Elite 2025 recruit includes Gonzaga in final 6 schools

6-foot-9 forward is a knockdown three-point shooter

Photos by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford

With two weeks left until the early signing period for all high school seniors commences, the Gonzaga men’s basketball program has jumped into the recruiting mix for a four-star power forward from the 2025 class.

Spencer Ahrens, a 6-foot-9 senior from Bella Vista Prep (Arizona), put the Bulldogs down on his list of the final six schools that he’s considering attending, according to On3.com. Ahrens, a native of Ontario, Canada, is also considering Boise State, Illinois, San Francisco, Stanford and Washington. He previously pondered over offers from Penn State Arizona State, Michigan and others.

Ahrens has completed visits to Illinois, Boise State and San Francisco, though he also plans on making trips to Washington and either Gonzaga or Stanford “in the near future” before he likely makes his decision in mid-November, per On3. 

Here’s what Ahrens told On3.com (subscriber access) about his viewpoint on Gonzaga.

Have great success with Canadians and players of my style. They win.

The eloquently short and sweet answer about players north of the border having success under Mark Few is backed up by the head coach’s lengthy track record with Canadians. As if a quick glance at the Canadian national team’s roster from this past summer isn’t validating enough, the Bulldogs’ brand of basketball has had Canadian influence from the days of Robert Sacre and Kevin Pangos to Brandon Clarke and now more recently the Nembhard brothers, Andrew and Ryan.

Ahrens is the No. 121-ranked recruit in the 2025 class according to the 247Sports Composite rating. He’s rated as a top-10 player in Arizona and is the No. 27-ranked power forward in his class. 

Per the experts from major recruiting databases, Illinois could be considered the leading favorite to land a commitment from Ahrens. Both 247Sports’ crystal ball and On3.com’s prediction machine have the Fighting Ilini out in front of the recruiting pack.

Gonzaga has signed one recruit in the 2025 class thus far in four-star wing Davis Fogle, who recently transferred to AZ Compass Prep in Arizona for his senior season. The Bulldogs have struck out elsewhere, as they missed out on five-star prospects Isiah Harwell (Houston) and Jalen Haralson (Notre Dame) in addition to four-star forward Nikolas Khamenia (Duke).

MORE GONZAGA NEWS & ANALYSIS

• Gonzaga experiments with starting rotation ahead of 2024-25 season opener against Baylor

• Gonzaga falls to USC in charity exhibition game: 3 takeaways

• What Gonzaga’s Khalif Battle said after USC exhibition basketball game

• What Mark Few said after Gonzaga-USC basketball exhibition game

• Gonzaga’s Ryan Nembhard named one of college basketball's top point guards

• 2025 NCAA Tournament bracketology: Gonzaga projected to earn top seeds in Seattle region

• Barack Obama breaks down funny handshake with Gonzaga’s Mark Few

• Gonzaga’s Graham Ike named to The Athletic’s preseason All-America team

• Sacramento Kings' G League affiliate adds Gonzaga’s Drew Timme to training camp roster

• Gonzaga ranks No. 2 in EvanMiya’s 2024-25 preseason rankings

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Continue to follow our Gonzaga coverage on social media by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter.