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Posts Tagged ‘Grant Jerrett’

NBA mock drafts: Arizona’s Hill, Jerrett parked in second round

Wednesday, May 22nd, 2013
Grant Jerrett

Grant Jerrett dunks for two points vs. Ohio State in the NCAA Tournament. Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

The NBA draft lottery was held Tuesday night, spawning a fresh round of mock drafts.

Arizona wing Solomon Hill and power forward Grant Jerrett just got done participating in last week’s NBA Draft combine, so scouts and media were able to get a good look at each and further evaluate their skills.

Hill, all along, has been considered second-round material, and the new mock drafts reflect a holding pattern.

Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com moved Hill up four spots to No. 52, going to Minnesota. Wrote Goodman: “Big-time athlete who could become a defensive stopper. Has really improved his perimeter shot.”

DraftExpress.com pegs Hill at No. 56 to Detroit.

It’s with Jerrett that things are more up in the air. His curious decision to leave after his freshman season had some wondering if he would be drafted at all.

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Grant Jerrett turns pro after one season; what’s next for Arizona?

Wednesday, April 17th, 2013
Grant Jerrett

Grant Jerrett dunks for two points vs. Ohio State. Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

So, Arizona Wildcats freshman post player Grant Jerrett is going pro after one season.

There were plenty of reports Wednesday night that the decision had been made, and the school made it official with an announcement at about 9:30 p.m.

“I would like to thank all Wildcat fans, my teammates and coaches for making my year in Tucson an incredible experience,” Jerrett said in a release. “I will forever be an Arizona Wildcat.”

This follows a few days of speculation that Jerrett was, surprisingly, going to do just this — throw his name into the NBA Draft, even though he’s not considered first-round stock (at this point) and isn’t even a lock to be drafted.

He has loads of upside — and the NBA sure loves itself a load of upside — as a 6-10 forward with a huge wingspan and a nice 3-point shot.

But it was clear that he lacked appropriate strength as a college freshman, and it’s nearly impossible to see him guarding anybody in the NBA as 20-year-old.

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Arizona basketball: Eric Cooper Jr. re-opens recruitment; Jerrett reportedly mulling jump to NBA

Monday, April 15th, 2013
Grant Jerrett

Grant Jerrett gave Arizona a boost this season with his outside shooting. Photo by Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Amid rumors today that Arizona freshman forward Grant Jerrett is considering entering the NBA Draft, one of his former high school teammates has backed out of his commitment to the Wildcats.

Guard Eric Cooper Jr. — who played at La Verne (Calif.) Lutheran High with Jerrett — said he will reconsider his options as he prepares to play at a prep school next season.

Cooper and Jerrett committed to Arizona in November 2010. Cooper was supposed to be a member of the 2013 class, but reclassified to the 2014 class with his decision to attend Brewster Academy in New Hampshire next season.

“I wanted to see what’s out there,” Cooper told the Gazette Newspapers of Long Beach, Calif. “I still love Arizona and everything about it.”

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Arizona Wildcats’ season ends with heads high and guard down against Ohio State

Thursday, March 28th, 2013
LaQuinton Ross

LaQuinton Ross hits the game-winning shot. Photo by Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

LOS ANGELES — This is the way it ends. This is the way it always ends when you’re not cutting down the nets. In a quiet locker room, elbows on your knees, hands on your head, eyes becoming red.

The end hit the Arizona Wildcats suddenly on Thursday night, with a 3-point shot like a dagger from Ohio State’s LaQuinton Ross with 2.1 seconds left. From 11 points up, to 10 points down, to a tie game on the final possession … to heartbreak.

And so Grant Jerrett sat in the Los Angeles Kings locker room at Staples Center, white towel covering his face, hands on his head, struck by the finality of a 73-70 loss to Ohio State in the Sweet 16. Fellow freshman post player Kaleb Tarczewski spoke to Jerrett’s right. The team’s other freshman post, Brandon Ashley, conducted interviews to his left.

For nearly 20 minutes, Jerrett barely moved. How many times he must have replayed the final, fateful play.

“No one died,” he said, when he finally lifted the towel and spoke to reporters for a couple of minutes, “but when you play basketball and you really love it, it hurts a lot.”

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Injury update: Grant Jerrett probable for Ohio State; X-rays negative

Sunday, March 24th, 2013
Grant Jerrett

Grant Jerrett has given Arizona a boost with his outside shooting. Photo by Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Arizona Wildcats freshman post player Grant Jerrett is likely to play Thursday vs. Ohio State, according to a update Sunday from the university.

Jerrett fell on his right elbow early in Saturday’s NCAA Tournament game against Harvard in Salt Lake City and did not return, saying afterward he thought he could have played, if necessary. UA won 74-51.

Jerrett said after the game he did not consider the injury serious, and X-rays taken after the team’s return to Tucson came back negative.

