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Gonzaga Basketball

Gonzaga one of six finalists for talented center Walker Kessler

Glass doors at the entry to Gonzaga’s recently remodeled lockerroom. (Jesse Tinsley / The Spokesman-Review)

Walker Kessler, one of top centers in the 2020 class, has narrowed the list of schools he’s considering to six.

Gonzaga made the Fairburn, Georgia, native’s list along with Auburn, Cal, Michigan, Duke and North Carolina.

Kessler, a 6-foot-11, 225-pound post who plays at Woodward Academy in Georgia, is ranked 16th overall by ESPN.com and 247sports.com. The five-star recruit is fourth among centers, according to 247sports.com.

Kessler’s dad and older brother played at the University of Georgia but the Bulldogs didn’t make his six finalists. Duke has the edge to land Kessler at 70%, according to 247sports’ projection, but Georgia was considered second at 20%.

Kessler is a skilled big man with the ability to stretch the floor with his perimeter shot. He has visited Duke, Virginia, Vanderbilt and Michigan.

The Zags have two 2020 commitments: Combination guard Dominick Harris, from Rancho Christian High in Temecula, California, and 6-7 wing Julian Strawther, a rising senior at Liberty High in Henderson, Nevada. Strawther, playing for Puerto Rico, averaged 22 points to finish second in scoring at the recent FIBA U19 World Cup in Greece.

Kessler is the second top 20 recruit in the 2020 class on Gonzaga’s radar. Jalen Suggs, a 6-4 point guard from Minnesota, is ranked No. 12 by ESPN and No. 13 by 247sports.com.