Prospect Update 2019: Anwar Gill
Anwar Gill, 6’5″ CG/WG, 2019. Gonzaga College Eagles HS. Washington, DC. Grassroots Team : DC Blue Devils
Last season we watched Anwar improve each time out in his sophomore year at Gonzaga. During January & February he was playing at such a high level many thought it was only a matter of time before he became a starter. On February 16, 2017 Gonzaga traveled to DeMatha in a key WCAC game. The contest was possibly the most intense & one of the best games of the season in the DC DMV & Anwar was one of the top 2 or 3 players on the court. Overall, he may have been the best due to his consistent outstanding defense. Anwar scored from all 3 levels & made numerous clutch plays. Despite playing excellent basketball well before the DeMatha showdown, Anwar called this his major breakout game. On the very next day the Eagles traveled to Bishop Ireton for a makeup game. In an attempt to block a Ireton layup at the rim, Anwar landed awkwardly & broke his 5th metatarsal bone in his foot ending his season. Anwar traveled with Gonzaga the remainder of the season & attended all of their games keeping stats & learning basketball from a different perspective. On the exterior he was upbeat, but inside Anwar adds,”I was very frustrated because the DeMatha game was a statement for me. Each game I was picking up minutes & gaining momentum. I knew I was going to play great basketball thru the end of our season.”
One week after his injury Anwar had season ending surgery in which a screw was inserted for reinforcement. During the next 2.5 months he was not allowed to perforn any weight bearing exercise & placed in a boot for a long period. During this time frame Anwar adds, “I did not want to just lay around. I worked on other parts of my body, such as doing sit ups & push ups & was trying to improve myself. Our season at Gonzaga was not complete after my injury and I traveled with the team and studied our games from the bench. However, I was itching to get out there and play.” In May Anwar received full clearance & just 5 days later he played for Gonzaga in the DeMatha BSN Summer League. We saw this game & were stunned on how well Anwar played despite being dormant for 3 long months. He was rusty & not in game shape, but played like a warrior making many key plays. Each outing he played at higher level & within 10 days he was one of the top players in the Summer League which was loaded with top DMV teams & players. Anwar was awarded to the 1st team DeMatha BSN League All Star team which was an amazing accomplishment. After Summer League Anwar played up for the DC Blue Devils 17U & did very well. Anwar’s dedication, relentlessness play, IQ, & IT factor are some the the traits that impressed us last January when we (I) named Anwar a high major D1 prospect.
There are very good defenders, great defenders, then there are the Elite, Anwar is an Elite Defender. He is a very long 6’5″ with a great wingspan & he possesses excellent lateral movement, quickness & athleticism. Anwar is fearless & will go in traffic to get rebounds & loose balls. He has outstanding reactions & timing to the basketball. He is one of the best chase down shot blockers in the DC DMV & a lock-down on ball defender the entire game & 94 feet. If an All Met All Defensive team was formed Anwar would easily make the 1st team. His superb intensity, concentration, IQ & focus are some aspects of Anwar’s game we believe he inherited from his parents at birth. The question of whether a player can develop a higher motor & toughness remains a question of debate, but many theorize it is derived from the genes.
On offense Anwar is on his way to becoming the total package. He is one the best in the area in attacking the rim & a superb finisher. We awarded Anwar with the Doctor of Dunk Award this fall for his explosive & powerful tomahawk dunks. He can go coast to coast off the dribble & make the correct reads/decisions, but if there is an opening Anwar is going the rim & hard. He can finish with either hand but not every move is a dunk. Anwar can score inside with floaters, post ups, spin moves , reverse layins & other in the paint baskets. He has great court vision & can deliver pin point passes with excellent timing. We have seen Anwar make post entry, drop offs, alley oops, & kick outs on & off the dribble. His ball handling is solid, but Anwar adds, “Several high major Coaches want me to develop into a PG/CG. I have been working very hard on my ball-handling. This summer I developed the ability to bring the ball up full court with either hand against full court pressure at much higher level. Also, I am now able to split double teams & traps. My handle can get low when I want. However, I will not be satisfied until my ball-handling reaches the level of a PG.”We have seen his ball handling grow at a rapid rate. In the full court Anwar can beat his defenders by a pure blow bye, hesitation & go, in & out crossover. In half court sets, he can get in the paint or pull up by utilizing a straight cross, in & out crossover & spin moves from either side of the court. Anwar is on the brink of perfecting his step-back to pull up or go into an array of moves to attack the rim. Once at the rim Anwar can utilize his strong frame to overpower his opponents to finish thru contact.
