August 19, 2010
Souza headed to New Hampton
New Hampton School is located in the town of the same name in New Hampshire, the latter known as the Granite State. But residents will be noticing something different come September about the rock coming out of the surrounding quarries -- the loads having a brighter hue. Because that is when Golden Stater Travis Souza, the former Turlock High star, moves in for a prep year.
After totaling 1,714 points along with 527 assists during his varsity tenure -- 20.7 points and 5.5 assists as a senior -- plus time spent during this spring and summer as a member of Phil Handy’s Team 94, the 6-5 Souza has decided another year of honing his basketball and physical skills will only benefit him.
It wasn’t an academic move since Souza owned a 3.9 grade point average as a senior, which included mastering a number of advanced placement courses.
"I’ll be one year stronger and one year better," Souza explained, about his decision. "I had [college] offers," he added, "but nothing that overwhelmed me so another year should help."
Souza, the Modesto Bee’s Stanislaus Player-of-the-Year, said he prefers to land somewhere on the west coast for college but added "I’m not shutting down any east coast offers."
Despite a separation of 3,000 miles, New Hampton Coach Peter Hutchins followed Souza throughout the 2009-2010 season and the young man took a visit a couple of months ago. That did the trick.
Asked what position he will be positioned at with the Huskies, Souza said "at the two guard and maybe the one at times."
Sacramento High’s Will Davis, a Bay Area Hoosier teammate, will be joining Souza in New Hampshire.
The top New Hampton team tangles with other Class A schools in the northeast as well as some lower level college squads. From the 2009-2010 Husky squad, Kyle Cain signed with Arizona State, Evan Smotrycz chose Michigan, Brady Heslip finalized an agreement with Baylor and Thomas Bropleh did the same with Boise State. In four years, Hutchins has seen 15 New Hampton players land D-1 scholarships.
Souza will fly to Boston, take the two-hour drive to New Hampton and display his talents on another coast.