Recruiting Report: Jacob Gilyard (2017)
KANSAS CITY — One of the state’s premier point guards in the Class of 2017 is quickly rising up the boards of college coaches after a strong summer with Kansas City based Run GMC. After helping lead Barstow to a…
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Continue ReadingKANSAS CITY — One of the state’s premier point guards in the Class of 2017 is quickly rising up the boards of college coaches after a strong summer with Kansas City based Run GMC.
After helping lead Barstow to a Missouri Class 3 state title, 5-foot-10 junior point guard Jacob Gilyard is back running the show again for former Kansas Jayhawk Billy Thomas.
Thomas said in a recent interview that Gilyard is capable of doing a wide range of things on the court at the point guard position.
“Jacob is our floor general and he makes everybody’s job easier on the floor,” Thomas said. ” His ability to score 20 points or get 10 assists, or six steals, is what makes him very rare at the position these days. He’s a true team player, but can also be the most dominant on the floor, with his offensive and defensive play making abilities.
“I have no doubt that he’ll be even better at every aspect of his game this year and that is pretty scary.”
Gilyard said his father influenced his game the most, but that he patterns his game after Chris Paul as well.
“(Paul) is someone I paten my game after because of his pass first style, but his ability to score the basketball whenever he wants,” Gilyard said.
This summer, he teamed up with some of the premier players from the Kansas City area for LJ Goolsby’s Run GMC squad as saw his take take another big step forward.
“Run GMC is the best program I have ever been apart of,” Gilyard said. “From the people to the games itself. I think they have made me a better person as an individual on top of them making me a better basketball player. They get me better day by day and it means a lot to me.”
Gilyard says he has received offers from UAB, Portland University, Stephen F. Austin, UMKC and Long Island, and is drawing interest from Gonzaga, Liberty, Weber State, SLU, Missouri State, Denver, American and Drake.
First however, he and teammates Jeriah Horne, who has signed to play at Nebraska, and 2016 D1 recruit Shea Rush, have another state title to chase.
“Last year was really good and a cool experience,” Gilyard said. “We all came together and did what it took to win. It would be awesome to repeat and we won’t settle for anything less.”