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Faced with a shortage of post players for next season, the Cal men’s basketball team gave itself a boost in that area on Monday, when head coach Ben Braun announced the signing of 6-foot, 10-inch center Gabriel Hughes to a National Letter of Intent to play for the Bears. 

Hughes, the younger brother of current Cal sophomore Solomon Hughes, was highly recruited out of high school, after showing an unselfish ability to contribute in aspects other than scoring. Braun expects the incoming freshman to deepen the No. 5 position, which was depleted somewhat by the April exit of Shahar Gordon, who left the Bears to fulfill a military commitment in Israel.  

“I think Gabriel has a lot of potential to be a presence in the post,” the Cal coach said about the new addition. “With Shahar Gordon’s departure, Gabriel will add depth to a thin front line.” 

Originally a graduate of Bishop Montgomery High School in Torrance, Hughes played the 1999-2000 season for a New Hampshire prep school, at which he averaged 14 points and seven rebounds per game. Like his brother, Gabriel is also a shot-blocking threat who averaged three blocks a game last season. As a senior at Bishop Montgomery in 1998-99, Hughes averaged 12 points, nine rebounds and four blocks.  

Solomon also played at Montgomery during his high school years, compiling slightly better overall numbers than his younger brother. 

“(Gabriel is) an active, 6-10 player who can run the floor,” Braun said. “He has good shot-blocking and rebounding abilities, so he’s further along on the defensive end than the offensive end.” 

Hughes joins his brother and freshman Nick Vander Laan as the only three centers currently on the Cal roster.