@OspreyMBB Adds Ole Miss Transfer JT Escobar to 2016 Class
4/15/2016 10:34:00 AM | Men's Basketball
JACKSONVILLE -- North Florida men's basketball head coach Matthew Driscoll announced the signing of Ole Miss transfer J.T. Escobar to a national grant-in-aid to play for the Ospreys.
A 6-2 guard from Tallahassee, Fla., Escobar will sit out the 2016-17 season to fulfill NCAA transfer requirements. He will be eligible to play for the Ospreys in 2017-18 and have three seasons to compete.
"J.T. Escobar is the definition of everything our program stands for as a person and student athlete," said Driscoll. "His ability to be a player, not a position, makes him such a valuable piece to our future. During his transfer sit-out season, he will be able to grow as a player with practice time on the floor as well as benefitting from all the analytics and video that we use. We look for his game to be even more refined once he steps back on the floor to compete. We are extremely excited to have J.T. as part of our team and look forward to him being a contributor for several seasons."
Escobar played in 17 games for the Rebels and averaged 1.2 points in limited action. He scored a career best 11 points in 16 minutes against George Mason highlighted by hitting a trio of three-pointers. Prior to Ole Miss, Escobar played one season for Elev8 Prep in Delray Beach, Fla., for coach Chad Meyers. He averaged 15 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists a game for Elev8. He scored 62 points in a game against powerhouse Oak Hill Academy.
A four-year letterwinner at Florida A&M University High School for coach Eugene Granger, Escobar earned Parade All-America and All-State first-team honors as a prep senior. Escobar was also named Big Bend Player of the Year after averaging 30 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists during his final season. He was named second-team All-State as both a junior and sophomore after 18 points per game during each of those seasons.
Escobar becomes the second signee for North Florida during the NCAA's spring signing period. He joins previous spring signee Aaron Horne and fall additions Garrett Sam and Al-Wajid Aminu in the 2016 newcomer class.
UNF 2016 Signees
Al-Wajid Aminu -- F, 6-7, 190, Stone Mountain, Ga. / Wheeler HS
J.T. Escobar -- G, 6-2, 182, Tallahassee, Fla. / Ole Miss
Aaron Horne -- G/F, 6-5, 185, Lake Worth, Fla. / Palm Beach State College
Garrett Sams -- G, 6-6, 190, Martin, Tenn. / Westview HS
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A 6-2 guard from Tallahassee, Fla., Escobar will sit out the 2016-17 season to fulfill NCAA transfer requirements. He will be eligible to play for the Ospreys in 2017-18 and have three seasons to compete.
"J.T. Escobar is the definition of everything our program stands for as a person and student athlete," said Driscoll. "His ability to be a player, not a position, makes him such a valuable piece to our future. During his transfer sit-out season, he will be able to grow as a player with practice time on the floor as well as benefitting from all the analytics and video that we use. We look for his game to be even more refined once he steps back on the floor to compete. We are extremely excited to have J.T. as part of our team and look forward to him being a contributor for several seasons."
Escobar played in 17 games for the Rebels and averaged 1.2 points in limited action. He scored a career best 11 points in 16 minutes against George Mason highlighted by hitting a trio of three-pointers. Prior to Ole Miss, Escobar played one season for Elev8 Prep in Delray Beach, Fla., for coach Chad Meyers. He averaged 15 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists a game for Elev8. He scored 62 points in a game against powerhouse Oak Hill Academy.
A four-year letterwinner at Florida A&M University High School for coach Eugene Granger, Escobar earned Parade All-America and All-State first-team honors as a prep senior. Escobar was also named Big Bend Player of the Year after averaging 30 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists during his final season. He was named second-team All-State as both a junior and sophomore after 18 points per game during each of those seasons.
Escobar becomes the second signee for North Florida during the NCAA's spring signing period. He joins previous spring signee Aaron Horne and fall additions Garrett Sam and Al-Wajid Aminu in the 2016 newcomer class.
UNF 2016 Signees
Al-Wajid Aminu -- F, 6-7, 190, Stone Mountain, Ga. / Wheeler HS
J.T. Escobar -- G, 6-2, 182, Tallahassee, Fla. / Ole Miss
Aaron Horne -- G/F, 6-5, 185, Lake Worth, Fla. / Palm Beach State College
Garrett Sams -- G, 6-6, 190, Martin, Tenn. / Westview HS
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