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Basketball: West Valley’s Burton is bound for Oregon State

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Figured it would just be a matter of time before Joe Burton made a decision about his future, but I must admit that I was a bit surprised to learn that the 6-foot-8 senior from Hemet West Valley orally committed to Oregon State late Monday night.

When it comes to recruiting, things were just beginning to heat up for Burton. Check out this blog for proof. In my estimation, he was on the verge of receiving the same kind of attention normally reserved for fellow big men from the Southland such as Renardo Sidney, brothers David and Travis Wear and Anthony Stover.

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My gut tells me that if he had held off on giving his pledge for a little longer, he might have ended up with a chance to choose from a higher-profile group of programs. It should be mentioned that scouts from Florida and Tennessee had recently been in contact with him and he had offers from Gonzaga and Marquette.

Everything happens for a reason, I suppose. And apparently, he felt as if Corvallis was the place for him, according to these quotes. One thing is certain: New Beavers Coach Craig Robinson and the rest his Oregon State staff landed a rising prospect with plenty of upside in Burton. Congrats are in order to both parties.

-- Sean Ceglinsky

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