11/30/2020 basketball Edit

Rutgers Basketball guard Jacob Young off to hot start this season

Daniel Pierrot

Rutgers.Rivals.com

Going into the season, there were many saying that Jacob Young was performing well in practice and could be in for a breakout year. After talking with some sources who watched the open practice recently, you could see why he was receiving this praise.

From beginning to end, Young was locked in and firing on all cylinders. He was playing with a tenacity that few bring to practice, on a consistent basis. However, the question was, could he bring this level of play into real games. Well, this last week, he answered those questions.

SIGN UP FOR PREMIUM NOW AND GET $25 OFF PLUS A FREE $75 ADIDAS OR NIKE GIFT CARD — CLICK HERE FOR MORE!!

There were many Rutgers players that had a great week and Young was certainly one of them. In the three games, Young averaged 15.3 points, 5.7 assists, and 2.7 steals. His shooting percentages were also excellent, specifically his three-point shooting, which was 43%.

With the injury to Geo Baker, in the first game, Young’s minutes were much higher than expected. This can sometimes lead to a drop in efficiency for players, but this was not the case for Young. In fact, he may have played even better. His play on both sides of the ball was superb and his energy carried the team through their rough start against FDU.

With the long break coming, before the Syracuse game, it will give time for Baker to heal up. If he returns, Young’s minutes will go down a bit, but I do not expect his energy, effort, or tenacity to drop. He is beginning to become one of the most important pieces on this team and his confidence should be sky high.

With the competition about to ramp up, Young will now need to show that he can keep playing at this level. In particular, Syracuse could be a great test for him. Their zone will create problems for his slashing and driving style of game. His ability to create turnovers, finish on the break, and make plays for others will need to be on display to take down the Orange. I, for one, am excited to see his game continue to blossom.