College Commitment – Jackson Leach (2024 West Salem/PCC)
Jackson Leach is moving on. After excelling at a high level these past couple of years at Portland Community College, the shifty 5-foot-9 point guard was looking for a home at the four-year college level. Some options came and went but in the end there was one program that stayed strong throughout the entire time, so Chapman University is where the former West Salem standout will be continuing his college and playing career.
"The system is very similar to PCC so the fit will be seamless," Leach said. "The coaches have invested a lot of time into me throughout the process, and the area of town and ability to network is unbeatable. I see myself being the lead guard and a top player in the conference on a conference championship level team. And I see myself being a team captain and leader that raises the team too even greater heights than last year that they achieved."
Leach couldn't be happier things worked out with the financial package he received from Chapman, which competes in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC). He knows the competition level is high in that league and there's still room for him to improve for the next step. "Mainly I'm just fine tuning everything especially volume shooting," Leach said. "The biggest focus is putting on more strength and getting more athletic."
The move to Chapman finishes out a special two-year run at PCC, one where he averaged 18.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 4.9 assists over his entire time as a Panther - one where he started all 54 games. The two-time First Team All-NWAC honoree reflected back on how he developed in junior college. "I would say I developed most with confidence and as a leader," Leach said. "Playing against guys that are way older and being able to be 2x first team all region and 2x all American really boosted the confidence. I always knew I could playmake but averaging 21.5 in conference this sophomore year really showed me how much value I hold scoring the ball. We went through a lot as a group through two years and I felt I was thrown into the fire as to what a real leader is and developed far beyond what I thought I could in that aspect."
Our congratulations go out to Leach and his family on his commitment.
