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2016 Recruiting: Zach Collins and Bishop Gorman win Nevada state title

The incoming big man is someone to get excited about.

By Peter Woodburn

Bishop Gorman defeated Coronado, 83-63, on Friday night to take home their fifth-straight Nevada state title. 2016 Gonzaga recruit Zach Collins finished the game 10 points, 14 rebounds, and three blocked shots.

The Gaels (the good kind) finished the season with a 25-7 record and were ranked No. 45 nationally by MaxPreps.com.

Collins, a McDonald's All-American, capped off an impressive senior campaign, finishing the year averaging 18.1 points, 14.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. Collins also averaged a hell of a lot of blocked shots, but statistics can be pretty hard to come by for high school games.

What it does show, however, is the Zags are going to be getting a 7'0 center that will be ready to play from the first day he hits the court. Collins has been a part of a winning tradition his entire high school playing career, and has stepped up to make sure his team gets there.

Collins had 24 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks in a win over Centennial to push Bishop Gorman into the state title round. He shot 78.5 percent from the floor in the win. In a lopsided win over Reno on Thursday, he scored 10 points, had 14 rebounds and four blocks.

Then there was this little stat.

All of this is plenty to get excited over, especially considering the unknown nature of the Gonzaga frontcourt next season. Gonzaga will lose Kyle Wiltjer to graduation and the NBA Draft. No one is quite sure what Przemek Karnowski will do following his season-ending back injury. As many ways as we can see Domantas Sabonis staying for another year, he has done enough to have NBA mock drafts place him as a first-round pick.

So, if the entire frontcourt is gutted, Gonzaga will still be able to start the season with an anchor down low. Collins is a proto-typical center who forces offenses to alter their shots in the post. With him in the post, Gonzaga should be alright.

If Sabonis comes back, the Zags will have a 1-2 punch down low that will be one of the best in the conference.

Congratulations to Zach and the rest of his teammates on his success. Can't wait for next season.

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