Another way to use ArrayGem with points.
ArrayGem does not work with points, so created a very tiny line of length 0.001 units, and assigned the line
an Object name of Line.001Long. In order to select it, and pick its centerline as the base point, click on its Object name select
box area, then hit the screen reset button, to auto zoom in. Used CopyToPoints to copy it to the spherical points.
Then use GemArray to copy octagonal object to the line segments, with the sphere as the base surface. This sets them normal to
the sphere, per the selection circle, at a radial distance error, from the surface of the sphere, of between 0.0005 and -0.0005 units, depending on which side of the sphere they are on. Attached is a spherical pattern with 500 points. (Also did one with 2000 points.)

Kind of resembles a pineapple...