SPOKANE, Wash. - At Gonzaga it's all about the guard play. Always has. Probably always will be. And that's why Coach Mark Few announced the signing of not one, but four guards on Wednesday, including Kentridge High's Gary Bell.
Bell, from Kent, Wash., signed a national letter of intent to play at Gonzaga next season. He was joined by Kyle Draginis (Nampa, Idaho); Kevin Pangos (Ontario, Canada); and Ryan Spangler (Blanchard, Okla.). All four were expected to sign letters to play for the Zags, so Wednesday's announcement came as no surprise, really.
Bell, at 6'2", is what Few calls a "consummate guard" who averaged better than 22 points per game last season, 5.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists.
"He can score, pass, put the ball on the floor, good shooter, very good defender and I think will be a very, very good leader by the time it is all said and done," said Few.
Basketball fans in Spokane got a chance to see the future Zag last year when Kentridge came to Spokane to play Shadle. Bell scored 23 points in the win over the Highlanders, as Few and his assistants watched from the rafters.
He chose Gonzaga over Cal, Washington, Arizona State, USC, UCLA and Washington State.
Dranginis is what the Zag loyalists call an under-the-radar recruit, and possibly the best player in the state of Idaho. Last season as a junior he came four points short of tying the State 4A tournament record with 75 points in three games, as Skyview finished fifth in the state tournament. He averaged 20.3 points per game last season, 6.3 assists and 5.8 rebounds. He committed to Gonzaga despite getting offers from Utah, Utah State, Boise State, Notre Dame, WSU, Portland and San Diego.
Pangos helped team Canada to the bronze medal at the FIBA U-17 World Championships in Germany this past July. As the team's starting point guard he averaged more than 15 points per game and dished out 4 assists.
Spangler, who also starts at quarterback for his team in Oklahoma, averaged 26 points per game last season on the hardwood. He also grabbed an average of 18.5 rebounds per game. Not highly recruited at the outset, he quickly attracted the attention of some 30 schools and narrowed his choices to Gonzaga, Colorado, TCU, and Tulsa.
Gary Bell scored 23 points in Kentridge's win over Shadle Park last season (Photo: SWX)
