Meet the Hurt brothers.
Michael is older and Matthew is taller. Michael is committed to Minnesota and Matthew will probably have Division I offers soon.
Both average over 20 points per game and have pushed sixth-ranked Rochester John Marshall to a 9-2 record so far this season.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Michael Hurt said. “With a lot of guys, their younger brothers aren’t as skilled or they’re too spaced apart, so it’s really an awesome experience to play with someone that talented as well.”
While the Hurt boys have been playing against each other since they can remember, it’s only been over the last two seasons that Matthew and Michael have hit the court in official games as teammates, be it in Amateur Athletic Union competition or on the Rockets’ varsity squad.
And that’s been a treat for Rochester John Marshall coach Kirk Thompson.
“They’ve been playing really well this year, and they obviously play really well together and you can see they feed off of each other,” Thompson said. “But neither one of them are selfish.”
Both score plenty of points (Michael: 20.8 ppg, Matthew: 21.5 ppg) and even then, the Rockets still have two other players (Isaiah Walden and D’Angelo Tines) averaging over 11 ppg.
Thompson said the Hurt brothers’ unselfishness makes the individual numbers they’re putting up even more impressive.
But where did all the basketball talent come from?
“Our dad (Richard) was our youth coach, and Matthew always came to practice with us and was always watching and learning from a lot of the guys out there on the floor today,” Michael said.
Matthew, who averaged over 15 ppg playing varsity during his eighth-grade year, said it’s been truly great getting to play with his older brother.
“(Michael) mentored me my whole youth and my dad did, too,” Matthew said. “Being with him on the same floor and knowing his game and my game, it’s just really a blessing playing with one of the best players in Minnesota.”
If Matthew keeps up his current scoring pace, he may be soon considered one of the best players in the state as well. Especially if John Marshall can keep up its pace, too.
The Rockets dismantled Milwaukee Riverside 90-72 on Saturday at the Timberwolves Shootout, fueled by 35 points from Michael and 18 from Matthew.
But it’s never about who scores more points or who is more talented. Right now, it’s about the wins and enjoying the memories being made.
“It’s really an awesome experience (playing with Matthew),” Michael said. “I don’t know where he’s going to college. Hopefully it’ll be (Minnesota). But it’s awesome for me, for him and our parents and family to see us both play together.”
