Washington- bound Nigel Williams-Goss of Findlay Prep will be a key for the Pilots this year, who enter the season as USA Today’s second-ranked high school basketball team.
Nigel Williams-Gross is a big part of Findlay Prep (Wash.), the nation's No. 2 team according to USA Today.
More will be asked of him this year aone from this Findlay team are two McDonald’s All-Americans (Brandon Ashley and Anthony Bennett) and with a new head coach and eight new players, the pressure of leading the team falls squarely on the Portland, Oregon product.
“I don’t feel a lot of pressure, I believe if it’s one practice at a time, one game at time, if we take care of business, winning will come,” Williams-Goss said.
Even with a dozen Division 1 players on the court, it was easy to see that Williams-Goss was the top player. He is a general, pointing out assignments to his teammates, encouraging them through drills and when the lights come on, he penetrates at will with a killer instinct to dish for a dunk or shoot a dagger into the opponent’s heart.
He likely will be in the McDonald’s game but that wasn’t his major concern.
“It would be a blessing but I’m not as concerned about that, my goal this season is for us to go undefeated and end as the No. 1 team in the country,” Williams-Goss said.
Making an Impact
In 2009, Impact Academy took its successful blueprint of developing and enhancing pro prospects and expanded it the high school and post graduate level.
Impact Las Vegas has 42 players enrolled in its academy program, including a rigorous post-graduate program. The training is intense and includes academics as well as on the court development. The typical day at Impact for its post graduate program is the following:
7:30-9:00 SAT Prep/Credit Recovery
9:30-12:15 Post Grad Performance and Skill Work
Lunch
2:30-5:00 Second Workout
Evening includes recruiting meetings and study hall
A total of 29 players converge onto Vegas for a six-month investment into their basketball development.
“We are creating opportunities for these guys they didn’t have out of high school,” Impact Director Mike Moreau said. “This isn’t for the meek, it takes focus and a commitment. We understand the development process and we take the same approach for our middle school to our pro participants.”
There are real quality players at the program who should step up to the next level:
Isaac Kreuer, formerly of Metro Academy in Kansas City, Missouri
Currently he is receiving interest from Tulsa, UMKC, Missouri State, South Dakota St, Depaul and Sam Houston State.
“I’m getting better and stronger,” Kreuer said. “There are more reps here than everywhere I have been and it’s very individual. My recruitment has improved.” According to Moreau, Isaac is a 4/5 who can go inside and out player with a solid mid-range game. He’s deceptively strong and versatile. He can pick-n-pop and hit the trail three. Being an eager learner and explosive, he’s an under-the-radar quality post prospect.
Jaryd Eustace, formerly from Brisbane, Australia is receiving interest from DePaul, Boise State, Southern Utah, Morehead St and Cal Lutheran.
His dad played professionally in Australia. Coach Moreau glows in talking about Jaryd.
“He is wonderfully skilled with a great basketball IQ,” Moreau said. “He’s bouncy and athletic as well as competitive and versatile. He has the wow factor.”
Gemeny Givens is a 5-foot-11 point guard formerly of famed St. Joseph’s Alameda, CA.
St Joseph’s is a storied program that had a California Hall of Fame coach and basketball stars, Jason Kidd and Luke Whitehead. Givens is a real student athlete with a 4.0 G.P.A. and an 1180 SAT.
He’s currently receiving interest from Colgate, Columbia and Cornell.
“He’s much like Ricky Rubio when he got here prior to going to the NBA, we had to make him shoot the ball because he was so conscious of being unselfish,” Moreau said.
- Leigh Klein
- contributor to 247Sports - 247Sports