Recruiting Report: Jalen Spicer (2017)
With the transition that basketball as a whole is making right now, going from the original set lineups of Point Guard through Center to more of a positionless game where everyone has a skill set, the two specialists who have…
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Continue ReadingWith the transition that basketball as a whole is making right now, going from the original set lineups of Point Guard through Center to more of a positionless game where everyone has a skill set, the two specialists who have thrived have been shooters and facilitating, uptempo point guards.
For 5’9” Jalen Spicer of Northwest Guilford, it’s been the latter of the two, and it makes him both fun to play with and easy to coach. The Second Team All Conference point guard averaged close to 14 points and 7 assists last year for NW Guilford, and spent his summer on Team CP3, competing against VCU commit Levar Batts and many other elite guards.
Despite his height, small guards like Spicer are valuable now, because he can create opportunities both in the half court and in transition for each specific player to score. It’s nothing new for Spicer.
“I’ve always been a facilitator growing up, and that’s what my coaches want me to do get everyone involved and get people better and that’s what I love to do,” Spicer said.
With his senior year and a real chance at a 4A State Championship, Spicer has both a cast and a coach that wants to run, and it’s the perfect scenario for him. He has two athletic wings in Reggie Davis and Tre Turner who love to get out in transition, and he has experienced shooters like senior Thomas Hennigan to drive-and-kick with.
It’s shown so far, and Spicer’s been doing his thing so far with the Vikings sitting at 13-4 on the season.
Spicer has been as steady as they come all season.“This year what’s different about us, we run a lot more, our defense is way better and much faster i believe,” Spicer said. “We have a few injured right now, but with the team we have right now we have to make it work, so we’re going to practice every day with a killer mentality, go to practice and work and come game time it’s ready to kill.”
In a close 88-86 shootout loss to rival Southwest Guilford, Spicer reached the 1,000 point mark for his career, an accomplishment that he said he wanted to do for the community. Despite his stellar career and ability to make others better and running a winning team, his recruitment has been modest, an oddity considering how many schools still need 2017 point guards.
It hasn’t deterred Spicer, who’s wide open for any opportunity that will work in his favor.
“Hampton and Radford are probably showing the most interest right now, I’ve been talking to them a lot. Charlotte has come in recently too. I’m just hoping from any level, I’m not looking for a set school, I just want to go somewhere and play, whatever level I’m ready for it.”
“I’m looking for a school with a coach that can get me better. I’m very coachable and I can make team’s better, and I like a coach that can listen as well as me and can make me a better player.”
Wherever Spicer decides to go, the school can trust they’re getting a hard working, competitive and open minded kid who just loves basketball.