#Elite75 Standout - Ross’ Recruitment Rising
Over the course of this week we'll be profiling some of the top prospects from this year's Elite 75 College Showcase. First up is Williston Northampton 2016 guard Jake Ross.
It's been a big year for Jake Ross.
His first year in the prep ranks proved to be a major success, both from an individual and team standpoint, as he helped lead Williston Northampton to a NEPSAC Class A championship, improved his own game dramatically and saw his recruitment go to new levels in the process.
While he might be best known for his intangibles - Ross has a terrific motor and plays with great toughness and intensity - his most notable developments this year have been with regard to his skill set.
"I worked on my handle a lot this year, and was really able to go from being a forward to a guard," Ross told the New England Recruiting Reporat during Monday's Elite 75 College Showcase.
Those new perimeter skills, along with both his intangibles and physical tools - he's six-foot-five with a very strong body - make him extremely versatile. While he handles a lot of the ball-handling and playmaking responsibilities, he projects as as a player that can fill a variety of different roles at the next level and also defend multiple positions.
On the recruiting front, Ross reports interest from Brown and Holy Cross while he says both St. Anselm and Assumption are coming on strong now as well.
Both division II schools were in attendance on Monday along with others including Stonehill, Bentley, Merrimack and Franklin Pierce among others as Ross continued to demonstrate his playmaking, ability to play through contact and just out-will people on the basketball court.
"Playing division I basketball has always been something I've wanted to do," he said, "but we'll have to see what the best fit is in the end."
This summer, Ross is hoping to turn interest into offers as he again suits up with many of his teammates from Williston Northampton on a start-up AAU team called "We Will."
And if Monday was any indication of what to expect in July, next month could be a busy one for Jake Ross.
Jake Ross