Recruiting Report: Jaylon Holmes (2017)
Mountain Iron-Buhl is oftentimes out of sight, out of mind for basketball folks in Minnesota. The Rangers are really good and should contend for a spot in the state tournament again in 2016-17 despite graduating three starters. With Jaylon Holmes…
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Continue ReadingMountain Iron-Buhl is oftentimes out of sight, out of mind for basketball folks in Minnesota. The Rangers are really good and should contend for a spot in the state tournament again in 2016-17 despite graduating three starters. With Jaylon Holmes back in the fold, expectations are still high.
Holmes filled up the stat sheet as a junior, averaging 17 points, six rebounds and four assists for a team that won 24 games and went to the state tournament.
The 6-foot-0 combo guard didn’t play AAU ball this past spring and summer as he was recovering from a hamstring injury in the spring but that hasn’t stopped him from generating a lot of college interest.
“It’s been going well I definitely can’t complain,” said Holmes. “Right now I’m not looking to decide where to go for academics until after basketball but I’ve got it narrowed to four schools; St. Scholastica, Macalester College, Bethany Lutheran and Morningside.”
Holmes said he’s visited all four schools and said he’d like to have a decision made by the time the basketball season ends.
Holmes didn’t play AAU this past spring but he did get a chance to play a lot with his high school team and said he’s really encouraged by how the team’s looked.
“I think we have key pieces that we can build upon and make another run,” said Holmes. “We played in a breakdown tournament, which we won and we played in two weekly summer leagues so we got a lot of time to play together. I think we should be pretty good.”
Holmes has spent most of his career as a combo guard for the Rangers but said he’s transitioned to more of a point guard as he’s gotten older and said he’s been recruited as a point guard. He said he’s been working on improving on point guard-specific facets for his senior year.
“The emphasis of my training has been on playing point guard so I’m working on balancing scoring and setting the floor,” said Holmes. “I’ve played with a lot of good players so I have a pretty good understanding of who does what well and how to get guys the ball in the right spots.”
The Rangers will need to replace three starters, but with several solid rotation players back and Holmes leading the way, Mountain Iron-Buhl should be strong again in 2016-17.
“I’ve been waiting for this for a while,” said Holmes. “I’m really excited for the year.”