Matt Hasse
6′10″, 230 lbs
Center
Naperville North High School
Naperville, Illinois
The last two seasons the Austin Peay State University Governors have been out rebounded both in and out of conference. This past season, the Govs ranked 7th out of 10 Ohio Valley Conference teams in offensive rebounds per game and 6th in defensive rebounding percentage. So it makes sense that Head Coach Dave Loos and his staff focused on adding size with the 2010 Signing Class. Enter Matt Hasse.
Matt Hasse is a 6′10″ center out of Naperville, Illinois that should help bolster the Governors’ frontcourt. He is a big body who takes up space in the paint and has a knack for taking charges. Hasse is an excellent passer and has range that extends out to the three point line. Matt’s AAU Coach Sean Connor said, “He is patient when catching the ball in the post and finding open shooters. He moves well off the ball and sets hard screens. Especially at his size, he is hard to guard because he can step out and knock down shots with 3-point range.”
Defensively, Hasse blocks shots and is a solid help defender. “Matt is a great communicator, and being that he’s in the post, he sees the floor well and makes sure his teammates are in the correct position,” Coach Connor said about Hasse’s defense abilities.
Like any incoming freshmen, there are areas that Hasse will need to improve to be successful at the college level. He needs to improve his back to the basket moves and work on finishing with power around the rim. He has recently been working on improving his footwork with the ball.
In addition to playing basketball, Hasse also plays volleyball for Naperville North. When not playing basketball or volleyball, Matt volunteers his time to work with special needs students. He chose Austin Peay over Dartmouth, having never been to a game at the Dunn Center. Hasse was scheduled to attend the Morehead State game but was unable due to snow. He plans to major in Physical Education.
Matt Hasse Answers Your Questions
Which APSU coach was most involved with your recruitment?
Coach Scott Combs
Any pregame rituals/superstitions?
Always a Gatorade before the game and in high school run into the locker room yelling showtime before every game.
What’s on your iPod (or mp3 player)?
Lil Wayne, Tupac, Nortorious, Jay Z, 50 cent, and Taylor Swift
Favorite movie? TV show?
Favorite movie is Heavyweights and favorite shows are The Office and Entourage
Favorite college and pro player to watch?
Robbie Hummel on Purdue and Lebron James
Name an NBA or college player that your game is similar to
People say I am like Brad Miller
Favorite sport besides basketball
Football
Tell us something we don’t know about you (hobbies, etc)
I love going fishing and being outside. My family owns a island with a cabin on it in Canada and I love going up there in the summer.
What made you choose Austin Peay?
I loved the coaches and the players, and basketball seems pretty big here. The chance to play for Coach Loos made the final decision on coming to Austin Peay.
Who is the best player you have played with? And against?
I played with Tim Rusthoven who is going to William and Mary, and the best player I played against was Jereme Richmond who is going to U of I.
What is your opinion of Dave Loos?
Great guy and coach.
Who is your biggest inspiration?
My brother
Illinois Velocity AAU Coach Sean Connor on Matt Hasse and Austin Peay
Describe Matt’s demeanor (character, leadership, etc) and work
ethic?
Matt is an upstanding young man with great leadership skills and character. When Naperville North was hiring a new coach last spring, Matt took the initiative to set up all the spring open gym workouts for the entire boys basketball program at NNHS. Matt also volunteers with the PE leaders program at NNHS that works with special needs students. He is vocal and always positive with his teammates. Matt has also been working as a shooting instructor for a youth basketball shooting camp for many years. Austin Peay could not have signed a better student-athlete with a better personality than Matt Hasse.
What do you think of Coach Loos and the Austin Peay program?
They not only have great basketball minds, but are great people. Coach Combs and Coach Loos worked the recruiting trail hard in Illinois and had actually come up to see another one of my players, Dave Dudzinski (Holy Cross) while visiting Matt. They did a great job of staying in touch with Matt and have been up to see him three times since the fall, which is hard work considering they’re in season coming all the way up from Tennessee. It goes to show they are very organized in their recruiting efforts and know what it takes to get it done on the recruiting scene at their level. Our recruiting services in Illinois are very impressed with their efforts in getting Chicago kids and you’re 2010 recruiting class proves it.
Compare Matt’s game to a player (college or professional) that our readers can identify with.
I know Matt would probably say Brad Miller of the Chicago Bulls, and I would agree with him. Neither one is “jump out of the gym” athletic, but they’re smart players who work very hard and understand the game of basketball very well, and their size and intelligence allows them to compete with more athletic players.
Matt Hasse Highlight Clip
Discussion can be found here.
