WEST PLAINS, Mo. – It’s official! One of the highest rated recruits to ever come out of Missouri State University-West Plains’s Grizzly Basketball program is now a Wichita State Shocker.
Ricky Torres, the 6-foot, 3-inch point guard from Pinellas Park, Florida, who earned first team NJCAA All-American honors this past season, signed his national letter of intent to play for Wichita State University (WSU) in Wichita, Kansas. The signing took place Monday afternoon, April 30, in a ceremony at Kellett Hall on the Missouri State-West Plains campus.
Torres, the No. 32-rated junior college player in the country this past season, is the first Missouri State-West Plains player to turn in his Grizzly Blue for Shocker Yellow.
“I chose Wichita State because of the feel I got from the coaching staff and the opportunity I can see myself having to come in and have an impact right away,” Torres said of his decision. “I plan to come in and be a leader from day one.
“The school’s atmosphere was great,” he added. “I can tell they LOVE basketball in Wichita. The coaches seem trustworthy, and I know they can help me get to where I want to go.”
POPP: TORRES’S CHOICE BASED ON THE ‘RIGHT THINGS’
Although he was highly recruited by a number of NCAA Division I programs, Grizzly Basketball Head Coach Chris Popp said Torres made his choice based on the right things.
“He could have been in a big city, been close to home, gone to a ‘bigger name’ conference and so on. He approached this the right way, finding the place that fit him the best from a basketball standpoint, and gave him the best opportunity to prepare him for his future,” Popp said.
“At WSU, he has a chance to play immediately and compete for championships at the highest level,” Popp continued. “He will be in a situation where he will have team success while also excelling and developing individually.
“Ricky will be playing for a program that has been ranked in the top 25 for nearly 10 years in a row, been to the Final Four, and has one of the best college basketball environments in the country. He also will be playing for a coach that has won everywhere he’s been and has a proven track record of developing point guards,” Popp added.
If the Shockers’ current point guard, Landry Shamet, is selected in this year’s NBA draft, he will make the fifth point guard coached by Marshall to play in the NBA, Popp pointed out. “None of them were expected to do that when they arrived at Wichita State. Whether Ricky gets that opportunity or not, he has placed himself in the best position possible to take his shot,” the coach said.
TORRES’S STATS
Torres averaged 17.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 8.1 assists and 1.7 steals per game this past season. He shot 49.9 percent from the field, 43.3 percent from 3-point range and 69.7 percent from the free throw line. His assist counts this past season placed him second in the country in total assists and assists per game.
Torres finishes his career as the Grizzlies’ all-time career assist leader (427), single season assist leader (268) and the record holder for most assists in a single game (16 at Moberly Area Community College on Feb. 7, 2018).
He also has claimed a few other spots on the Grizzlies’ top 10 all-time statistical leaders lists. He is 10th in points per game average in a season (17.2 in 2017-18), seventh in points per game average in a career (14.4), fourth in 3-point field goals in a game (eight against Mineral Area College Jan. 13, 2018), sevent in 3-point field goals in a season (71 in 2017-18), eighth in 3-point field goals in a career (102), and sevent in 3-point field goal percentage in a season (43.3 in 2017-18).
MARSHALL: TORRES HAS ‘POISE,’ ‘LEADERSHIP ABILITY,’ ‘TALENT’
“We feel Ricky has the poise, leadership ability and talent to step in from day one as a lead guard,” WSU Head Coach Gregg Marshall said in a statement. “He scores at all three levels and has a tremendous feel for the game. He plays at his own pace and averaged eight assists per game last year for Coach Chris Popp because of his tremendous vision.”
Popp believes Torres will make an immediate impact for the Shockers because he is a great fit for their system. “A lot of schools tried to sell Ricky on freedom and being a playmaker. The Shockers will allow him freedom, too; however, they are more structured. That takes advantage of Ricky’s strengths. He thrives on running an offense, executing, understanding and directing. He will be in a position to make a significant impact as a leader for the Shockers,” he said.
As for his impact on the Grizzlies, Popp said it goes beyond “numbers and accolades. His performance helped us take a program on probation to a team that was ranked 15th and won the Region 16 Championship. The program has taken huge strides in two years, and through it all, he was at the helm as our point guard.
“Beyond that, Ricky has been a leader within our team. He has helped us establish our culture here. The way he has carried himself, represented Missouri State-West Plains in the community, led through the preseason practices and so on, his impact has been felt in many more ways than points and assists,” the coach said.
TORRES’S LEGACY ON GRIZZLY BASKETBALL
Torres’s legacy, however, will be his part in changing the direction of the Grizzly Basketball program, Popp said. “In the past two years there has been something of a revival. I can’t overstate Ricky’s part in that. He has fueled the engine to a large extent, led our fast paced brand of basketball in exciting fashion, and led this team as their point guard and captain. He will be remembered as a leader and as one of the all-time Grizzly greats,” Popp said.
Torres said his time as a Grizzly has prepared him for this next step. “I became a better leader and grew a better feel for the game (at Missouri State-West Plains). I also matured as an individual,” he explained.
“I would like for Grizzly fans to remember me as the guy who always made sure he walked around saying ‘thank you’ to as many people as I could for coming to the game,” he added. “I love the West Plains community and will forever be grateful for this place.”
“I need to thank Ricky for all he has done here for Missouri State-West Plains and for me personally,” Popp said. “Two years ago he put his faith in me as a first time head coach, coming to a program on probation. With the ups and downs of getting this thing turned around, he has never wavered, staying bought in through some tough stretches, keeping our team right in the locker room, and supporting what we were trying to do. It has been a pleasure coaching him. He is a special young man, a winner, and I am absolutely certain the best for him is yet to come.”
For more information about the Grizzly Basketball program, visit the team’s website or call 417-255-7991.
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