7-footer says he’ll be a Zag

Andy Poling, a 7-foot center who will be a junior at Westview High in Beaverton, Ore., orally committed to Gonzaga University on Wednesday night.

According to a story in Friday’s Oregonian, Poling picked the Zags over offers from nearly every Pacific-10 Conference school.

“It was a tough decision, but I know it’s the right place for me.” Poling told the paper. “I decided to go ahead and announce my decision because I didn’t see the point in making other schools waste their time recruiting me. I know things are not going to change.”

Like all oral commitments, Poling’s choice is non-binding.

In fact, Poling won’t be able to sign a letter of intent until November of 2007.

But he joins a long list of high school players who committed to GU early, including current Zag David Pendergraft, who announced his choice as a sophomore at Brewster (Wash.) High, and 2007 recruit Steven Gray of Bainbridge Island, Wash., who also announced as a sophomore.

According to the Times, Poling averaged 17.8 points a game last season, including 35 in a double-overtime game against Beaverton.