WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.— Beginning with a big performance at an AAU tournament in Dallas last spring, Crown Point shooting guardSasha Stefanovic built interest among several Division I programs.
All along, Purdue remained high on his list, even while a scholarship offer from the Boilermakers remained elusive.
"It's been my favorite college since I was little," Stefanovic said."It's where I always wanted to be. It was a no-brainer for me if I had thechance to go there."
Purdue liked Stefanovic, too. Matt Painter has prioritized taking at least one shooter in each recruiting class for the past few years. But until last week, he didn't have a scholarship to offer.
That changed, and Stefanovic wasted little time accepting.The 6-5 senior committed on Friday and will become the fifth recruit in the Boilermakers' 2017 class. The other four have already signed, and Stefanovic can join them after the spring period begins April 12.
As recently as two weeks ago, Stefanovic told the Gary Post Tribune thatValparaiso, Evansville, Loyola and Northern Iowa were his top four. He said Painter was up front with him from the first open gym he attended. Purdue liked Stefanovic, but had to settle other priorities first.
A scholarship opened last week when redshirt junior Basil Smotherman and the Boilermakers parted ways.
Stefanovic knew Painter would be at Crown Point's game at Portage on Thursday night. He missed Painter's call while riding the bus back to his high school following the 48-38 victory. Stefanovic returned the call, got the offer he'd been waiting for, and called Painter back again Friday morning to accept.
Stefanovic also talked with Purdue about the possibility of going to prep school and delaying his college career. It wasn't his favorite option, but he liked the Boilermakers enough to consider it.
"He said he really liked me, liked how I played, it was just one of thosethings where he had to get what heneeded in those bigs," Stefanovic said of his earliest conversations with Painter. "It wasn't yes, it wasn't no. He told me to be patient, and I was, and it worked out."
Stefanovic was a member of the Indiana All-Stars core junior squad. Through Jan. 26he averaged 20 points and 6.3 rebounds while shooting 38.9 percent from 3-point range.
The commitment adds to the arsenal of shooters Purdue will take into the 2017-18 season. Juniors Dakota Mathias (49.5percent), Vincent Edwards (45.9) and P.J. Thompson (42.4) and sophom*ore Ryan Cline (43.8) have helped the Boilermakers rank first among Big Ten Conference teams in 3-point shooting. Sophom*ore power forward Caleb Swanigan, who could leave for the NBA after the season, also averages 50 percent.
Crown Point coach Clint Swan said Stefanovic is versatile enough to put the ball on the floor and get to the basket as well as score from mid-range.
"The thing I think that probably separates him from some of other goodshooters who come out of high school is he's more than just that," said Swan, who previously coached at Frankfort."He's able to handle the basketball. When our point guard is out hemoves over and plays point for us.He's our best passer.
"He's able to do a variety of things. We've relied on himheavily for a lotmore than his shooting ability."
Among the congratulatory texts Stefanovic received Friday was one from Purdue fifth-year senior Spike Albrecht, another Crown Point native. Albrecht and Stefanovic's brother, Dejan (a recent Purdue grad), were teammates. Stefanovic said the former Michigan guard was a "great influence on my basketball abilities."
Stefanovic joins a class that already includes Evanston, Ill. guard Nojel Eastern and wings Aaron Wheeler ofBrewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.) and Eden Ewing of Tyler (Texas) Junior College. Sunrise Christian (Bel Aire, Kansas) forwar/center Matt Haarms enrolled at midseason and is currently using a redshirt with the Boilermakers.
That's a lot of returning and incoming talent, much of it at similar positions. Stefanovic realizes his preferred destination may have come through, but that's not the end of the story.
"Wherever I was going to go it was one ofthose things where I have to earneverything I get," Stefanovic said."Same atPurdue. I have to go in there and work every day."
Contact Journal & Courier Purdue sports reporter Nathan Baird at nbaird@jconline.com. Follow on Twitter: @nbairdjc.
Purdue 2017signing class
Nojel Eastern (6-6, 200, G) Evanston, Ill.
Eden Ewing (6-8, 210, F) Tyler (Texas) J.C.
*-Matt Haarms (7-2, 235, F/C) Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.)
Sasha Stefanovic (6-5, 190) Crown Point
Aaron Wheeler (6-7, 180, G/F) Brewster Academy, Wolfeboro, N.H.
*=Already enrolled.
