Mike Boynton hosted two highly sought after in-state talents a few weekends back in four-star wing Trent Pierce and four-star big man Brandon Garrison.
Pierce, out of Union High School, is skilled for his size. He is able to shoot the 3 and is versatile enough to play all around the court. Pierce and Garrison team together in AAU ball with Team Griffin on Nike's EYBL circuit. Through two sessions on that circuit, Pierce has averaged 8.2 points and 4.1 rebounds a game while shooting 43% from 3-point range.
Already the No. 116 player in the composite rankings, Pierce's stock has started to rise this spring, picking up offers from Texas Tech and Illinois so far in May. Pierce and Garrison are part of a stacked 2023 class in Oklahoma. They join former OSU commit Parker Friedrichsen and Norman North guard Jeremiah Johnson as four four-star prospects in the state.
Pierce spoke with PFB on Friday to break down his OSU visit, his rise and his recruitment as a whole.
PFB: How was your visit in Stillwater?
Trent Pierce: "It was great. I had an amazing time. They had a whole weekend planned from me and my family. I know we all had a great time."
PFB: Take me through the weekend. What all did you do?
TP: "So because I'd already went on an unofficial back in August, on my unofficial they took me on a tour and I met a bunch different people, the athletic director, people like that. This was more building a relationship type of visit. So we went to breakfast, lunch and dinner with entire coaching staff. In between we had a photoshoot -- that was Saturday. I mean, most of it was building relationships with the coaches. We went through a little film session, had a good conversation with Coach Boynton at the end before I left. So yeah, that's kind of how it went."
PFB: I've heard a little about these film sessions, how did yours go?
TP: "They showed me how they see me fitting within their style of play. Offensively, I can play [point guard] through [power forward]. They compared me to Keylan Boone with how he can set a screen, pop, hit shots or attack the basket. They showed me a lot of his clips from this past season and last season, as well. They compare me to him, and then they showed defensively how I can impact the game guarding [point guard] through [center].
PFB: What was your favorite part of the visit?
TP: "Probably the first night we got their, they took us to Coach Boynton's house. It was a great time, got to meet a couple of the players. It was a great time for my family. My mom and my sister were actually talking to Coach Boynton's wife. I was talking with Coach Boynton a lot. And my dad was talking with other coaches. It was a great night to build a good relationship with those coaches."
PFB: Where did they take you to eat?
TP: "For breakfast, they took us to, I think it was called Granny's. Real good place, I like it. For lunch they took us to Eskimo Joe's. Breakfast the next day, they took us to Jimmy's Egg. And for dinner Saturday night we actually went to the baseball game, and they grilled hotdogs and burgers."
PFB: What was that like seeing how the different teams at OSU interact with each other? That seems unique.
TP: "It's definitely unique, just seeing the fanbase on all different modes. I've been to a football game, basketball and baseball game, so just getting to see that. At that game, they had the softball team, they won the Big 12 championship. Just to see the support that baseball fans have for the softball team as well, it was very unique."
PFB: You and Brandon Garrison visited together. You're obviously familiar with each other playing on Team Griffin. What was it like going through that with him?
TP: "It made things a lot more comfortable. It's not like I was on an official with somebody I didn't know. Someone I knew, I could talk too easily. Actually Saturday for the baseball game they brought [2024 five-star prospect] David Castillo up, as well. Had all three of us up there. We all play together, so we were able to just vibe and chill at the game."
PFB: What are your overall thoughts on OSU at this point in your process?
TP: "Overall, I'd say I really love the coaching staff. They're very transparent, I'd say. They're really honest and upfront with me. They've been recruiting me for a while now. Having conversations with Coach Boynton, and all that the other coaches, you can see that they really want me. They want what I do well. What I don't do well, they want to be able to help with my process with that."
PFB: Who are the other schools you've talked with most frequently?
TP: "I'm talking to OU, ORU and Tulsa, as well as Illinois, Loyola-Chicago and Minnesota."
PFB: You obviously have a lot of time still, but do you have a timetable for when you would want to make a decision?
TP: "I want to say August, September. That's kind of what I'm thinking, especially after all the EYBL sessions. My recruitment has just started to pick up, been picking up a lot of offers. I would like to wait and see the rest of the summer, and then I think around that time I'll start narrowing schools down."
PFB: You mention how your recruitment has just started to pick up, you're in a deep class in the state of Oklahoma. What's it like being a part of that with guys like Brandon Garrison, Parker Friedrichsen and Jeremiah Johnson?
TP: "I think it just shows that there is good talent in Oklahoma. People sleep on us because, you know, 'Oklahoma's not really a basketball state. There's no good players out of Oklahoma.' I really do think playing in Oklahoma, there really are many good players that have NBA potential."
PFB: It's gone back and forth with who people think is the best in the class. You've been a dark horse for most of the time, but does it feel rewarding that your recruitment is starting to pick up?
TP: "It has. Just the work that I've put in definitely has started to show, so it's very exciting for me. I have a bunch of great players around me. Like Brandon, Parker, David, Jeremiah -- those are all great players. But just for me, I feel like it's my turn now. Like Parker last summer had his big summer with all offers. Brandon has been getting a whole bunch, David and Jeremiah, and now, it's like it's my turn. It's exciting for me."
PFB: What has Boynton's pitch to you been to try to get you to Oklahoma State?
TP: "One of the main things he's been repeating is like trying to keep Oklahoma guys in Oklahoma. Like I said earlier that helps show the talent in Oklahoma. He thinks that if he can get me, Brandon and David, we can go win a national championship. That's kind of what he's been speaking to me about."
PFB: Is staying close to home something that appeals to you?
TP: "I'd go anywhere. The main thing for me is like what best fits me."
PFB: Have you, Brandon and David talked about playing with one another at the next level?
TP: "I mean, we've mentioned it to each other, but at the same time, I don't think any of us are that close to a decision yet. We're all doing our own things right now. We haven't used that to help us make a decision. David has two years, me and Brandon another year and summer that we're both getting some recruitment. So, I don't think that's in the decision at all, as of right now."
PFB: Going back to you getting more looks this summer, what about your game do you think has stepped forward to make that happen?
TP: "I think for me, it's just being a two-way player. I can go get a stop defensively. I can guard [point guard] through [center]. I feel like my defense helps my offense, helps lead to me scoring offensively. And then offensively, I've been shooting the lights out of the ball. Had one weekend where I shot 8-for-11 in Orlando at two or three games. I've been shooting really consistently. I shot 6-for-8 another weekend. I've been shooting really consistently. So, I think that's another thing, having a 6-foot-9 shooter that can handle it, pass it really well and play defense is what catches most coaches' eyes."
PFB: What are some of your big focuses for the rest of the summer and your senior year at Union?
TP: "My skill development, just trying to tighten some things up like my ball-handling. Handling the ball against shorter guards, I struggle with that a lot. So I feel like something like that I need to work on. My agility. I also think I need to work on my strength -- the battle inside. I think that if I start working out more I can gain another 10, 15 pounds before I go to college."