July Evaluation Period Comes To A Conclusion In Star-Studded Las Vegas

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What a whirlwind of a July it has truly been. It is hard to fathom that summer has nearly passed us by and that we are closing in on football season. For Gonzaga, it has been an extremely good offseason and summer. Some outstanding additions were made and the staff has been hot on the recruiting trail for future years. With two commits under their belt in the 2013 class, the staff still has plenty of work to do and plenty of scholarships to work with. We have outlined some of the major prospects remaining for 2013 and identified some of the names you will hear when we really begin to dig into the 2014 class and beyond.

There is one more stop in the July Evaluation Period and for most prospects, it will be in lovely Las Vegas. A majority of Gonzaga prospects will be spread out across the city at three events. Let's take a look at who is where:

Fab 48 - Bishop Gorman High School - July 26-29
Event Website

-- 2013 G Darin Johnson - AAU Team: Play Hard Play Smart Elite (17s)

-- 2013 G D.J. Fenner - AAU Team: DC Assault (17s)

-- 2014 F Malik Pope - AAU Team: Team Superstar (16s)

-- 2014 G Jordan McLaughlin - AAU Team: Prodigy Elite (17s)

Commentary: Two 2013 guard prospects and an elite 2014 big man are the main Bulldog prospects at this one. We have covered Johnson in great detail over the past few weeks as he continue to rack up offers during July. Fenner has been a bit quieter this month but it does not mean he hasn't turned some heads. Malik Pope is a priority big man recruit for the Bulldogs in 2014...but he is a priority recruit for many programs in 2014. Malik is a 5-star big in the class and oozes potential with a lanky physique and incredible athletic ability. Also playing in the Fab 48 is Jordan McLaughlin who recently claimed interest from Gonzaga. He is one of the highest rated point guards on the West Coast in the 2014 cycle.

Adidas Super 64 - Various Las Vegas Locations - July 25-29
Event Website

-- 2013 F Goodluck Okonoboh - AAU Team: Mass Rivals (17s)

-- 2013 G Calvin Hermanson- AAU Team: Clutch Players (17s)

-- 2015 G Kendall Small - AAU Team: Dream Vision (15s)

Commentary: Some really, really good teams in the Super Pool for this one. Compton Magic, Dream Vision, Mass Rivals, and Urban DFW are just some of the few elite teams that will be hitting the hardwood. Okonoboh has had a busy summer. He left BABC for Mass Rivals last week and had an incredible showing for them in the second evaluation period. Not to mention this tweet coming across:

Gonzaga zeroing in on Goodluck Okonoboh..Maryland intrigued by Abdul Malik-Abu #Hgjamfest

— AJ Stokes (@hooprootz) July 22, 2012

Okonoboh is more in play for the Zags than many people think and the factor that could push him from prospect to commit is the fact that Gerard Coleman now dons a Zags uniform. Coleman was at Tilton HS where Goodluck is now and played for BABC. There is quite a bond there that should not be ignored. Kendall Small will also be at the Super 64. It is early but the staff loves him and Small grew up rooting for the Zags.

Las Vegas Classic - Durango High School - July 25-29
Event Website

-- 2013 G Jordan Mathews - AAU Team: Cal Supreme (17s)

-- 2013 F Gavin Schilling - AAU Team: Mac Irvin Fire (17s)

-- 2014 G Bryan Alberts - AAU Team: BTI Pump N Run (17s)

Commentary: Jordan Mathews is the obvious headline for Gonzaga fans in this one. The priority recruit is coming off an incredible showing at Peach Jam where he displayed his ability to score the ball in a number of fashions. Along with Darin Johnson, Jordan Mathews has said he will definitely visit Gonzaga in the fall. Gavin Schilling is a guy that is new to us but we have learned that Gonzaga is trying to work their way into his recruitment. Schilling was born in Germany but has spent most of his life in the states. He has a plethora of high major offers so the staff has their work cut out for them. 2014 PG prospect Bryan Alberts is also participating in this event. He seems to fit the Mark Few mold of a big guard ala Matt Bouldin that can do virtually everything on the floor. I will be surprised if he is not a name we hear a lot of in 2014.

As always, keep things tuned here for all updates as July comes to a close...