Prospect Spotlight: Jacob Townsend (2021)
After an impressive showing at our Top 250 Expo earlier this fall, we expect Pleasant Valley’s Jacob Townsend to emerge as a top 2021 prospect very soon.
His size and athletic ability are what’s most striking, and the 6-foot-3 guard explained his skill-set recently to PHIA.
“I feel like I’m able to take guys one-on-one a lot better than I used to be able to, and shooting is something I’d like to be a lot more consistent with. I think my size at the guard position is very advantageous,” said Townsend.
It came as no surprise to us when we learned Townsend was playing with one of the state’s premier teams this past spring and summer, Iowa Barnstormers Gold 15U.
“I had a slow start to my spring, I wasn’t playing too well. But after the school month in June and coming back in July, I felt I was a lot stronger and had a lot stronger of a showing,” he said.
It was an injury to ‘Stormers big-man Nick Wagner this past summer which rendered Townsend a more versatile threat.
“I had to step up and play a little bigger than I normally had,” said Townsend. “I’d never really done that before, so it was kind of fun playing against those other bigger guys.”
With his sophomore season at Pleasant Valley now underway, Townsend knows that he’ll play with the varsity, and could play some with the sophomore, too.
Guys like Carter Duwa and Hunter Snyder could benefit greatly from Townsend’s approach to the game.
“I think that we have some great shooters, and when I’m in there I’ll work my guy down and get by him and maybe draw a little attention away from their defenders, so that they can get more open,” said Townsend.
This next season could be a breakout one for the big and skilled guard. He did mention to us that he’ll again play with Iowa Barnstormers Gold for his 16U spring and summer.