Men's Basketball signs Chicago Public League guard Demarius Jacobs
11/15/2016 | 3:07:00 | Men's Basketball
Southern Illinois men's basketball coach Barry Hinson announced today that the program has signed 6-foot-2, 165-pound guard Demarius Jacobs of Uplift High School in Chicago.Â
As a junior last year, Jacobs was named Class 2A honorable mention All-State by the Associated Press after he averaged 19 points, while shooting 39 percent from 3-point and 71 percent from the free throw line. He and his younger brother and teammate, Markese, led Uplift to a 19-8 record, including an 8-2 mark in the Red-North division of the Chicago Public League. Uplift advanced to the Sectional finals of the Class 2A IHSA state tournament in 2016.Â
"Demarius comes from very good high school and AAU programs that have a history of developing top Division I players," Hinson said. "Having played for David Taylor at Uplift, and for Stan Boateng and Steven Parham at Young & Reckless AAU, we know Demarius will come to Southern well prepared to help us early in his career."
Uplift won the 2A state title in 2015 during Jacobs' sophomore year, in which he was called up from the JV squad for the postseason tournament and scored 13 points in the championship game. His game evolved rapidly, earning him scholarship offers from Green Bay, UTEP, Central Connecticut State, Denver, Drake, Chicago State, North Dakota and LIU Brooklyn, according to verbalcommits.com.
"He's an explosive, athletic guard who has the skills we're looking for — the ability to pass, dribble and shoot," Hinson said. "He's a great example of a kid who can do all three of those things."