Harrisburg senior Wyatt Lind last week signed a commitment letter to play basketball for Matt Sherman and the Central Methodist University Eagles next season.

Coach Sherman said he is always looking for height, and landing a tall, long player from Central’s backyard made it ever better.

“He’s got good size, length, and overall skill. So, I think you’re always looking for guys that kind of fit that. We wanted to make a point to get bigger at all positions and I think his best basketball is ahead of him.”

The 6’7 senior had a breakout year in his final season at Harrisburg, averaging 10.8 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, good enough to be named 2nd Team All-Conference.

Harrisburg coach Kyle Fisher said he knew before the season even started that Lind was going to have a great senior year. “He had a great summer for us. He loves the game, he works really, really hard. And so, it may have been a surprise to people outside of Harrisburg, but within our program, we knew he was going to have a really good year and have a chance to play at the next level.”

And Lind’s next coach will be someone very familiar to his high school coach. Fisher and Sherman played together as kids before becoming career-long rivals from junior high and high school at Harrisburg and Fayette, respectively, all the way to the college level. Fisher ended up at William Jewell, and Sherman played a solid career at Central Methodist, allowing the two to compete against one another on the college stage.

“Coach Sherman and I played against each other at all levels,” Fisher said. “I know he's going to be in good hands with Coach Sherman. Obviously, to get to watch him play a couple of times during the year is also nice, being that he’s only going to be 15 minutes away.”

The Eagles wrapped up their second season under Sherman at 19-10 overall and 15-9 in Heart of America Athletic Conference play. Before he was named head coach, Sherman served as CMU’s assistant coach for seven years under his father, the legendary Jeff Sherman.

Coach Sherman said he is recruiting Lind as a wing forward. “It’s tougher and tougher for freshmen these days right now. The college game is getting very old so I think part of the advantage is you get there early, start working out and see where things can go. But I think his best basketball is ahead of him and we’ll see where that goes.”

Harrisburg finished 19-12 overall, falling to eventual state runner-up Salisbury in the state quarterfinals. 

“I think in some games I could have utilized my skill a lot better and more efficient. But, there were some games I wasn’t really needed and there were games when I was needed, and I showed up,” Lind said.

He thanked his parents and coaches and said he will miss going to high school in Harrisburg. “I just love this place. They gave me a chance for all four years, and everything here was nothing but fun for a kid my age and a kid with a disability like me that could experience any of this. This is an amazing gift.”

When not on the CMU hardwood, Lind says he plans to major in psychology, and hopes to one day work with autistic kids like himself.

“I really want to help kids and I kind of want to be a counselor later on and talk to kids who have mental issues. And I also want to help kids who have disabilities like me,” he said.

“I’m just super proud of Wyatt and not only the player that he’s become, but also the young man he’s become,” Fisher said. “He’s really grown a lot the last four years. Not just as a player, but as a person as well. His love for the game has always been there. Just to see him work as hard as he’s worked over the last four years and turn himself into a college player is truly something special. Personally, on a selfish note, I’m excited that he’s going to CMU to get to play for Coach Sherman.”