On the perimeter Anwar can score from the triple threat with his superb jab step. Last season we liked his shooting mechanics right up to the release, & Anwar adds,” My Trainer who is Coach Torrey (DC Premier) has worked with me to improve my shot release. The ball is coming out of my hand much better & my follow thru is very good. Now I have nice backspin, a high release & elevation on my jumper. My shot off the dribble is improved & my mid range is a strong point. I can hit 1, 2, & 3 dribble pull-ups & coast coast mid range pull-ups.” This summer & fall Anwar has put in a tremendous amount of time & effort working on basketball & he adds,”I work out 6-7 days a week on my own & with Coach Torrey close to 6 days. There are no days off for me & I have a chip on my shoulder. I know where I am now & where I want to get to. Once I get to that point I will have new goals & I will always be hungry to improve. Coach Torrey & I work on strength & conditioning thru the week. I lift weights, preform plyos, & we do a lot of work on flexibility & agility. Additionally, I run sprints & miles. We do very basketball drill conceivable & I am putting up a lot of shots. During our regular season practices our Coaches work with us on individual basis & in groups. We get a great education at Gonzaga, on the court & in the classroom.”
Although a reader could assume that Anwar executes the intangibles, assuming is a bad trait for us, players, & people in all walks of life. Best of all is that Anwar can make a big impact in a game without scoring. He can shut down players who play 1 thru 4, & Anwar has the ability & mindset to take bigs out their game. He can make key steals, blocks & if there is 50/50 ball it belongs to Anwar. He will set screens, make the extra/extra pass, & do whatever it takes to get a W. We (I) consider passion & work ethic an intangible & Anwar is as good as they come for both. In his downtime Anwar likes to study John Wall, D’Aaron Fox, & Tyreke Evans from the NBA. Last season Gonzaga finished the season ranked # 8 in the nation, with a 32-5 record, winning the WCAC, DC State Title, The Gonzaga DC Classic & Alhambra ACIT Tournament. We (I) recently stated Gonzaga could be better this season than last season, but while this may hold true at the seasons conclusion, it does not mean the Eagles will win the WCAC. We stated that DeMatha, Gonzaga, Paul VI & St. Johns are good enough to be ranked in the nations top 25 teams. Additionally, Bishop O’Connell & St. Mary Ryken have the talent & apparent chemistry to beat anyone in the WCAC. Archbishop Carroll is very, very intriguing & potentially dangerous while Bishop Ireton & Good Counsel will make some noise.
This week Anwar said he is 95 to 100% back, but he looks 110%. Gonzaga Coaches have basically named Anwar a lock to start & a high major D1 recruit. Anwar joins 6’3″ 2018 PG & Notre Dame commit Prentiss Hubb (top 60 in nation), 6’5″ 2018 WG Myles Dread (top 180 in nation) & Penn State commit, & 2020 6’7″ PF Terrance Williams who is ranked in the top 25 nationally. The final starter will be one of :6’7″ Forward Allin Blunt, 6’5″ 2019 Wing Josh Watts or 6’7″ 2020 Wing Myles Stute with 6’2″ 2020 PG Chuck Harris a likely starter next season. The Eagles are deep & the WCAC is stacked, but we knew the answer who Anwar says will win the WCAC before we asked. With no hesitation he responded Gonzaga. We do not know who will win the WCAC, but we do know Anwar does. “Gonzaga”
As expected Anwar names his mother & father as his role models, & he is very close to his younger brother who we see at games. Recently during the live period, James Madison, George Mason & High Point all offered Anwar during an Open Gym. Gonzaga opens the season in the DC / Baltimore Catholic Challenge in which the WCAC will play against 4 teams vs. the excellent BCL Conference, which is Charm City’s version of the WCAC. Some key out of conference games will include the Gonzaga DC Classic, The Slam Dunk to the Beach Tournament in Lewes Delaware, The Hoophall Classic in Springfield MA. A big game & we literally mean a big game, will be played against one of the top 10 teams in the nation; Mater Dei (CA) who feature top 5 2018 7’2″ big, Bol Bol. We will be covering Gonzaga in great detail this season with live game reports & player articles. We will be posting some very interesting Gonzaga articles coming in the 2 next weeks, Stay Tuned.