Written by Danny Brady
Garren Pace, a 6-foot-1 guard for the Springfield College men’s basketball team, may be a redshirt freshman, but he brings experience none of his older teammates have: competing in the Spalding Huval Basketball Hall of Fame Classic.
Hoophall is a five-day high school basketball showcase event held the week before the start of the second semester. Many of the best men’s and women’s high school basketball teams compete in Blake Arena at Springfield College. Some of the NBA’s brightest current stars participated in the event, including Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, Jayson Tatum, Zion Williamson and more.
Pace played with and against the country’s most famous high school basketball players last season, as a member of the powerhouse Christopher Columbus (Miami, Fla.). His teammates included Cameron Boozer, the No. 2 overall recruit in the 2025 class according to ESPN. Pace’s time in Columbus included a trip to Hoval, where he clashed with Bronny James, a 2023 ESPN Top 20 recruit and the eldest son of LeBron James and 2023 ESPN Top 50 recruit Mikey Williams, who has more than four million followers on Instagram.
“When you walk on the field you look around and there are just regular people,” Pace said of playing at Hoval. “There are people in the stands, people standing on the sidelines, under the basket. There are cameras everywhere.”
Pace did more than just make the roster in Columbus; He started as a junior and senior along with being a major factor in the team’s success in both years. Pace averaged 9.3 points and 2.2 assists per game on 47% shooting as a junior, scoring six key points in a narrow 45-44 win over Dr. Phillips that earned Columbus its first FHSAA Class A basketball state championship. Class 7A, which is the highest division in Florida. .
Despite his contribution as a youngster, Pace felt he could take his game to a higher level, especially in big games with big crowds and the national spotlight.
“It kind of got to me my freshman year at first,” Pace said. “I was nervous and thinking about things a lot…but in the end my confidence improved and I learned how to play, and to read people how they play.”
The mental improvements that came with these experiences helped Pace improve physically on the field. As a senior, he averaged 9.6 points and 2.8 assists per game on 48% shooting — and stepped up when his team needed it most.
Columbus was looking to repeat as last year’s state champion when it faced Winter Haven High School, which had a 27-5 overall record after a 12-game winning streak.
The second state championship game had more significance.
“More people came out the second time,” Pace said. “We had family, friends, supporters… and we had everyone at the game.”
The game more than lives up to the hype.
In a tied game, Winter Haven had the ball with less than 30 seconds left and took a timeout to talk things out. What happened after the timeout was something Pace will remember for the rest of his life.
“I was thinking in my head: ‘Just play as hard as I can and try to stop…'” he said. “I saw it was me and my teammates [Malik Abdullahi] to up. We were probably the best defenders on the ball on the team, so I said to myself: OK, we’ll get up and press them and try to get turnovers.
This is exactly what happened. As time expired, Pace got the ball and broke up a pass attempt, leading to Abdullah’s steal. Pace found a wide-open cut toward the right side of the hoop for a layup that he scored with about six seconds left.
After Pace scored, the clock kept ticking and the final seconds turned into a crazy melee that resulted in West Haven failing to get a shot in part due to Pace and Abdullah’s full-court pressure and intense competition.
“The feelings I got after the game were much better the second time around, and I played well in the game, from what everyone said,” Pace said.
Pace finished with 11 points on 57 percent shooting in Columbus’ 50-48 win over Winter Haven to win back-to-back state championships.
Despite having participated in several “big games” in his high school career that included two state championships, the atmosphere in Hoval was unlike anything he had ever experienced.
“We felt more pressure – especially in the second game, when we played Bronny, which was crazy – but in the end we got through it,” said Pace.
Pace also visited the Basketball Hall of Fame and met Springfield men’s basketball coach Michael McClendon for the first time in person during Hoophall.
“He’s a straightforward person and a really good coach,” Pace said. “He’s not wearing anything.”
McClendon and his staff had been interested in Bess long before Hoophall, so they were able to use the event to recruit Bess.
