Recruiting Report: Jonas Mitzel (2018)
Shiloh Christian 2018 shooter Jonas Mitzel was a part of the balanced Shiloh team that had a solid winter. Mitzel is now competing with ECI Select.
Shiloh came up short down the stretch but the experience was vital for Mitzel and his talented 2018 teammates.
“I grew a lot this winter,” Mitzel said. “As a sophomore I got some minutes and then I was bumped up to starting varsity my junior year.
“I think varsity basketball made me a lot better and taught me to take good shots. I also think I improved my jump shot and confidence a lot as well as my three pointer. We made some good runs this season and showed a lot of perseverance as a young team.
“Varsity basketball has taught me many lessons and I definitely think it helped improve my game over the coarse of the season. I will always remember that no matter who you are playing, take nothing for granted and play your hardest every single game.
“Don’t look down on your competition. Also always keep fighting. It doesn’t matter if you are down 20 keep battling and you can work you way back into the game.”
Mitzel averaged double figures this winter along with returning teammates Barthlomew Ogbu and Macauley Young. All of them have told PHD they have work to do in individual areas and then gel together as a unit as well.
“I’m hoping to get stronger and bigger and get my three point shot better and quicker,” Jonas said.
ECI Select is 8-9 this year with Mitzel joining Parker Stenseth, Kemal Hajric, Zach Westphal, and others to make a competitive team.
“These events challenge me in that it is a new level of play your not used to seeing every day with your high school,” Mitzel said.
“You face new competition every weekend and they are all good teams. I have learned to get stronger with the ball as almost all defense from opposing teams is chest to chest defense.”
Jonas has a nice list of schools that he has been in contact with about the future.
“I have had contact with Jamestown and U of Mary.],” Mitzel said. “I’ve also had contact with coaches from Dickinson State University, Crown College, South Dakota State School of Mines, Black Hills State University, University of Sioux Falls, and Dakota State University in South Dakota.
“I have done tours of a few colleges but I would definitely like to go see a lot more this summer and next year.”