Gara, a wing out of Sutton High School in Massachusetts, finalized his plans for the future with a commitment to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. A 6’5″ wing, Gara has a nice combination of positional size and length, plays within himself offensively, and does a nice job of being active on the defensive end of the floor. He’s able to make shots from behind the arc in catch and shoot situations, uses his length as a finisher around the rim, and should be able to operate as a screener or handler in ball screens at the next level. He’s got some versatility defensively, showing the ability to guard in space or around the rim. It’s a good early get for RPI, where Gara should be able to carve out a role during his time in the Liberty League.

Gara has an intriguing blend of size, skill, and athleticism. The 6-foot-4 wing can handle the ball and score at the rim, but he’s also effective as a second-side attacker when the rock gets swung to him—he always goes quickly and decisively. Defensively, the junior is very versatile and uses his physical tools to guard a large variety of players, big and small. Gara is at public school, so I’ll be curious whether he reclassifies and tries to improve his recruitment, but I would be surprised if he doesn’t find a D3 fit when the time comes regardless of whether he makes that decision.