Grand Canyon University basketball filled one of its five scholarships over the weekend with former Chandler Basha All-Arizona forward Gabe McGlothan committing to the Antelopes.

McGlothan, 6-foot-7, 225 pounds, is transferring from Southeast Missouri State, where he averaged 7.5 points and 6.2 rebounds in 21 minutes a game, as a freshman. In Ohio Valley Conference play, McGlothan averaged 8.9 points and 7.1 rebounds and made 44 percent of his 3-point attempts (15 of 34).

He said he visited GCU over the weekend, and got to know coach Dan Majerle and two new assistants, Marvin Menzies and Isaac Chew.

“They’re going to be great,” McGlothan said. “They’ve been through it before. They have quite the track record, being winning coaches.”

He will have to sit out next season because of his transfer from a Division I school to another D-I. But he will be able to practice next season with the Antelopes.

McGlothan said he could have tried to get a waiver from the NCAA because he is returning home. But he would rather sit out next season work with his new teammates to become much better for the 2020-21 season.

“I think this year will be beneficial,” McGlothan said. “I’ll get my feet wet and get comfortable.”

He led Basha to its only boys basketball state championship in 2017, when the Bears went 30-1 and McGlothan was named the 6A Premier Region Player of the Year, and to  The Arizona Republic‘s All-Arizona team. He averaged 14.2 points and 9.4 rebounds his senior year.

“GCU is getting a terrific young man, a greater leader both on and off the floor,” Basha coach Michael Grothaus said.  “I can’t say enough positive things about Gabe as a man. As a player, they are getting an elite level athlete that plays both ends of the floor. His game has really improved offensively with him extending his range to the 3-point line.”

McGlothan originally was on his way to Army after graduating from Basha. But he ended up at Putnam Science Academy in Connecticut, where he played for the national prep team in 2017-18.

He said he worked on becoming a better 3-point shooter last season at Southeast Missouri State. He said the main reason for leaving after one season was a “player on the team who was negative and tore it all apart.”

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“I didn’t see much coming out of that,” McGlothan added.

 

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