Oregon high schooler Silas Melson commits to Gonzaga

Silas Melson, a 6-foot-2 guard from Portland’s Jefferson High School, orally committed to the Gonzaga men’s basketball program.

Melson, who helped Jefferson to the Oregon Class 5A state championship, is the first commitment in Gonzaga’s 2014 class. He averaged 18 points as a junior.

Melson confirmed his commitment on Twitter Tuesday evening.

“Gonzaga stood out because of the fit for him and just how badly they wanted him,” Melson’s father, Tony, said. “This past year Silas was getting more popular and more schools showed interest and a couple other schools offered (scholarships), but nobody was as aggressive as Gonzaga.”

Tony Melson said his son had offers from Oregon State, Washington, Colorado State, Colorado and Drake, and he was receiving interest from Oregon and Washington State.

“When he comes in as a freshman, Gary Bell and Kevin Pangos will be seniors,” said Tony Melson, who played receiver at Portland State. “They are very good guards right now and they’re only going to get better. That’s very good leadership for Silas and the other guards on the team.”

Melson is ranked 148th overall in the 2014 class by Rivals.com. ESPN.com rates Melson as the 40th best shooting guard and the top player in Oregon in 2014.