Recruiting report: Jacob Gilyard
Kansas City Barstow 2017 Jacob Gilyard has long been considered to be among the state’s premier point guards, and this summer he is once again proving it on the court, leading KC Run GMC to a 7-1 start in the…
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Continue ReadingKansas City Barstow 2017 Jacob Gilyard has long been considered to be among the state’s premier point guards, and this summer he is once again proving it on the court, leading KC Run GMC to a 7-1 start in the Under Armour Association.
Gilyard is second on the squad in scoring at 9.6 points per game, has shot 54 percent from the field, 37 from 3-point range, and is among the circuits leaders in assists at 4.6 per game.
Gilyard says he is a tough floor general that can score when needed, but also likes to get his teammates rolling as well.
He has offers from UAB, American, Stephen F. Austin, UMKC, Portland and Long Island, and has been heard a lot recently from Wichita State, DePaul and Tulsa, along with Stanford, Creighton, and Vanderbilt.
“The (UAA) experience is great,” Gilyard said. “I think our versatility and depth helps us out a lot. I think I’ve played solid in the first two tournaments. Definitely can be better but we’ve been winning so far and that’s all that matters.”
With the graduation of several key seniors at Barstow, including Nebraska recruit Jeriah Horne and North Carolina signee Shea Rush, Gilyard said he has been focused this summer on being more aggressive as he will likely shoulder a bigger scoring load next season.
“I think I have a tendency to not be aggressive at time when I should be,” Gilyard said.
At 5-foot-9 himself, Gilyard said he looks up to several smaller point guards, including Kentucky’s Tyler Ulis and others, and says his father has had the biggest the biggest impact on his basketball career.
“He (Gilyard’s father) played point guard so he understands what type of player I am,” he said. “He pushes me to be the best player I can be. Late nights in the gym, making sacrifices for me to be the player I am.
“Tyler Ulis is my favorite because I think our games our similar. But if you look at the IQ of Chris Paul, or the toughness and competitiveness of Isaiah Thomas, there’s a lot to be learned.”