Izzo Adds Another Impressive Commitment to 2010 Class!
Fresh off a Final Four victory and championship game showdown, Michigan State basketball got some more good news Thursday afternoon. Alex Gauna, a 6-foot-9 big man from Eaton Rapids High School, has committed to Michigan State.
Gauna grew up a Tom Izzo and Spartan fan; no surprise when you're only a few dozen miles away from the basketball factory that is Michigan State.
Gauna, a young man still growing into his lengthy frame, brings range and touch along with his vertical attributes. During the faster-paced AAU season, when he balls for the Michigan Mustangs, Gauna's ability to shoot the rock is apparent. He's comfortable slinging it from 10-15 feet away and will stretch it even further beyond the arc on occasion.
Despite claims otherwise, Gauna is tenacious under the boards. Although bulking up will be a focus as he prepares for the next level, the desire is certainly there. For a big man, his eye-hand coordination is superb and as he matures and immerses himself in the school of Izzo, his already-high basketball IQ will continue to expand, making his ability to haul down rebounds that much stronger
Watching Gauna in action, hustle and heart are two adjectives that come to mind. He does not take plays off, even when winded. The young man is always tuned into the action on the court and his ability to focus should continue the tradition of superb defensive players who have locked down opponents in Breslin.
In MSU's often fast-paced offense, where running the floor off missed shots is an ever-present opportunity, Gauna's athleticism will be a significant positive. While he will need to work on stamina, something that should continue to build naturally as the rest of his body catches up with his quick-sprouting bones, Gauna can certainly keep pace with an up-and-down game plan.
Although he is often compared to Paul Davis, the expectations coming in will be much more down to Earth. Davis was a national recruit, and while Gauna drew interest from other Big Ten and SEC schools, he'll be considered more of an under-the-radar prospect when compared to Davis.
In truth, Gauna falls somewhere in between 2009 MSU commit Garrick Sherman, a raw but true center, and 2010's Russell Byrd, the Indiana native who committed to MSU late last year. Byrd's outside game is more polished than Gauna's, but in the paint, Gauna is the equal of where Sherman was at the same point in his career. While Byrd will be a true deep threat, and Gauna will have an occasional outside game similar to Goran Suton, Byrd's ability to knock bodies in the paint will be limited by his slighter (6-foot-7, 195 pounds) size. And while Sherman will likely focus on posting people up with his back to the basket, Gauna's strength will be his versatility in either facing his man up or shouldering into the post
Gauna is the third commit to MSU's 2010 class, joining Byrd and Detroit Pershing's Keith Appling
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