScoop (snipped)

12/21/02: "Friday night at the Robert A. Fletcher Gymnasium, the Trojans gave undefeated Butler all the Aviators handle, only to fall just short in the end, 50-44. With the loss, Troy fell to 1-5 (1-4 in the Greater Western Ohio Conference), while Butler raised its record to 6-0 (4-0 in the GWOC). "We almost put together a complete game," said Troy junior Matt Terwilliger, who scored a game-high 19 points. "We played well in the first, third and fourth quarters, but not in the second quarter." - Troy Daily News

12/7: "Sleep easy, Matt Terwilliger. After scoring six points in the season opener last weekend against Trotwood, Terwilliger -- a 6-foot-9 junior on the Troy boys basketball team -- had a little trouble getting any rest that night. "It was terrible," Terwilliger said. "I didn't go to sleep (last) Saturday night. I just watched some old tapes and sat and thought. I expect so much out of myself -- there was no way I was going to let that happen again." Friday, Terwilliger found a measure of redemption as he poured in 28 points as the Trojans held off a gutsy Sidney team 66-65 in Greater Western Ohio Conference West Division play at the Robert A. Fletcher Gymnasium. "I should sleep a little better (Friday night)," Terwilliger said. "I'm going to go home and watch some Lima Shawnee tape and get some sleep." Terwilliger scored just six points one week ago against Trotwood -- but had that many four minutes into Friday's game. He showed power inside -- he threw down three rim-rattling dunks -- and a soft touch from the outside, connecting on a number of jumpers outside the paint. "He stepped up and was a lot more active," Culley said of Terwilliger. "He was strong with the basketball and looked to be a more aggressive offensive player. He also shared the ball -- he kicked out to his teammates." - Troy Daily News

12/2: "Trotwood's pressure defense may have had a lot to do with that, of course. The Rams forced 20 turnovers and held 6-foot-9 Troy junior Matt Terwilliger to just six points and one field goal. 'They did a lot to disrupt us,' (Coach) Culley said. 'They took Matt out of the ballgame - they pretty much double-teamed him all night.' " - Troy Daily News

11/29/02: “Few will be happier than Matt Terwilliger’s mail carrier when the Troy High School junior announces his college intentions. Terwilliger — a 6-foot-9, 220-pound forward/center — estimates he typically receives an average of 10-12 letters a day from college programs wooing him. And with the Big Ten, Southeastern Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference and Conference USA requesting his services, Terwilliger is in no rush to end the avalanche of envelopes. “It can be (distracting),” said Terwilliger, whose list is down to the University of Dayton, CINCINNATI, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Purdue, Michigan and Michigan State. “Thankfully, they haven’t started calling.”

Distractions are what both Terwilliger and the Trojans can do without. Alex Carmona’s eligibility saga last fall sapped Troy’s early focus. The Trojans finished 4-18 overall and 2-11 in the Greater Western Ohio Conference’s West Division. “I don’t know that we can blame our season on it,” Terwilliger said. “We had something to do with it, too.”

Terwilliger wanted to improve his toughness inside, so he hit weights and added 25 pounds. Terwilliger traveled to Italy with Team Ohio and took second in the nation with his AAU team last summer. And he routinely hit the gym for a 500-shot workout and improved his post moves.

College coaches are impressed with Terwilliger’s big-man touch, which extends to 3-point range. He also runs the floor well. “They see a tremendous upside,” said first-year Troy coach Keith Culley. “He can play facing the basket or away from the basket.”

Troy’s sophomore backcourt of Michael Hall and Shane Carter — both Division I prospects as well — are maturing following a bumpy freshmen season in which they both started. They should help make Terwilliger more active on both offense and defense. “There are some big-time players in this conference and I have to step up to the challenge,” Terwilliger said. “I can’t disappear those nights. I want to step up and prove I can handle them.”

He’s already handled the pressure of college recruiting. Terwilliger received a letter from North Carolina as a freshman and it only grew from there. “My parents (John and Chris) have done a good job keeping my feet on the ground,” he said.

The Terwilliger family is used to dealing with athletic pressure. His father tried out for NFL and MLB teams and his grandfather, Bill, was a national champion in the decathlon and missed competing in the 1942 Olympics because of World War II. “What’s really enjoyable is he’s coachable and he’s a team player,” Culley said. “If he’s a talented kid and a prima donna and selfish, then I would not enjoy it. He’s talented. He listens. He wants to get better. He doesn’t dwell on the attention he’s getting from big-time programs.”

Terwilliger also spent several hours with A.J. Granger, who lives near Terwilliger’s aunt in Findlay. Granger was a starter on Michigan State’s national championship team in 2000. “He told me it’s a whole different world,” Terwilliger said. “It’s great when they are taking you through it, but when you get there it’s a whole different world. You belong to them. Make sure you make the right decision.” - Dayton Daily News


10/26/02: Matt attended the Bearcats open scrimmage today.

