With stellar athletes at the 16th Annual Six-County Senior All-Star Basketball Classic littered about the court, Riverbank High senior Zack Gonzales broke away from the pack with 10 points in the fourth quarter to lead team Blue over team Red in a 105-102 come-from-behind thriller at Modesto Junior College on May 6.
Gonzales earned MVP status (Riverbank's first ever) after 15 overall points and a heroic push to close the contest.
"The experience was pretty great, and it was really something to be around the best players in the area," Gonzales said on Sunday. "It's pretty cool to be the first MVP in Riverbank history."
While the all-star experience culminated his final moment of prep athletics, Gonzales is nowhere near done with his basketball career.
He has been recruited to Fresno City College to play hoops with the No. 2 rated community college basketball program in the nation (Basketball Times).
The Rams went 31-3 last year and reached the state semifinals. The program sports 10 consecutive Central Valley Conference championships with two state championships and 10 top-16 state finishes across that span.
"They have a lot of guys that go on to Division I schools, and it feels like that is just the right fit for me," Gonzales said. "I have known (Head coach Ed Madec) for a while, and he has been recruiting me for a few years."
Gonzales will depart for the program's summer league play on June 1, and expects to contend for guard or small forward playing time among a tough field of returning athletes and new recruits.
It's a good challenge for a Bruin star that has led Riverbank High's varsity team in scoring for three straight seasons.
"I am starting at the bottom of the food chain at Fresno City," Gonzales said. "I am not the best player anymore, and I am very pumped to move on to another level with some really good players."
Gonzales earned MVP status (Riverbank's first ever) after 15 overall points and a heroic push to close the contest.
"The experience was pretty great, and it was really something to be around the best players in the area," Gonzales said on Sunday. "It's pretty cool to be the first MVP in Riverbank history."
While the all-star experience culminated his final moment of prep athletics, Gonzales is nowhere near done with his basketball career.
He has been recruited to Fresno City College to play hoops with the No. 2 rated community college basketball program in the nation (Basketball Times).
The Rams went 31-3 last year and reached the state semifinals. The program sports 10 consecutive Central Valley Conference championships with two state championships and 10 top-16 state finishes across that span.
"They have a lot of guys that go on to Division I schools, and it feels like that is just the right fit for me," Gonzales said. "I have known (Head coach Ed Madec) for a while, and he has been recruiting me for a few years."
Gonzales will depart for the program's summer league play on June 1, and expects to contend for guard or small forward playing time among a tough field of returning athletes and new recruits.
It's a good challenge for a Bruin star that has led Riverbank High's varsity team in scoring for three straight seasons.
"I am starting at the bottom of the food chain at Fresno City," Gonzales said. "I am not the best player anymore, and I am very pumped to move on to another level with some really good players."
