At 6-foot-9 and 200 pounds, one would think that Gabor Somogyi would stand out at the 370-student Woodside Priory in picturesque Portola Valley. But four years ago, Somogyi's older brother, Greg, led the Panthers to a 25-6 record. His brother, who is a 7-foot-4 center, then matriculated to UC Santa Barbara.
Woodside Priory plays in Division V, which is reserved for the schools with the smallest enrollment numbers. But the Panthers are still one of the favorites come postseason in the Central Coast Section. This holds true especially with the versatile play of Somogyi.
The Hungarian born Somogyi fits the European style play of big men in that he is a good perimeter shooter, can handle the ball well, and is comfortable playing face up. He likens his game to that of Dirk Nowitzki because of the similarities in style. Somogyi can either play a finesse or power game where he can either shoot the jump shot or drive to the basket.
Somogyi came to the United States after his freshman year where he has been a three-year starter. During the summers, he works on his shooting and conditioning. In addition, he plays for his Roadrunners club.
Priory Head Coach David Moseley says, "Gabor's strengths are his outside shot, inside moves, and the ability to handle ball for his size. He is a very composed and intelligent player that has been asked to play all five positions this season and has done it well. He is an outgoing kid who loves hanging out with friends, doing school work, and getting extra shots up in the gym."
The bilingual Somogyi is academically qualified as he has a 3.40 GPA and 1700 SAT score. He wants to play for a team with lots of movement on offense with pick and roll plays with the guards because it creates lots of opportunities to score. On defense, he wants to have the responsibility for one offensive player for which a man to man defense would allow.
Moseley who is familiar with the Somogyi family had this assessment of Gabor. "I think he will be better than 7-foot-4 brother UCSB Greg Somogyi. His skill level and size make him a very dangerous player on the D1 level. He is the third Somogyi to attend the Priory. Older brother George is a mathematician and middle brother Greg is a D1 player with NBA aspirations. Gabor currently holds Priory records for blocks and rebounds."
Maine, Nevada, Northern Florida, and San Diego have all expressed interest in Somogyi. His versatility, size, and ball handling makes him an intriguing prospect who can fill many holes for a college program. Watch for Somogyi to fill some big shoes at the next level in the fall of 2012.
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