The Hornets nab one out of Vegas

Ray Brewer reports 6-foot-7 Grant Dressler, out of Las Vegas, has given a verbal to Sacramento State.

From David Schoen on March 31:

Grant Dressler garnered plenty of postseason honors after helping Palo Verde’s boys basketball team reach the Division I state final.

If there was an award for most improved player, Dressler likely would have earned that one, too.

Dressler went from being a role player as a junior to the Panthers’ leading scorer this past season, and the 6-foot-7-inch late bloomer is in line to continue his playing career at the next level.

The small forward made an official visit to Sacramento State this week and also is being recruited by American, Eastern Washington and Maine.

“I grew a couple of inches, and that always helps,” Dressler said. “A couple of friends and I worked out a lot to try to get better. Once the high school season started, we all worked hard to try to get to state. I guess along the way I got better and had a different mindset.”

Dressler averaged 5.1 points per game as a junior for Palo Verde and struggled to get regular minutes on the court. He had a team-high 16 points in a 61-57 victory at Shadow Ridge on Jan. 24, 2014, but only scored in double figures in four other games that season.

“I just wasn’t as aggressive in games,” Dressler said. “I was nervous to make a mistake. Now I know mistakes happen and just to go for it.”

Dressler spent last summer with the IBC Basketball Club on the travel circuit and went on to average 19 points and 8.6 rebounds as a senior for the Panthers while being named first-team all-state.

“Before, I’d say I only cared about me doing well and didn’t put in enough work for it,” Dressler said. “But I started being more about the team. … Not playing influenced that change a little bit.”