Pilots Sign Point Guard Alec Wintering to NLI
PORTLAND, Ore. --- The University of Portland men’s basketball program has signed point guard Alec Wintering (Concord, N.C./United Faith Christian Academy) to a National Letter of Intent, head coach Eric Reveno announced on Wednesday. Wintering is beginning his senior season at United Faith and is coached by former NBA point guard, Muggsy Bogues.
“Alec is the consummate point guard who is learning from one of the best in his current high school coach, Muggsy Bogues,” Reveno said. “He has both the skill and the mentality to lead a team and make others better. Combining that with his ability to score makes him a very intriguing college prospect. We are excited that he recognizes what a great fit he is for the University of Portland, both on and off the court."
The 5-foot, 9-inch Wintering has a great mentor in Bogues, who stands 5-feet, 3-inches tall and followed a standout collegiate career at Wake Forest University with a 14-year NBA career. Bogues isn’t the only notable point guard with ties to Wintering. Former Pilot great T.J. Campbell attended Sunnyslope High School in Arizona, where Wintering began his prep career. As a freshman at Sunnyslope, Wintering averaged 3.9 points, 2.9 assists and 1.3 rebounds on a team that finished 26-4 overall.
After moving to North Carolina, Wintering attended Cannon School and as a sophomore averaged 24 points, 3.2 assists and 2.4 steals per game. He scored 30 or more points in five of the team’s final seven games that year.
He began his junior year at Cannon and averaged 18.4 points, 3.3 assists, 2.6 steals and 2.4 rebounds before transferring to United Faith Christian Academy in December of 2011. Wintering played the final nine games of the season under Bogues at United Faith, playing alongside current University of Florida freshman Braxton Ogbueze, and averaged 6.1 points, 3.8 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.4 steals.
Wintering opened the 2012-13 season with 34 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals in an 82-72 victory over Durham Mount Zion on Tuesday.
He is rated the No. 3 point guard in the state of North Carolina, according to BasketballElite.com and played AAU basketball for the Upward Stars and the Charlotte Royals.
Wintering will join a Portland squad next year that is set to graduate just one player from the 2012-13 roster, senior point guard Derrick Rodgers.
