College Commitment: Ben Gregg (2021 Clackamas HS)
When we first talked with Ben Gregg Ben Gregg 6'8" | SF Clackamas | 2021 #50 Nation OR after his freshman year, he wasn’t shy about saying who his dream college program was. The recruiting process took a bunch of twists and turns the past two years for the 6-foot-9 forward from Clackamas, but through it all Gregg stayed patient. The offer that he always wanted finally came in and on Wednesday – his mom’s birthday – Gregg announced that he will be a Gonzaga Bulldog.
“They offered me late but they’ve been talking to me since I was going into my sophomore year,” Gregg said. “God works in mysterious ways sometimes and it was a God thing – it was the right timing and it was the right place for me to go.”
Gregg – who had been stewing on the decision for awhile. Until a few weeks ago it seemed that Gonzaga might be out of the picture as despite the constant contact a scholarship offer had not materialized. That offer came through after he and a couple of weeks ago, he and his family made a lake retreat to come to a decision, one where the Zags came out ahead of Arizona, Oregon, Oregon State, USC, Virginia, and many others.
“We had a whole checklist of stuff that was important to us as a family,” Gregg said. “They checked the most boxes. Style of play, family, the education – I think style of play might have been the biggest one. They’ve had a lot of players like me in the past – stretch bigs that can shoot the ball and play outside. I think that’s the best fit for me.”
With the decision made, a whole weight is off of Gregg’s shoulders, one in which the stress level was even more amplified as he was actually at the coast this weekend without power and then came home and had to evacuate his home due to nearby wildfires. Gonzaga had been Gregg’s dream school since he was little, as he was born and raised in Spokane before moving to the Portland area when his father Matt got the women’s basketball head coaching job at Warner Pacific.
“It feels really good – I’ve been waiting a long time for it,” Gregg said. “Wish it could have happened sooner but like I said, God works in mysterious ways. I’m just glad I got it taken care of I don’t have to worry about it anymore.”
For his senior season, Gregg’s goals include winning a state title, getting his body ready for college, and repeat as Gatorade State Player of the Year. He will be ranked as the #1 player in the upcoming updated Class of 2021 rankings.