Ron Bailey, Rutgers Recruiting, Seton Hall Recruiting

JAYON JAMES HAS SKILLS, BIG EAST OFFERS

Class of 2010 New Jersey standout has Rutgers & Seton Hall offering early

by Ron Bailey

June 2, 2008 – The recruitment of talented high school basketball players has begun sooner and sooner, with sophomores at that level not only being scouted, but offered scholarships. Count Jayon James in that group.

Hailing from Patterson, NJ and attending that’s town’s famed Paterson Catholic Regional High School, James shared between games in DC Assault’s Take Your Best Shot (TYBS) tournament last month he had a double digit scoring average last year. Though he’s capable of dropping more points, but due to the overall strength of that team, his scoring numbers were not eye-popping (Jayon James on 2007-2008 Paterson Catholic Stats).

Based on James’ work at Paterson Catholic and with his travel team, The Playaz, a slew of interest has been generated, of which the Big East’s New Jersey representatives, Seton Hall and Rutgers are a part; those institutions have tendered scholarship offers to the Class of 2010 standout (Jayon James on Schools and Big East).

What do those institutions, along with three A10 schools – Xavier, LaSalle, and Fordham – see in James? Plenty, as the six-foot-five inch guard/forward is capable of not only bringing the ball up the floor, but finding teammates with deft passes, hitting open shots, and posting smaller foes. All were in display during TYBS action, where Jayon made the 16 and under All-Tourney squad, despite his talented Playaz team not achieving that age grouping’s final.

Essentially, Jayon’s size and skills create a walking mismatch, something understood by his father, who James acknowledged drilled him in the ways of perimeter players as opposed to big men (Jayon James on his Ball Handling).

Both his mother and father also insist Jayon achieve academically, the results of which produce consistent honor roll performances, as well as a dissatisfaction with receiving ‘B’ grades. Additionally, the young man is motivated by major institutions’ high valuation of good scholastic performance (Jaton James on Academics).

So when will this multi-skilled, scholastically-oriented guard/forward choose a college? No time soon, as he confided “I’m just wide open right now. Nobody is in the lead. I’m just waiting for the opportunity to go to college”.

Also expect Jayon to continue developing his foot speed/quickness, allowing him to defend away from the basket more aggressively, as well as coupled with his passing ability possibly play some point guard in college.

Jayon James, as the saying goes, ‘has the goods’ to be really good – an intelligent young guy who as a player has size, and the skills to perform on the perimeter. It’s more than likely he will also become coveted by more then the Jersey-based Big East Schools.

Ron Bailey is the Publisher of i95Ballrz.com and frequent contributor to the NBE Basketball Report.

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