Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
Top-30 guard Jerry Easter sets several fall official visits
By SAM LANCE
Top-30 prospect Jerry Easter has several official visits set, his father confirmed to ZAGSBLOG.
Easter — the 6-foot-5, 185-pound guard from Link Academy and the Team Final AAU program — will travel to Miami (Sept. 6-8), Florida State (Sept. 13-14), SMU (Sept. 20-22), Ohio State (Oct. 4-6) and USC (Oct. 18-20).
He recently broke down some of these schools to ZAGSBLOG at Peach Jam:
Miami: “I know they had one of their guards [Kyshawn George] who went to the league this year. I just like how he [Jim Larranaga] was coaching him. He let him control the game. He was like the leader on the floor, control the offense. And that’s how I want to be set there as well. And plus, obviously, I talked a little bit to ask about Jalil [Bethea]. I think I’m probably going to — he’s probably going to be my chaperone when I visit there. So they told me that he really loved it. It was like a family. And I talked to him about it. He said that’s why he chose the school, because it’s like a big community, big family. So, I do want to be in that type of environment, a second home. And somewhere I do have another family, just like how he said. So yeah that’s why I like that school.”
SMU: “I’m taking an official visit there too, in September. Like around when school starts. I’m taking an official visit with Jermaine O’Neal Jr. there. And I think Jaden Toombs as well. So yeah.”
SMU plays TCU at home in football for his visit.
Florida State: “I mean, I know they came to my games. Like, they came to both of my games the first day. But I’ve been talking to them though. They still talk to me well, like how I played, even though we lost the second game. But they said like keep my head up. I just like how they just contact me even after a loss. Because I didn’t really play too well, so. But yeah, I just like how they just communicate with me and my parents. And they like how I play. They said that if I just play hard, I’m like the best player on the floor and stuff like that. So they just like how I play, and I have a high motor.”
FSU plays Memphis at home in football for visit.
Ohio State: “I’ve just had a good relationship with [Jake] Diebler since my freshman year. When he was an assistant, he was the one recruiting me. So now that he has the head coaching job it’s good. That’s a big role for him as well. I just think he’s doing a good job. I like the way he coaches and talks to me as well. He just says there’s nothing like staying at home. So I know I got that in my head.”
OSU plays Iowa at home in football for visit.
ZAGSBLOG has not chatted in depth with Easter on USC. For his USC visit there’s no home football game, but the basketball season will be right around the corner.
The guard is also in talks with Baylor for a visit, he said at Peach Jam.
At Peach Jam, Easter was the fourth leading scorer of the PIT, averaging 20.3 points per game. His team, Team Final, was knocked out of the Peach Jam play-in by the Alabama Fusion.
