Recruiting Report: Jakob Hester (2020)
It was quite a sophomore campaign for Jakob Hester.
The 2020 Anclote forward averaged 21.7 PPG, 14.5 RPG and 4.4 BPG for the Sharks a season ago. He had a double double in all 26 games including an eye opening 33-point, 24-rebound outing in a loss to Hudson on Dec. 8.
Hester is a fundamental big man at 6’6″, 210 lbs. who can surprise you with his athleticism at times.
He summed up his 10th grade year. Anclote finished 10-16 overall and fifth in Class 6A-District 8.
“It was good overall. As a tea,m we came short of our goal which was to win districts but individually I improved my stats in every category,” Hester told Prep Hoops. “I improved my game tremendously from my freshman year. I gained a lot of confidence in my jump shot and attacking the basket one on one. I’ve also gained confidence in dribbling the ball.”
He has high expectations for his group this season.
“This year we should have a really good team,” Hester said. “We have a junior loaded team and a lot of us have been playing together for a while. We added a few key pieces this year and we have a really good chance of winning districts and potentially making a run in states.”
The Sharks participated in the inaugural Prep Hoops Sun Bash in January losing to Superior Collegiate 60-51. In that game, Hester had 22 points and 11 rebounds.
“It was a good experience at the Sun Bash last year,” he said. “We had a young team and we played a good Superior Collegiate team last year. It was a great environment and amazing atmosphere with a lot of great teams.”
This summer, Hester suited up for Team Coop Select, a program he’s been with since the 7th grade. He said he saw the biggest improvements in his game when playing against bigger and more talented players.
Currently, he holds one offer from Division II Bluefield State College. Also, Hester has drawn interest from Eckerd, South Plains and Palm Beach Atlantic.
The junior pointed to his inside scoring, rebounding, attack at the basket and leadership as his biggest strengths. He says he can always better his overall game but his jump shot and ballhandling are his focus areas right now.
Coming off a strong sophomore year and a nice summer, Hester’s value is up. He’s matured into a vocal leader and a guy that his teammates rally around. Look for him to have yet another solid season as an interior force and a pure hustle player for Anclote.
2020 Anclote F Jakob Hester throws it down in the Top 40 All-Star Game. @PrepHoopsTop250 @CloteBasketball
???? credit: @greenlightviews pic.twitter.com/K8HCgTOD1F
— Prep Hoops Florida (@prephoopsfl) September 11, 2018