Class of 2014 Shooting Guard Silas Melson Becomes Newest Gonzaga Commit

Jan 5 2012; Spokane, WA, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs head coach Mark Few looks on against the Pepperdine Waves during the first half at the McCarthey Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports

Mark Few and his staff picked up a commitment from one of the top guards in the northwest last night. Silas Melson, a three-star shooting guard out of Porland, Oregon, committed to Gonzaga after taking an unofficial visit to campus over the weekend. Melson is embracing his future school already. He has already updated his twitter bio with the phrase, “Gonzaga Commit”, and the Bulldog logo is now his twitter  background. From the looks of it, Gonzaga has landed the type of player that is going to be the quintessential Zag, and is excited about the opportunity that Gonzaga has in store for him.

Silas Melson is a bit undersized for the shooting guard position, but he makes up for it with an innate ability to score and his overall athleticism. At 6’2″, 170 pounds, Melson is not the biggest guy on the court, but he can create his own shot with his great agility. He possesses a lightning quick crossover dribble that can put the opposing defender in a spin cycle. He has got some serious bounce, and plays very well around the rim. Melson is very active in rebounding as well. His shooting ability is ultimately what makes him such a special player.

Not only is Melson a fantastic player, he is a winner as well. His high school, the Jefferson Democrats, won the Oregon 5A state championship last season. Melson played in an integral part in the Democrats championship run, and put his winning mentality on display.

Although he can play the point guard position in addition to playing shooting guard, he is more fit to play the two because he lacks some point guard intangibles. Accoring to multiple scouting reports on Melson, he is not the best distributor, and is often creating his own shot opposed to giving his teammates easy looks. He struggles when the ball is in his hands for long stretches, and is prone to turn the ball over when taking the ball up the court. At this stage in his young basketball career, Melson simply is not fit to play the point guard position, especially for a team that is unified around point guard play like the Bulldogs of Goznaga. However, this certainly could change with the right training and dedication.

Overall, this is a fantastic pickup for Few and company. Melson is one of the two priority recruits in the northwest area, the other being Timberline’s Donaven Dorsey. Melson should be a contributor from day one, and could add some serious substance to the Zags offense. Hopefully this is just the tip of the iceberg of Gonzaga’s 2014 recruiting class, which appears to be very bright.

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