Time Gardiner
Timea Gardiner shoots at the USA Basketball U17 National Team trials in Colorado Springs. *Photo by Chris Hansen.
Timea Gardiner, the 6-foot-3 forward from Odgen, Utah, announced her commitment to Oregon State over the weekend on her Instagram account. The five-star rated recruit by ProspectsNation.com is the Beavers third commitment in the 2022 class to date. She joins 6-3 post Raegan Beers of Highlands Ranch, Colorado, and 6-0 wing Adlee Blacklock of Lubbock, Texas. Beers is on the ELITE 60 Watch List.
With the addition of Gardiner the Oregon State roster really starts to take shape for the next wave. The Beavers saw 2021 signee Talia Von Oelhoffen graduate early and join the team this winter, helping to fuel the team to a five-game win streak before falling to the eventual Pac-12 champs. The versatility of adding Gardiner in with Von Oelhoffen, 6-1 freshman guard Sasha Goforth of Fayetteville, Arkansas, and 2021 signee Greta Kampschroeder, a 6-1 guard from Naperville, Illinois, is impressive from a talent perspective but also when you consider the versatility and size of this group it amplifies this group.
Gardiner is in the conversation for the top player in the 2022 class nationally. Back in 2019 she was a contributor for the USA Basketball U16 national team that won gold at FIBA Americas. She averaged 7 points and 7 rebounds a game for Team USA. Her ability to meld into a talented roster and play with elite players makes her projection to playing in the Pac-12 much easier. Her skill set and ability to play both the wing and the forward spots will come at a good time with Taya Corosdale, Ellie Mack and Jovana Subasic all set to graduate before her arrival.
It’s hard to gauge how many players OSU head coach Scott Rueck may sign in 2022 with COVID-19 roster implications allowing players to return. But looking at the current roster and projected graduations but expect OSU to stay active in 2022.
Chris Hansen is managing editor of ProspectsNation.com and serves on the McDonald’s All-American and Naismith Trophy selection committees. He was a co-founder of and the national director of scouting for ESPN HoopGurlz from 2005 until 2012 and is the director of the Check Me Out Showcase and ELITE is EARNED events. He can be reached at chris@prospectsnation.com.
