(Editor’s note: Montana State University press release)
BOZEMAN — Montana State head men’s basketball coach Danny Sprinkle confirmed on Wednesday, May 15, that Zach Hobbs signed his National Letter of Intent to join the Bobcat program ahead of the 2019-20 season.
Hobbs is a 6-foot-5 wing from Mesa, Ariz. He was a four-year varsity player during his prep career for Mesa High School and had a standout senior season. Hobbs was named by the Arizona Interscholastic Association to its All-Conference 1st Team, which recognized the top players in the largest class of schools in Arizona.
A two-year captain for the Mesa Jackrabbits, Hobbs led a team that made a state tournament appearance in multiple statistical categories as a senior. He averaged 17.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.6 steals per game during the 2018-19 season. Hobbs was selected as the 6A East Valley Region Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year. He was also tabbed an honorable mention by the Arizona Republic for its Boys’ Basketball Player of the Year award.
“I think Zach’s biggest strength is his ability to shoot the basketball,” Sprinkle said. “He has great size for a high school guard. He’s going to continue to grow and get stronger. The one thing he can really do is score the basketball and shoot it from deep. It’s something essential for how I want to play. I want our team to stretch the floor.
“He can do some other things well too. He can put the ball on the floor, make great decisions and really pass it. He played multiple positions for his high school team, so he’s very versatile. I think the best thing he’ll be able to immediately do to impact our program will be to shoot the 3.”
Hobbs was an All-Region 1st Team selection three times for Mesa High. He broke the school’s all-time career record in 3-pointers with 215 while shooting a 40 percent clip for the Jackrabbits. He scored 35 points in a game for Mesa his senior year and in his final prep contest recorded a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds in a state tournament game. He was a member of multiple state tournament teams, including as a freshman during the 2015-16 season when the Jackrabbits went 26-4 and won a Division I state championship.
