Gunner Gibson Headed for Hawaii; TRCC Update
Television announcers are going to have some fun next year doing Hawaii basketball games.
After bringing in North Idaho College's Matt Gipson in the fall, the Fighting Rainbows have secured a commitment this spring from Matt Gibson of Three Rivers C.C. in Missouri.
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A native of Oklahoma City, Okla., the 6-3 Gibson poured in 25.8 points per game this season for the Raiders. He shot 46 percent from the field, 37 percent beyond the arc and 90 percent from the foul line.
JUCO Junction had a chance to evaluate Gibson at the Meramec JUCO Shootout in December, and came away impressed with his scoring tools.
He's got deep range on his jumper and can use both his left or right hand to finish his drives to the rim. Above all else, he has the confidence to take and make big shots.
"He's a very skilled offensive player," said TRCC Asst. Coach Brian Bess. "He hits free throws, can feed the post but needs to improve on the defensive end."
Gibson is the logical replacement for Hawaii senior guard Michael Kuebler. Because he's a freshman qualifier, he'll have three years of eligibility at Hawaii.
The Honolulu Advertiser first reported Gibson's commitment to Hawaii on March 21. Here is a link to that article.
Another Raider sophomore, 5-9 sophomore point guard Dereke Tipler, plans on visiting Southwest Missouri State in mid-April.
Despite battling nagging injuries, Tipler averaged 14.5 points, 4.3 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game. He appeared in 19 games for Three Rivers, shooting 45 percent from the floor and 82 percent from the foul line.
"Dereke is a strong, competitive and tough point guard," Bess said. "His weakness is that he doesn't shoot the three, but he can really guard."
Tipler shot just 13 treys all season, hitting two for a 15 percent clip.
JUCO Junction will keep you posted on Tipler's situation as the signing period approaches. Stay tuned!