8/16/02: Listed as the 108th best player in his class. - Hoop Scoop

8/1/02: "Team Ohio won the Grand Finale AAU Basketball Tourney on Wednesday, beating Orange County, Calif., 63-52 for the title in the high school boys all-star division. "The kids played well, especially going down the stretch," Team Ohio coach Greg Mauk said. "They executed when it counted." Aaron Mauk (Lima Central Catholic) scored 16, Jamar Butler (Shawnee) had 14 points in the title game and Matt Terwilliger (Troy) had 10 blocks. In the semifinal game, Butler scored 20 in a 71-66 win over Red Storm of Canada. Butler, who made the all-tourney team in the Big-Time Classic last week, averaged 22 points a game out west. Team Ohio went 15-2, playing 17 games in 11 days in Las Vegas." - Lima News

7/14/02: photo of Matt Terwilliger (in white jersey)
http://www.hoosiermania.com/photo/circle_city_showcase/matt_terwilliger_post.jpg

7/12: "Matt is a 6-10 junior to be from Troy, OH. He is a very skilled big man, that can step out to three point range, and make shots. He is also starting to develop more post moves, and he's also becoming a better rebounder." - Recruiting Nation

6/30/02: Listed as 'Fourth Team All State'. - HoopScoop

5/21/02: Listed as the 85th best player in the class of 2004 - Hoop Scoop

5/18 I watched Matt Terwilliger play today at the Cincinnati Select Invitational. I also spoke to him for a moment and he said that Cincinnati 'definitely' leads for his services. (4 to 5)
Here is my (semi) expert opinion of Matt's skills. . .

Matt is definitely 6-9 and reminds me of Brannen as a sophomore or Matt Sylvester out of Moeller. He is somewhat thin, but is muscular. He jumps quickly for rebounds and is active around the basket. He also changed a few shots. Can be better at blocking out and he was a bit slow at times coming up court on breaks.

Matt has one of the best looking jump shots I've ever seen in a big man. His stroke is right out of the text book. Hand high, elbow pointed, back straight, releases the ball high and he has a nice arc. His best move I saw was a baseline spin and rise up for a sweet 10 footer. He hit some trey's in practice.

He didnt get many opportunities to shoot the ball tho as his mates didnt get the ball inside much. He also saw his mates well and had one nice feed for an assist. His team also started the game in a 10-0 hole and never got closer than 5 the rest of the way.

I was impressed with Terwilliger. His nice stroke, big frame and agility could fit in well in Huggs system.


4/24: "There was a 6' 9" center name Matt Terwilliger on the Ohio All-Stars who is as agile as they come at that size. He scored inside and he was deadly at the line. He tried for every rebound and he played some defense. I happened to be sitting next to his mother so I asked her about her son. He has gotten several letters already, but will only be a junior next year. He had just returned from playing in Italy." - unknown post-er on WildcatChat.com

3/19/02: "Matt Terwilliger admits he isn't one for sightseeing. Even he admits, however, he's looking forward to seeing some of the amazing things Italy has to offer. "I'm really looking forward to this," he said. "I'm really looking forward to the basketball. I'm not much for sightseeing, but I may never have the chance to go back there again, so I am looking forward to this. My parents aren't going, but they've bought me a lot of cameras and told me to take a lot of pictures." While some spend a lifetime dreaming of visiting Europe, Terwilliger is getting his chance at the tender young age of 16. Terwilliger - a 6-foot-9 center who recently completed his sophomore season on the Troy basketball team - is one of the top college recruits in the state and was selected to compete with Team Ohio, an elite team based out of Columbus. Terwilliger leaves for Italy Sunday and returns April 2. While he may not be familiar with Italian culture yet, he has been learning about what to expect on the court. From what Terwilliger has heard, that could be as big a culture shock as what he'll experience off the court. "I talked to some of the kids who went last year and they told me all about it," he said. "They said it's more like NBA rules. First of all, the 3-point line is a lot further out. The key is sort of cone-shaped. They said it's a lot more physical and they don't call fouls nearly as often. They give you a third step on your dribble and you can get away with traveling most of the time." Troy coach Barry Egan said it's the opportunity of a lifetime for Terwilliger. "This is a great opportunity for this young man to represent the state of Ohio and the city of Troy," Egan said. "He's extremely deserving of this honor. It's great for our program - he's the first kid from Troy to ever be picked for this. Matt has been working hard in the weightroom since the day the season ended - as have all our kids. We've got a group of young men who are really motivated and Matt kind of sets the tone for them." Terwilliger and Team Ohio will be playing in the Rizzi Memorial Tournament in Verase, Italy. He'll get a true taste of the flavor of international competition, as teams from all over Europe will be playing in the tournament. "It's not just Italian teams," Terwilliger said. "We'll be playing against some German teams, some Spanish teams. From what I've heard, some teams are really good and some teams are not so good." As important as the basketball competition Terwilliger will face will be the chance to learn about other cultures. "The coaches have told us what to expect," he said. "They said in a lot of ways we're treated like we're in the NBA, because we're about the closest thing they'll ever see to NBA players. They said there will be a lot of people will want to have their pictures taken with us and some people may even want to steal things from us to take as souveniers." - Troy Daily News

2/24/02: "Saw Terwilliger last night vs Greenville. He had 28 points and 12 boards. He also had a couple of dunks and hit a three. Michael Hall a freshman hit the game winner with 3 seconds to go. Huggins was at the game and likes both of them. Terwilliger is going to be really good for a big guy." - unknown post-er on Jax' board

12/27: "(Coach) Barry Egan told us he had a good one and he didn't lie. Terwilliger has skill and though light(weight) he's going to be a be high level prospect. Great looking soph. CINCINNATI has already OFFERED sophomore Matt Terwilliger and freshman Michael Hall, both standouts at Troy." - Blue Chip Hoops

12/20: Listed as the 21st best sophomore in the Midwest.

12/15/01: scored 17 in a win over Greenville.

Was a freshman on the same team as Meeker, when Meeker was a senior.

11/22/01: Listed as fifth best sophomore in Ohio - Hoop Scoop