Intro: Austin Gates (2019)
We came away very impressed with 6’3” Bartlett 2019 combo guard Austin Gates evaluating him during the spring with Mercury Elite 16U. He has good size, broad shoulders, and a strong build. First aspect that stood out was his perimeter shooting. He has been working on his shot and it definitely shows. Bit of a long release over the top of his head, but they fell at a great clip off the catch. The strong and tough guard brings a lot of competitiveness to the table. Played both on and off the ball. Was very impressed with how he used his length on the defensive end of the floor. Extremely active hands getting steals on the ball and cutting passing lanes. Anticipates great on the defensive end and rebounded well for a guard. Gates could be a D2 prospect down the line.
How was his sophomore season at Bartlett?
“I thought it went pretty well. I didn’t expect to play as much as I did on varsity. When I had the opportunity I thought I took advantage of it. I thought we had a good team season and getting ready for next year.”
He spoke about the development in his game.
“Last year I was more of a driver and this summer I am working more on my shooting and being more of an all-around type basketball player. I can block shots from the guard position. I like to get it and go.”
Defensively he really gets after it.
“I like to be all over the ball and pressure it. It gets in their head and makes them take bad shots and make bad passes.”
This spring he is playing with Mercury Elite where he has made a name for himself.
“I think it is going good. I like the team. We could have a better record, but we are working hard right now.”
No college interest at this time. We would expect it to pick up in July and heading into his junior season.