We’ve seen a lot of players come through our doors over the years, varying in appearance, skill level, and everything in between. We decided to put forth a “Getting to Know” series on some players who have attended events but still remain on the lesser-known side of things. Each of these prospects embody being a student-athlete and getting it done in the classroom as well as on the basketball court, and today’s edition will take a closer look at Evan Montanari of Gaston Day School and Rod Howard Select.
We’ve seen and covered Montanari various times, including prior to last season where Colby Lewis stated, “Last season, 2A perennial power East Lincoln went 24-5. As a sophomore, Evan Montanari was a big reason for the team’s success. Despite fighting injury, Evan started in all 27 games in which he played. He finished the year averaging 12 points, 2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2 steals per game and was named to the South Fork 2A All Conference Team. More importantly, Evan boasts an impressive 4.38 GPA. Evan is an excellent shooter with deep range and a quick release. He shot 40% from three last season and was Top 5 in North Carolina in three-point field goals made for the 2022 class. Two performances from last season really come to mind. He had a game-high of 24 points in a win over conference rival, Lincolnton. He also put up a career-high of 28 points and made 7 three-point field goals (2nd most in school history) in a win over 3A Kings Mountain. In addition to being a tremendous shooter from the perimeter, Evan is a good all-around player. He has the ability to create off the bounce, getting into the lane for pull-up jumpers and floaters. Evan is a high IQ guard who plays under control when getting into the lane. He plays off two feet and is able to make nice interior passes or kick it out to shooters. One thing I love about Evan’s game is that he plays extremely hard on both ends of the court. Not only is Evan an offensive threat, he stays engaged in defensively. He plays passing lanes well with great anticipation, without over gambling. In addition, he has quick hands and has a knack for knocking the ball loose. East Lincoln’s Head Coach Jon Hancock stated, “Evan is a very good shooter. He is a smart player with sneaky athleticism and excellent anticipation. He is continuing to work on getting stronger, and as he does that, he’ll get even better. We believe he will become a very good player down the road. His best basketball is still ahead of him.” Evan Montanari is a player to keep an eye out for and expect him to have a breakout junior season.”
Following the season, Montanari opted to transfer to Gaston Day School and reclassify to the Class of 2023. The move should only further his overall appeal as a prospect for college coaches. He’s a useful player in every context, largely due to his ability to shoot, pass, handle the ball, and operate within a role or expand his production as needed. Although capable of filling it up, Montanari is smart and looks to play an unselfish brand of basketball. He shoots the ball at a reliable clip from the perimeter and attacks closeouts as needed. Montanari also knows how to make his presence felt as a defender and rebounder, which only improves his value to this squad. Given his steady play over the last few years, one should expect him to continue producing throughout the foreseeable future.