Prospect Watch: Jacob Powelson (2018)
Class of 2018 guard Jacob Powelson of North Andrew is one of the many talented players who played a big part in the Cardinals’ 20-0 record and No. 1 ranking in Class 1.
The 6’3″ Powelson is a versatile guard who can score, handle the ball, rebound and pass the basketball. His court vision is a tremendous asset as he can drop dimes to open teammates from many different angles. His passing talents should come as no surprise as he was also a standout quarterback on North Andrew’s football team, where he was an All-State selection in 8-man football.
“By playing quarterback, I’ve learned the better the pass, the more likely your teammate is going to score,” Powelson said. “I translate that into basketball as well, so I always focus on giving my teammates the perfect pass.”
Powelson has received college interest in both sports, but has decided that basketball is what he wants to do at the next level. He has an offer from Doane University, plus he has Northwestern-St. Paul, United States Coast Guard tracking him along with Evangel.
At 6’3″ Powelson has an excellent advantage as a big guard, especially at the Class 1 level. He can shoot and pass over smaller guards and really see the court well.
“Being over 6 feet tall is an advantage,” he said. “It helped me stay on par with taller guards during the summer and in high school, most nights, I’m one of the taller guards out there.”
With the Cardinals rolling along with a 20-0 record, Powelson and his teammates have been looking at this season as a year of unfinished business. North Andrew earned a berth in the Final Four of the Class 1 state tournament in 2017 only to be stopped by Advance in the semifinals. The Cardinals did come back to win the third place game against Glasgow. Powelson is looking for more this season.
“I was a great feeling to make it to state last year, but we are stuck with the feeling of unfinished business,” he said. “We set out on a mission this year to make the title game and come out as champions. It is very thrilling to have made it this far without a loss. We have a positive mindset that any game we play, we can win.”