JEFFERSON CITY — One of central Missouri’s premier lead guards, 2017 Kamari Balton has started to draw interest of college programs this season. At 6-foot-1, Balton is a strong, athletic player who has the ability to get in the paint…
JEFFERSON CITY — One of central Missouri’s premier lead guards, 2017 Kamari Balton has started to draw interest of college programs this season.
At 6-foot-1, Balton is a strong, athletic player who has the ability to get in the paint and make plays. On Tuesday, Balton led the ‘Jays with 16 points, including a stretch in the third quarter where he scored eight straight points, including a consecutive three-point plays.
“Kamari is very important to our team,” Jefferson City head coach Blair Thompson said. “We kind of go as he goes sometimes as far as the pace of the basketball game. He is very good with the basketball in his hands and he really helps us get out in transition when we are playing well he is pushing the basketball and making good decisions.
“He is a real important aspect to our basketball team.”
Although he can put points on the board, Balton said his primary role is getting his team the ball and helping make the players around him better.
“I take every game very serious and I do what I have to do to win and I like to get my team involved,” Balton said. “I can drive and get to the line really good and I pass really well. The only time I have to score is when I really need to score and other than that I like to get my team the ball to score. I like to have seven or eight assists every game.”
Although Balton has yet to draw any offers, he has drawn interest from NCAA Division I Austin Peay, as well as Division II schools Emporia State and Lincoln. Still, he knows his game has work to do and he has become a tireless worker.
“I get up every morning at 5 a.m. and I work with a trainer, we work on my legs to get stronger so I can get more explosive and attack the rim and finish stronger,” Balton said. “I have improved on my free throws, my 3-pointers and my pull-up and even had a couple dunks.”
Balton plays for the Missouri Combat and says the experience has helped take his game to new heights this season.
“My AAU experience helped me a lot,” Balton said. “It helped me compete against a lot of people with a lot of talent on different teams that were all combined into one.
“It helped me expect what is going to happen in college where there are a lot of people that are as athletic as I am.”