Recruiting Report: Mario Kegler (2016)
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — A native of Jackson, Miss., Mario Kegler will be returning to his roots following a year of prep basketball at the vaunted Oak Hill Academy. A week ago, Kegler helped lead Oak Hill to the championship at the…
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Continue ReadingSPRINGFIELD, Mo. — A native of Jackson, Miss., Mario Kegler will be returning to his roots following a year of prep basketball at the vaunted Oak Hill Academy.
A week ago, Kegler helped lead Oak Hill to the championship at the 2016 Bass Pro Tournament of Champions in Springfield, Mo.
A strong, powerfully built 6-foot-7, 225-pound forward, Kegler said his decision to attend Mississippi State was based in large part on the schools location in his home state and its style of play. The are coached by Ben Howland, who has built a reputation as one of college basketball’s elite coaches after stops at Pittsburgh and UCLA.
“It was in Mississippi where I’m from, back home and they have several guys that are leaving this year, so I have an opportunity to go in and play right away,” Kegler said. “They brought in a great coach (Howland) and have put guys in the league, which is where I am trying to go in the end.
“I think they are a great fit for me.”
Kegler is a powerfully built wing who not only can dominate smaller opponents in the paint and around the rim, but loves to play on the perimeter, spotting up for jumpers and even working his way off screens.
“Mario is a scorer, a big time 3-point shooter and he also scores at the rim,” Oak Hill head coach Steve Smith said. “He has good size and rebounds.”
Kegler said the Bulldogs’ style of play under Howland was a large reason he chose the school over a host of other suitors, including Texas, Ohio State, UNLV and others.
“Mississippi State likes to get up-and-down and I like to get up and down also,” Kegler said. “They like their big guards to score the ball on the wing, come off screens, a lot of the same things that I like to do.
“My strength is scoring the basketball, I can score in a lot of different ways,” Kegler said.
On a team of Division I talent, Kegler has shined as he is second on the team in scoring at 13.3 points per game. He is shooting nearly 88 percent from the free throw line and 55 percent from 3-point range and has added 5.3 rebounds.
He has helped Oak Hill to a 26-1 record, including a win over Sierra Canyon (Cal.) in the Bass Pro TofC championship game in Springfield, Mo.
“There was a great crowd and it was a lot of fun,” Kegler said. “This is my first time here (at the TofC in Springfield), but I heard a lot about it before I got here, but I didn’t know it was going to be like this.
“I like this tournament and I think it is one of the best we have played in so far.”