By SAM LANCE
OVERLAND PARK, KS — Link Academy was trailing Indian Hills CC in the final moments of its second game during Mokan’s JUCO jamboree and needed a hero. Jerry Easter was there to be the man, sinking a floater for the win.
“It felt good to play against different people, different competition because we’ve just been playing against each other for the past two months,” Easter told ZAGSBLOG. “So it was just exciting to play our first games together as a group and play against some JUCO guys.”
On the recruitment front, Easter took an official visit to Ohio State the weekend of Oct. 12, and he’s also tripped SMU, which he previously discussed with ZAGSBLOG. At the Mokan’s JUCO jamboree, Easter said he’ll be visiting Vanderbilt (Oct. 26) and USC (Nov. 2) as well. USC will be his last visit.
He broke down some of the programs involved:
Ohio State: “Ohio State was good. Obviously it’s close to home. I have family in Columbus as well. Ohio State was a good school overall. Good school campus wise. The atmosphere was fun just going to the football game. And just the facilities and looking at their practices. I know a couple guys on their team like Aaron Bradshaw, John Mobley and Colin White. I know Colin and John because they’re from Ohio. I’ve played against those guys since I was younger. But nah, I just liked it out there. It was fun with coach [Jake] Diebler and coach [Jamall] Walker and the rest of the assistant coaches. But yeah I had a really good time out there.”
On Diebler’s message: “Just to keep working hard. And he said he likes how I play and if I do come to that school just be prepared to get coached hard and just come in and be an everyday guy. He likes how I play and I like how he coaches. So we’ll just see if I commit there or not.”
Oregon (previous comments): “What I like about Oregon is they just talk to me a lot. They’ve been coming to like all my games, watching me and stuff like that. I like the coaching staff and [Dana] Altman. And of course I got to meet the players and stuff like that on my official visit. So there’s just so many good things about the school and the coaches. I watched them in March Madness and they did pretty good. They had a good run, won the Pac 12 before they go to the Big 10. But I was there before they had to win every game. So I was just there, seeing them get prepared for it. I just like the campus, and obviously the facilities as well. They have all the best stuff and stuff like that. I just like how coach Altman coaches his players and I like how coach Fish spends the time to check on me. I really appreciate that from them.”
SMU: “They just like how I play. They said I’m their guy, stuff like that. I just like them coaching wise. They came from USC, and I’m glad that they came from USC and reoffered me when they went to SMU. So that’s like a lot of respect because usually schools don’t do that when they go to another school. They don’t reoffer you but they did so that’s just a lot of respect for him. They like me as a player. But I just like all of the coaches. They just tell me to keep working hard, keep doing what I’m doing, keep shooting the ball. They want to see more threes out of me. That’s something I’ve been working on is my jumpshot. That’s what they said they want me to work on mostly. Just shoot it more and seeing that I have a jump shot because when you get to college there’s a lot of big guys in the paint. And you can’t really go to the hole like that all the time. So yeah.”
ZAGSBLOG did not discuss USC and Vanderbilt in depth with Easter.
Oregon and Vanderbilt both had assistants present during Easter’s first action this season at the Mokan JUCO jamboree. USC, SMU and Ohio State have been in at Link Academy recently. Ohio State came down to see him right after the visit and brought Diebler, Walker and another assistant. Easter took an official visit to Oregon back in March.
Easter has maintained his plans for a decision timeline.
“I’m trying to pick a school before the first signing period,” Easter said. “I’m trying to pick a school in November. I’m trying to get it out the way. Just around that time yeah, maybe commit during our first game. One of the two.”
Link Academy’s first regular season game is Nov. 7 vs. OKC Prep at home in Branson.
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