Recruiting Report: Jacob Mertens (2017)
Six-foot-3 guard Jacob Mertens of Devils Lake is known for the all around numbers he gives his team: 20.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 6.4 assists per contest. Mertens spent the last month helping ECI to a 20 win season. “I would…
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Continue ReadingSix-foot-3 guard Jacob Mertens of Devils Lake is known for the all around numbers he gives his team: 20.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 6.4 assists per contest. Mertens spent the last month helping ECI to a 20 win season.
“I would say beating DTA in the first round of NY2LA in a very good, close game was a big highlight,” said Mertens of beating the Devin Harris program as a top ECI memory. “It was a good experience playing against a quicker, more up-tempo team that was very athletic.
“Also, the game against the Minnesota Comets in Sioux Falls, the last tournament, that we ending up losing by three, it was a good experience playing against a fundamental team where you can’t make hardly any mistakes if you want to have a chance to win at the end of the game.”
We’ve now hit August and the focus becomes individual work and preparing for the fall sports season.
“I’ll just be staying in the gym as much as possible until football season rolls around, then once that starts, get some shots up on the weekend if possible and being in weight room,” said Mertens.
“And as far as my teammates, just keep staying on them as far as being active with sports and in the weight room while being productive with the time they spend in there.”
At 45 percent from the field, 36 percent from the three point arc, 81 percent from the foul line, and a 2 to 1 assist to turnover ratio, Mertens has the daily numbers that will interest a school. The versatility in the backcourt as well.
“I’m hearing the most from Minot State, U of Mary, and Lake Region State,” Mertens listed. “I will visit all of the above schools sometime soon. And would like to visit Minnesota State-Moorhead too.”