Prospect Profile: Caleb Ayers (2019)
This year’s Mead boys basketball team has a number of players who are rapidly becoming intriguing prospects in 2018-19, though many of them are multi-sport standouts who could end up with decisions to make. One player in particular, Caleb Ayers,…
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Continue ReadingThis year’s Mead boys basketball team has a number of players who are rapidly becoming intriguing prospects in 2018-19, though many of them are multi-sport standouts who could end up with decisions to make.
One player in particular, Caleb Ayers, might not even be aware himself of just how much his stock is rising as a senior. A talented pitcher who posted a 2.73 ERA and struck out 42 batters in 33.1 innings for the Mead baseball team last spring, Ayers may very well end up going the baseball route.
But if the 6-foot-3 guard keeps shooting at his current rate of 41 percent from 3-point range this season, he could be worth a look for a potential future on the basketball court.
“That’s how we play,” Ayers said. “We love to play in-and-out and get it to our shooters. When we start hitting, we look really good.”
It’s true, the Mead basketball team has a number of talented shooters and Ayers is the best of them. Ranked No. 10 in Class 4A by the latest CHSAANow.com poll, the Mavericks average 70.1 points a game and make an average of 8.4 3-pointers a night while featuring an inside-out offense around Chadron State-bound big man Jax Wilke.
Ayers has hit 34 of his 83 long-range attempts this season and is averaging over 12 points a night. When he gets hot and has his quick-release shot working, he can post games like his 23-point outing against Windsor on Jan. 5 or a 21-point scoring effort against defending Class 4A state champion Longmont on Nov. 30. Overall, Ayers shoots 42 percent from the field.
Though he is a bit thin, Ayers has great length and is still growing. He already averages 4.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 2.5 steals per game. He has growth potential in a number of areas but it would be his shooting stroke that could carve out a niche for Ayers at the next level.
“He’s six-three and still growing,” Mead head coach Darin Reese said. “I know he’s got some interest to play baseball and that might be what he’ll end up doing. But with the way he shoots it with his quick release, and he’s going to get taller, there’s definitely an opportunity.”