Nolan Groves might soon be known as the latest prep standout from Minnesota whom the Gophers failed to target before it was too late.
Groves, a 6-foot-5 guard who helped Orono High School take third place in the Class 3A state tournament last March, committed to Texas Tech a week after receiving a scholarship offer from Minnesota last April. Fast forward to the present day, and Groves is the talk of Texas Tech after he found himself in the Red Raiders’ starting lineup and produced a monster box score.
Groves, in 27 minutes, finished with seven points, 16 rebounds, three assists, and two steals as 10th-ranked Texas Tech dumped Lindenwood 98-60 on Tuesday night. His 16 rebounds set a freshman record at Texas Tech.
At Orono last season, Groves averaged 34.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game on his way to winning the Minnesota Gatorade Player of the Year Award. He had committed to play at Yale in June 2024, but he reopened his recruitment and found himself entertaining a ton of offers.
Groves may very well have been destined to leave the state regardless, but it might be a case where Minnesota was simply late to the party. Orono head coach Barry Wohler told the Pioneer Press earlier this year that former Gophers head coach Ben Johnson never showed interest in Groves.
Groves allegedly didn’t start receiving interest from Minnesota until Johnson was fired and Niko Medved was hired, with Wohler telling the St. Paul-based newspaper that Medved was pushing hard to keep Medved at home and wearing maroon and gold.
In the meantime, Groves is off to a terrific start for a team with Final Four aspirations following a run to the Elite Eight last season. He might not stick in the starting lineup since his role may have been expanded because Texas Tech was without JT Toppin, the Big 12’s preseason player of the year, and LeJaun Watts, a transfer from Washington who was picked as the conference’s preseason newcomer of the year. Regardless, he took advantage of his opportunity.
Minnesotans will get a chance to see him play on Tuesday, Nov. 11, when Texas Tech takes on No. 17 Illinois in a game that will be nationally televised on FS1.
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