Budding Georgia Wing Hearing from USF
Ja’Queze Kirby is just starting to see his recruitment grow.
South Florida, Winthrop and Georgia Teach each contacted Kirby on June 15, the first day college coaches could call or text members of the 2020 class, Old Dominion and South Alabama have also been in contact with the four-star Georgia wing.
Of those schools Kirby, a 6-foot-6, 180-pound wing out of Jeff Davis (Hazlehurst, GA) High School, told RunningTheBulls.com that he is hearing from USF and Georgia Tech the most right now. Assistant coach Larry Dixon is leading the Bulls recruitment efforts to land Kirby.
“It’s been pretty chill,” Kirby said of the relationship he’s established with Dixon. “He’s been keying on me, he’ll call or text me every now and then just checking up on me and how I’m doing. Just normal conversations.”
Currently ranked the No. 112 ranked prospect in the junior class, Kirby stuffed the stat sheet during his sophomore campaign at Jeff Davis to the tune of 19.5 points, 14.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 3.2 steals and 3.6 blocks per game per MaxPreps.com stats.
A pogo stick when it comes to rebounds, Kirby is a productive rebounder at both ends of the court. During the travel team season we noticed that if Kirby has space and is in rhythm he can knock down perimeter jumpers off the catch, but consistency was an issue. At the USF Elite Camp last month we noticed an improved jumper.
“I’ve been working on my jump shot a lot lately,” Kirby said. “People have been telling me that I need to work on it so I’ve just been working on it. I can shoot it a little bit at first but, like you said, it just wasn’t falling consistently.”
RTB REACTION
USF head coach wants his players to be relentless rebounders. Well, take out the biggest Chisel Tip Sharpie you have and check that box next to Ja’Queze (pronounced: JAH-qwez) Kirby’s name. Mix in Kirby’s size, athleticism, motor and ability to move the ball and you have a prospect whose recruitment should attract the attention of high major programs during his junior season and into 2019 non-scholastic live evaluation periods. USF was smart to get Kirby on campus for its Elite Camp so he could meet all of the coaches, see the basketball facilities and the campus.