Gabe York at the Boost Mobile Elite event in August. Photo by Gary Randazzo, Wildcat Sports Report
Arizona basketball signee Gabe York is “the guy that simply finds a way to score,” said ESPN recruiting analyst Dave Telep.
Telep was quoted in an ESPN.com story on York earlier this week. York, a 6-goot-1 guard, then scored 38 points for Orange (Calif.) Lutheran High School in the semifinals of the Dick’s Sporting Goods Orange Holiday Classic on Wednesday night.
York scored big again a night later, with 30 points — including a 3-pointer at the end of regulation that sent the game into overtime — as his team defeated Foothill High 68-60.
In the process, York became the school’s career leading scorer with 1,922 points.
He scored eight of his 30 points Thursday night in overtime, and was chosen MVP of the tournament.
“In overtime I decided that it was time for me to take over,” he told the Orange County Register.
“The first three quarters, I’m trying to make my shots and get my teammates involved. In the fourth quarter, if that didn’t work and we’re still down, I just tell my teammates, ‘Let me have this and let me get our team going and get the win for us.’”
In the ESPN.com story, Telep was quoted as saying that York — a consensus top 50 national recruit — has the kind of the game that will transition easily to college.
“Not only is he a shooter with range, he toughs out acrobatic finishes and has no fear going to the rim,” he said. “I imagine his transition to college ball will be pretty seamless.”
York is averaging nearly 30 points this season despite seeing all manner of defenses.
“Teams are all over Gabe, and as a high school kid, that’s tough to deal. Give him credit though, he has handled things well,” Orange Lutheran coach Chris Nordstrom told ESPN.com.
“I think we have seen every kind of defense. Double-teams and triple-teams. Box-and-one. Triangle-and-two. You name it, opponents have thrown it at us. I’m not sure what they will think of next.”
No matter. York simply finds a way to score.