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UNM Men's Basketball: Garth commits to Lobos after spurning Minnesota
Dallas area standout snags Lobos' final scholarship for 2008
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The Lobos have landed another Texas star.
Nathen Garth, a 6-foot-2 point guard from the Dallas area, orally committed to the Lobos tonight. His former high school coach confirmed Garth snapped up the Lobos fifth and final scholarship available for the 2008 class.
Garth was the first player to commit to playing for Minnesota coach Tubby Smith, but he changed his mind in August to see what other options were available. Coach Steve Alford and assistant Chris Walker, who has quickly established himself as a strong Texas-area recruiter, immediately began courting Garth.
"I'm not surprised he chose New Mexico because he wanted to be closer to home where his dad could get out to see him play," said Pat Washington, who coached Garth last year at Woodrow Wilson High in Dallas. "I think New Mexico was interesting to him because he gets to be part of a great group of guys joining that team and he has a chance to play right away."
Garth averaged 18 points per game his junior year at Woodrow Wilson High. He earned a two-star rating from Scout.com, while Rivals.com rates him a three-star player.
He is attending Hamilton High in Memphis, Tenn., and could graduate in December. If he finished school early, he could join the Lobos after the fall semester.
"He's a very good student and has taken some advanced classes, so he could finish fast but I think he'll probably just wait to go in 2008," Washington said. "Whenever he gets to New Mexico, they'll be very happpy with him. He's very smart and very talented."
The Lobos now have commitments from five players with Texas connections -- shooting guards Phillip McDonald and Curtis Dennis and power fowards Isaiah Rusher and Will Brown will join Garth in the Lobos' lineup.
Point guard J'Covan Brown from Port Arthur, Texas, was slated to make an official visit to UNM next week, but Houston-based recruiting analyst Jimmy Hicks said he doubts Brown will make the trip.
"J'Covan always was a longshot because the University of Texas has the lead on getting him and his dad hates to fly," Hicks said. "I just don't see any dad driving all the way from east Texas to New Mexico, and that's going to be a big factor in his decision.
"If they get J'Covan, that would be great. But right now, they've already got an amazing class. They don't need him. I'm awestruck by the work New Mexico has done already."