“First time [I heard of Garyn] It was through my assistant at the time, who sent me his feature film. I thought he was skillful and fast. “He piqued our interest and we needed to see more of him live,” McLendon said.
“Hoophall wasn’t primarily a recruiting tool for us initially, but once we noticed there were good players on teams that might not have high-level Division I college interest, we looked for those players.”
Pace was one of those players. His visit to Hoval helped him build closer relationships with McClendon and his staff and learn more about the school.
“I got to meet the coaching staff and also find out that this is the birthplace of basketball, which was cool,” Pace said.
When Bess arrived at Alden Street, he was not alone. His older brother Gary also joined him. The 6’6 forward played at Kansas City Kansas Community College last season, averaging 10.1 points per game. The addition of Gary to Pride has helped Garyn as he learns how to navigate college and college basketball for the first time.
“He has more experience in college basketball and college in general, so if I have someone I need to go to to ask something, he’ll probably be the first person,” Garren said.
Now that Gary is a junior, he’s been able to experience some of the differences between high school basketball and collegiate basketball firsthand.
“[In high school] “There’s a lot less structure,” Gary said. “Talented guys get on a high ball screen and do what they want. In college there’s more structure and more plays…and the speed of play is slower. High school is more ups and downs.”
Garyn played a major role in Gary’s decision to come to Springfield. They have never played the same team at a competitive level before this year and feel their matches complement each other well on the pitch.
“I’m in my final years of school and have always wanted to play with my brother on a console,” Gary said. “[Garyn] It has helped me in terms of my IQ. As a point guard, he sees things I don’t normally see…and when he’s in the game, he takes the pressure off me and our teammates as well.
Gary’s experience and talent have been a productive addition to the Springfield team thus far. Through the Pride’s first four games, he leads the team in points (11.3) and is second on the team in rebounds per game (5.5). In the Pride’s exhibition game against Division I Bryant on November 27, Pace scored a team-high 15 points, 13 of which came in the first half.
ESPN+ broadcaster Mason Stauff was highly complimentary of Bess’ game after a strong first half, saying, “[Gary] He showed no fear. Really… that right elbow jumper was strong… you wonder if he’s 6’8-6’9, 200 lbs [if] “It will be at this level.”
The addition of both Garyn and Gary has strengthened Springfield’s team culture as well.
“[Garyn and Gary] “They are very quiet but once they get comfortable, they love to laugh and joke with the team and are very excited with each other,” McClendon said.
Many factors played a role in helping Garyn feel comfortable choosing Springfield College, but the most important factor was the amount of love McClendon and the other coaches showed him during the recruiting process.
“You could tell they really wanted me to come here because they asked for links to my games, they were watching all my games, and they were giving me feedback on all my games.” Pace said. “I thought to myself: ‘Yes, this might be the right school for me, and it should be my first home.’”
Garyn got his first experience at the collegiate level. He’s had limited playing time as a freshman so far, but when he steps on the field, he makes the most of the opportunity. His longest playing stretch came on November 10 at Rutgers-Newark. During the nine minutes he spent on the court, he scored 9 points and provided two assists. He found a way to consistently get to the free throw line, going 6-for-6.
He said: “My goal is to learn and grow as much as I can mentally and physically, in everything. I’m trying to become a better player in the future… I feel like I can do that here.”
Garren has goals for himself this year but his priority is the same as it was in high school.
“Talking with my father and brother, we all have one goal,” he said. “And this is trying to win the championship any way we can.”
Photo courtesy of Hoval
The Hoophall Classic is a renowned high school basketball showcase that has proven to be a pivotal event for many aspiring college athletes. For one student, in particular, the experience of competing in the Hoophall Classic was a game-changer in their college decision-making process. From the electrifying atmosphere to the unmatched level of competition, the Hoophall Classic provided a platform for this student to showcase their skills and catch the attention of college recruiters. As we dive into this student’s journey, we’ll explore how their performance at the Hoophall Classic ultimately paved the way for their college decision.