The Race for Mr. Basketball: Markese Jacobs
In this series we take a look at the potential candidates for Mr. Basketball in the state of Illinois for this upcoming season. Here we profile Uplift senior point guard Markese Jacobs.
Profile:
Jacobs is a compact and strong combo guard from Uplift who has been one of the top players in the Chicago Public League over the last several seasons. What you have to like about his game is the speed he has in transition and off the dribble. Jacobs gets to the rim with an explosive burst. Posted a strong summer with the Mac Irvin Fire especially in July closing it out strong with several big time performances at Summer Jam where he hit a pair of game winners.
Odds to Win:
5/1
Why He Can Win:
Jacobs is a marquee name. There just aren’t that many of those type of players in the state this season. The senior has box office appeal! He plays an exciting brand of basketball with his high-motor and all out attacking style of play. Uplift will definitely be among the top 2A teams in the state this season. He will score a lot and have some big games!
Obstacles to Win:
His biggest obstacle is obviously the front runner in Liddell. Other things that could hold him back could include that Uplift isn’t the “marquee” Chicago public school like a Simeon or Whitney Young. They have without a doubt proven over the last five years they are on the rise including winning a state title before Jacobs arrived, but downstate voters have many opportunities to see Jacobs play or will it just be word of mouth?