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WGH’s Jackson, Randall of K.C. make it official
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Harding's Desmar Jackson pulls down a rebound past Mark Thornton of East.
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Desmar Jackson and team watch final seconds of loss to Northland.
GREENSBORO, NC — As expected two area basketball standouts signed Division I letters of intent.
Desmar Jackson of Warren Harding, a 6-foot-5 guard, signed with Wyoming, and Kyle Randall of Kennedy Catholic, a 6-0 guard, signed with North Carolina Greensboro.
Jackson led the Raiders to a 23-3 record this season and their first berth in the state semifinals in 43 years. He averaged 20.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 3.3 steals per game.
He was named first team All-Ohio in Division I by The Associated Press.
“[Wyoming] is the right school for me,” Jackson said on Wednesday. “It’s the right fit for me.”
Wyoming, which competes in the Mountain West Conference, was 19-14 last season under coach Heath Schroyer.
“We are very excited about adding Desmar to the Cowboy basketball family,” Schroyer said. “He has unlimited potential and a chance to be a very special player. He is a versatile combination guard who can play the point or either wing position. He can also defend all three guard positions. He is a good, young player who, when added to our current guys, will help build a great core for the future.”
Jackson was recruited by Wyoming assistant Anthony Stewart, a native of Akron who played at Mount Union College.
“I give Anthony a great deal of credit in taking the lead,” said Schroyer. “He did a phenomenal job over the past two years with Desmar.”
Randall was the Class A player of the year in Pennsylvania, scoring a school and Mercer County record 2,022 points. He scored 33 points in the state championship game, an 80-70 loss to Girard College.
He led the Eagles to a 26-3 record.
“We are very excited to have Kyle and his family join our program,” said UNC Greensboro coach Mike Dement. “For most of this year, we have been trying to recruit a point guard who can score. We project that he will come into our program and impact our lineup right away.”
Randall said he was swayed by Dement’s personal recruiting.
“The head coach made it his priority to come to see me personally,” said Randall.
Randall will join former Warren Harding standout Damian Eargle at Greensboro.
Eargle, a 6-7 freshman, played in 29 games this season and started 20, averaging 9.2 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.
The Spartans finished with a 5-25 record this season, competing in the Southern Conference.