Recruiting Report: Jeriah Coleman (2020)

Being close to 7’0” feet tall you’re always going to stand out, but when you’re the new guy it’s even easier to. For Jeriah Coleman, Great Bridge Christian’s junior big man, it’s been more than the new stares he’s had to get used to.

Coleman moved to Chesapeake about four months ago from Anchorage, Alaska to pursue his dream of playing college basketball. He has a brother with him as well, a 6’8” freshman named Davian who is going to be a phenomenal player in his own right.

Coleman and his family chose Great Bridge Christian for the work that former UVA star and renowned trainer Donald Hand is known for. In his first year as Head Coach and Great Bridge Christian’s first year as a relevant program, many of Hands’ big name big men have seen improvements both physically and in his game.

As you can imagine, Coleman’s size immediately attracted college coaches to the Alaskan native when he arrived here. He quickly picked up offers from Hampton and Bowling Green in preseason workouts, and that’s exactly what Hand said he deserved at the time.

 However, it’s his work ethic and improvement that makes him believe he’ll have a chance to get some high major looks this summer in AAU.

“He came over and I thought he was a low major kid,” Hand told me in an interview about Coleman’s potential. “But he works out six days a week, and with time and the way he’s developing I think he’s almost a high major prospect now.”

Coleman has filled out some since he arrived, and his conditioning and motor have improved along with it. Along with the obvious skill development that comes with working with a trainer, Hand says he’s also seen improvement in the way he understands and plays the game.

“He runs the floor well, he has soft touch, he’s very coachable and he’s learning the game and catching up on the fly,”  The game is a lot faster here than he’s used to, but he’s starting to get it.”

Coleman has already had a big season so far, and he has continued it and gotten even better with time. In a recent game against Suffolk Christian, Coleman finished with 33 points and 15 rebounds. Wow.

While they’re just getting started, expect to hear some big things from Great Bridge Christian and Coleman moving forward this year.