Guard Wilson Says He Will Remain at Moorpark College

Standout guard Damian Wilson said Thursday that he will return for his sophomore season at Moorpark College even though, he says, he is eligible to matriculate to a four-year school and originally had planned to do so.

“I was really ready to get on with it, to go on to a Division I school,” Wilson said. “(But) I’m staying. No doubt about it.”

The 6-foot-2 Wilson averaged 21.3 points a game to lead Moorpark in scoring last season, and he drew recruiting interest from major colleges.

Wilson, a Westchester High graduate, said he was offered scholarships by UC Santa Barbara and Cal State Long Beach and that he also had heard from USC, New Mexico State, Kansas State and New Mexico. Nonetheless, Wilson said he decided last week to remain at Moorpark.

“It’s a decision I made so I could be able to go to a better school than the schools that are recruiting me,” said Wilson, who added that he likes Arizona State among other programs.

Wilson said he is “kind of disappointed” in the lack of recruiting attention he has received and attributed it to Moorpark’s failure to advance in the state tournament. Moorpark (26-6) was eliminated by Grossmont, 101-92, in the first round of the Southern California regional despite Wilson’s 35 points.

Remarkably quick, Wilson was honorable mention all-state and was the only regional freshman honored in the all-state selections. He shot 60% from the field, averaged 4.8 rebounds, was the top scorer in Western State Conference Northern Division play (25.6) and ranked third in the WSC in scoring.

“I’ll have to do more next year than I did last year,” Wilson said.