Quentin Guliford had an image of Montana in his mind before he arrived in Bozeman last month. What the city and the campus of Montana State had to offer did not compare to what he imagined. Instead, the official recruiting visit to MSU blew the Peoria, Arizona native’s expectations away.
“When (MSU assistant) Coach (Chris) Haslam first got in touch, Montana State was just a school out in the country that I didn’t really know much about,” Guliford said in an interview earlier this month. “I just thought it was an old, rural campus. When I got there, I was pleasantly surprised. Bozeman, it’s a beautiful city. The whole thing was beyond my expectations.”
Guliford, a 6-foot-5 combo guard out of Liberty High in Peoria just outside of Phoenix, visited Montana State during homecoming weekend. He attended MSU’s football game against Weber State. He committed to Haslam and Bobcat head coach Brian Fish before leaving campus.
Montana State assistant Chris Haslam, right/ by Brooks Nuanez
“What really stood out to me was just the campus and the people on the college campus, the atmosphere,” Guliford said. “I really fell in love with it when I got up there. The people were really nice. The AD, all the academic people I had the privilege to talk with helped me with everything on my visit and were really helpful. I really vibed with everybody. That was a big thing, getting along with the coaching staff and the players were cool.”
The swingman has flown largely under the radar until recently. He earned interest from Army, Portland State, Montana State, Central Arkansas, Wyoming, and Whitman. The stellar student (3.75 grade-point average) put up 8.4 points and 4.6 as a junior on a stacked Liberty team that won 18 of 19 before falling in the semifinals of the Arizona 5A state tournament to Phoenix Sunnyslope.
“Defense is definitely one of my strengths,” Guliford said. “I’ve seen scouting reports from my junior year, 8.4 points per game, stuff like that and I feel like those numbers don’t represent my skill now. My development from junior year to how I am now is ridiculous. My senior year, I really want to show everybody that I can be an offensive force and score the ball. But I really take pride in my defense and my play-making.”
Quentin Guliford on his official visit to MSU/ contributed
The athletic, slashing, strong-finishing Guliford was a cog on a team led by the senior backcourt of Cole Roether and Dom Ciccaglione. Roether averaged 23.6 points per game while Ciccaglione handled the ball primarily.
Playing for AZ Factory this spring helped Guliford garner more recruiting interest. He showed his skill set by playing both on and off the ball, helping his stock rise.
Arizona Hoop Review Scouting Report: Guliford has been one of the best surprise performers of the club season. The athletic wing prospect has an excellent ability to finish plays at the rim, and can score with either hand in traffic. He has excellent length on his rangy frame and plays much bigger than his size suggests. Runs the floor extremely well and is an excellent finisher in traffic. A good shooter from mid-range and a capable three-point shooter. An active rebounder and shot-blocker. A solid ball handler and passer. Plays with a high motor. A serious sleeper prospect that will make a smaller college program very happy.
That ability to play on the ball should make him a good fit for Fish’s fluid, fast-paced system. Fish has played as many as four guards simultaneously during his three years at Montana, often playing two and three players comfortable with handling the ball at the same time.
“I’m really comfortable handling the ball,” Guliford said. “My play-making is one of my greatest assets, really. That’s my thing right now. If I had to bring one to the table, it’s my ability to get people involved. On the club circuit, I’ve played a ton of 1.”
Zeke Quinlan has committed to the Montana State men’s basketball program for the Class of 2018/ contributed
Guliford is among three players with Arizona ties — Jared Martin and Zeke Quinlan are the others — committed to Montana State. The Bobcats will graduate four seniors — Konner Frey, Zach Green, Benson Osayande, Joe Mvuelzolo — after next season. Fish sold Guliford on his ability to relate and develop players.
“He said they really thrive on relationships between coach and player,” Guliford said. “I really love that. With the program, how they develop players throughout their four years really stood out to me.
“Players like (MSU junior All-Big Sky guard) Tyler Hall, he’s a great player I looked at who I could really see myself in his path, coming there as a freshman. Coach Fish, his vision for me is coming in as a freshman and contributing and just growing my four years and developing into a really, really good player who can contribute for four years.”
While Martin and Quinlan got to participate in player-run pickup games on their official visits in early September, Guliford came to town just days after MSU officially opened practices for the upcoming season. He only had a chance to observe his future teammates but left impressed.
Montana State head coach Brian Fish
“I was pleasantly surprised by the talent level,” Guliford said. “Going to a Big Sky school, I thought they would be good, Division I players, but seeing them, watching them, I was very impressed. Tyler Hall seems like an elite scorer and Harald (Frey) is a pure point guard.”
Despite the graduation of a steady backcourt, Guliford is not shy about his expectations for Liberty this winter. He hopes to lead his high school to a run at an Arizona state championship. It’s his sole focus now that his recruitment is finished.
“It means everything to me,” Guliford said. “To have this decision out of the way and to be able to concentrate on my team and my senior season, to try to win with my guys and not worry about if there are coaches in the stands watching me and all that, it’s perfect.”
Photos courtesy of Guliford family. All Rights Reserved.
