Wilson's Hoop Dreams Go Beyond Midnight

WILSON NAMED FARMINGTON ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

FARMINGTON -- There's an old saying, "nothing good ever happens after midnight;" and while Cinderella's magic had her limitations -- Farmington's Matt Wilson has burned the midnight oil, honing his basketball game.

Wilson shares honors for male Athlete of the Year for 2016 at Farmington with his former teammate, Matt Thomas, who transferred to Pea Ridge for his senior season. Wilson is something of a night owl by his own admission. What he typically does after midnight is fill up the hoop with shot after shot. Throughout the last three years of high school, there's nothing Wilson would rather do than refine his all-around basketball skills. His personal initiative began with a decision as a sophomore that he wanted to play at the next level.

"One person I want to give credit is Michael Hensley, who was an assistant coach here," Wilson said. "No matter what time of day it was, if it was 7 p.m. or midnight, he would be here with me, helping me work on everything."

Wilson would send Hensley, who is now at Alma, a text, asking if he could get him into the gym and Hensley would respond, bringing a key to the facility and opening up prospects for Wilson's future. The effort to improve has paid a handsome dividend with Wilson signing a national letter of intent Nov. 10 at Cardinal Arena to play men's Division II college basketball for Delta State, six hours away at Cleveland, Miss. Farmington head boys basketball coach Beau Thompson said Wilson has devoted himself to achieving a performance level in all aspects that has made him a bona fide Division II prospect.

"The kid has done everything you can do to advance himself as a player," Thompson said. "He's 6-feet-2 and weighs about 165 pounds and bench-presses 240 pounds. For a point-guard in basketball, he's put in work in the weight room to be able to play at the next level."

Wilson's enhanced shooting proficiency made him the No. 1 option for the Cardinal offense coming into his senior season. He averaged 18 points-per-game and 5.5 rebounds-per-game as a junior.

"He uses what we call a gun-and-knife rebounding machine," Thompson said. "He shoots hundreds of shots. Not only is he a great distributor of the basketball, he can really shoot it. That's one thing Delta State really liked about him. He can shoot off the dribble, he can shoot off a screen."

According to Thompson every team in the 5A West has at least one college player with some teams having several, including players who have an opportunity to play major college basketball.

"Playing in the 5A West prepared him to play at the next level," Thompson says, of Wilson, who was selected All-State as a junior. "That means you got to be in the top eight (players in the conference). They were voted on by coaches. It wasn't just somebody out there picking them. Pretty well everybody on that list is going to college, either to play football or basketball."

Wilson said basketball allows an individual to develop their talents in solo workouts without having other athletes present.

"I love it," Wilson said. "That's why I think it's the best sport. You can work on it by yourself. In football and baseball, you can to a degree, but you need somebody else to help you."

Wilson is right-handed, but now feels comfortable as a senior using either hand to dribble or pass. He admits that because defenders tend to overplay to the right, he will frequently drive to his left.

"I go to the left more than I do to the right," Wilson said.

"People play you to your right hand. If you're right-handed, my top foot is going to be up here right on you," Wilson said, gesturing to his feet as he assumes a defensive posture. "I'm an over-analytical guy so I know if I go left, they have to take a bigger step back. So, it's harder for them to recover."

When attacking the basket, a good ball-handler can also use the man guarding him to screen out the help defenders. Wilson has left more than one defender playing the "blue bayou" defense -- standing flat-footed, waving their hands and yelling, "He blew by you, man." Ask the Berryville Bobcats, whom Wilson burned for 33 first-half points in a Nov. 8 benefit game won by Farmington, 73-41, at Cardinal Arena. Before this season is done, the Bobcats won't be the only ones wishing Wilson's work ethic would have expired at midnight.

Sports on 12/07/2016