North Dakota State is getting big-time competition for Killdeer, N.D., basketball standout Austin Dufault.
Minnesota Gophers head coach Tubby Smith offered the 6-foot-8 all-stater a scholarship Thursday night, while Colorado head coach Jeff Bzdelik offered a full ride Friday morning, according to Rich Dufault, Austin's father and high school coach.
"It's kind of crazy around here," said Rich Dufault, who confirmed that NDSU is one of numerous schools who have offered his son a scholarship.
Dufault, who will be a senior at Killdeer High School this fall, caught the attention of Division I coaches during three AAU tournaments held in July.
Competing for an ECI Youth Services traveling team based out of Wahpeton, N.D., Dufault averaged 20 points per game during the Kentucky Hoopfest held in Louisville July 9-12 and the Best of the Midwest Tournament held in Indianapolis July 13-15.
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At the Reebok Championship held July 22-26 in Las Vegas, he averaged 18 points.
"The phone in our house started ringing after Louisville," Rich Dufault said. "It's something we never expected. It just kind of exploded."
Prior to the offers from Minnesota and Colorado, Austin Dufault said he had narrowed his choices down to NDSU, Arizona State, Washington State, Montana State, Northern Iowa and Creighton.
Dufault plans to visit Arizona State over Labor Day weekend, with plans to visit NDSU, Washington State and Montana State sometime this fall. He said all those schools have offered him full scholarships.
Dufault said he plans to make a decision on or before the early signing date of Nov. 14.
"I'm starting to tell many schools that I'm not interested," Dufault said.
"Coaches like it that he is a 6-foot-8 player who has the ability to shoot from the perimeter and has good ballhandling skills," Rich Dufault said.
Dufault, who plans to play football for Killdeer High School this fall, scored 45 points in one tournament game this summer - a game in which he drained eight 3-pointers on consecutive possessions.
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As a junior, he averaged 21 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocked shots.
Readers can reach Forum reporter Kevin Schnepf at (701) 241-5549
