Cesar Chavez High School has consistently ranked among the elite high school programs in the state of Arizona since it’s development in 2004. Still a fairly new school in the valley, Chavez has posted consecutive winning seasons in each of their 10 seasons of existence in Arizona. Behind the leadership of their only high school head coach at the program, Gary Lee, the Champions have played like Champions each season – wining more than 20+ games in each season since the school’s development in South Phoenix.
While Gary Lee is not often mentioned among the list of elite coaches in the state, his numbers at the program are glaring, as he has consistently won at a high level and continues to produce talented young men for the collegiate ranks.
This season Cesar Chavez is off to another excellent start to the season - posting an 11-2 record thus far this season and winning their last 7 games on the season, including a tournament championship at this year's Phoenix Union Classic at South Mountain High School. The tournament win included a big win (58-57) over Central High School. Since a blowout loss at Red Mountain High School in early December (49-71), Cesar Chavez is now playing their best basketball of the season - led by the play of athletic sleeper 6-foot-6 senior forward Rashaad Goolsby.
Goolsby would earn the honor as the tournament's Most Valuable Player recently at the PUHSD event, as a result of his strong play this season and in the tournament.
Goolsby is among the best sleeper prospects in Arizona's 2015 senior class. With very few prospects in the class receiving much attention from college coaches around the country, Goolsby is one prospect that could make some noise in the spring. Goolsby is a very long and rangy prospect with loads of talent and upside that has grown physically a great deal over the past year. This young man will have to decide for himself just how bad he wants it, but the physical tools are there.
Goolsby is a left handed performer also, which makes him a very intriguing prospect as well, with an ability to score around the basket and also from the perimeter. This will be his best asset for himself over time, as he matures and develops. He is currently a solid mid-range player, but will also need to improve his consistency from the perimeter beyond the arc to improve as a player for the college level.
Where Goolsby should excel as a player over time will be in his ability to defend, which he is currently a good shotblocker and has the length to play the passing lanes. Over time he should also be able to defend several positions on the floor.
Goolsby will look to continue to lead a talented team at Chavez this season in the competitive and tough Division-I Class this season, and will also look to attract some attention from college coaches this spring.
Arizona Hoop Review Scouting Report: Goolsby is a very long and rangy young talented prospect that has grown physically a great deal over the past year, and now is beginning to show the potential and promise to become another strong prospect for the school. Just two years ago, Goolsby stood 6-foot-3 in heigth, but this young man grew three inches in the past two years and now can be considered among the top prospects in Arizona’s 2015 class. Goolsby still looks to be growing a great deal as well, so this amazing growth-spurt looks to be just the beginning for the gifted young prospect. The long, athletic frame of Goolsby looks like it could continue to grow to 6-8 before it is all said and done. Goolsby is a left handed performer also, which makes him a very intriguing prospect as well, with an ability to score around the basket and also from the perimeter. This will be his best asset for himself over time, as he matures and develops. Currently, he is not physically strong enough to finish plays at a high level, so he will need to get much stronger to continue to improve as a player. He is currently a solid mid-range player, but will also need to improve his consistency from the perimeter beyond the arc to improve as a player. Goolsby is a solid ball handler and is able to handle the basketball in the open floor. As he gets stronger physically, this area of his fundamental should improve, but he is a skilled prospect with good size for such a young age. Where Goolsby should excel as a player over time will be in his ability to defend, which he is currently a good shotblocker and has the length to play the passing lanes. Over time he should also be able to defend several positions on the floor.