According to a statement from UA, trainer Justin Kokoskie “is confident that Grant will regain full strength and sensation over the next 24 hours and should be ready to play Thursday vs. Ohio State.”

Arizona will take on the Buckeyes in a Sweet 16 game from Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Jerrett is averaging 5.1 points and 3.5 rebounds in 17.6 minutes per game, part of what has been a three-man post rotation of late. He’s one of the team’s best 3-point shooters, hitting 40.3 percent (31 of 77). He has made 50 percent of his shots (15 of 30) from behind the arc in the past 12 games.

Arizona basketball: Elbow will be fine, freshman Grant Jerrett says

Saturday, March 23rd, 2013
Jerrett

Grant Jerrett

SALT LAKE CITY — Arizona freshman post player Grant Jerrett says he’ll back at practice Monday after playing only 47 seconds in the Wildcats’ 74-51 win over Harvard in the NCAA Tournament’s third round Saturday.

Jerrett took a hard fall after he was undercut while going up for a layup, crashing on his right elbow. Trainer Justin Kokoskie rushed onto the court to attend to Jerrett, taking him back to the locker room for further examination with 14:37 to go in the first half.

“My arm just started to spasm out,” Jerrett said.

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Arizona-UCLA notes: A tale of two point guards

Sunday, March 3rd, 2013
Mark Lyons Larry Drew II

Larry Drew II drives past Mark Lyons in the second half. Photo by Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

Arizona Wildcats coach Sean Miller was going to live and die with Mark Lyons at point guard this season.

Miller has done a bit of both.

Lyons isn’t really a point guard, but he’s playing one for the Wildcats, so he has to be judged by point guard standards.

In two losses against UCLA, including Saturday night’s 74-69 loss in Pauley Pavilion, this is Lyons’ line: 11 of 32 shooting (3 of 12 from 3-point range), 29 points, 10 turnovers and one little assist.

UCLA point guard Larry Drew II, meanwhile, had 18 assists and six turnovers against Arizona, also scoring 21 points.

“Larry Drew was too much for us,” Miller said on his postgame radio show on 1290-AM.

“When he scores, it adds a different dimension to their team. He had his usual nine assists. His four turnovers are high, but I thought he was in control of the game from start to finish. They feed off of him.”

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Miller: Arizona’s Grant Jerrett should be able to play Sunday

Wednesday, February 6th, 2013
Grant Jerrett

Grant Jerrett blocked four shots at Washington State on Saturday. Photo by James Snook-USA TODAY Sports

Arizona freshman big man Grant Jerrett, who is sitting out tonight’s game against Stanford because of foot pain, should be able to play Sunday at home against Cal, coach Sean Miller said.

Miller addressed Jerrett’s status in his pregame radio interview on 1290-AM.

Jerrett has been experiencing slight pain in his left foot, and he had the foot in a walking boot and missed practice earlier this week as a precaution. Miller on Tuesday figured Jerrett would be able to play, but he said the team decided Wednesday to hold him out.

“It’s almost like a concussion, where you want to go overboard,” Miller said of erring of the side of caution.

Miller reiterated that he doesn’t expect this will be a serious issue, expressing confidence that more rest would allow Jerrett to play Sunday.

Jerrett is averaging 4.8 points, 4.0 rebounds and 18.4 minutes per game as the team’s top reserve in the post.

Sean Miller: Arizona Wildcats’ freshmen ‘greatest kids in the world’

Sunday, February 3rd, 2013
Kaleb Tarczewski

Kaleb Tarczewski goes up and under for two points at Washington on Thursday. Photo by Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

There comes a time in every season when freshmen stop being freshmen, and Arizona coach Sean Miller says his young ‘uns have reached the tipping point.

He talked to his freshman quartet about that on the Washington road trip as the Wildcats swept the two games for the first time since 2006.

“All that experience will start to benefit us, and the biggest reason is they’re the greatest kids in the world and they work so hard,” Miller said Saturday night on his postgame radio show on 1290-AM after a 79-65 victory over Washington State.

“It’s just a matter of time as they continue to get better.”

Center Kaleb Tarczewski (6.2 points, 5.8 rebounds per game) is in his best stretch of the season. He has scored 10 points — matching his career high — in three consecutive games.

“The team is doing a great job of getting me the ball in positions I can score,” Tarczewski said in a postgame interview with 1290-AM’s Matt Muehlebach.

“Coach has been calling a few plays to get me the ball down low, and I’m trying to capitalize on that unselfishness by the rest of the team.”

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Grant Jerrett’s ‘best game’ helps Arizona roll over Oral Roberts

Tuesday, December 18th, 2012
Grant Jerrett

Arizona post player Grant Jerrett has made 8 of 17 3-point attempts this season. Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

It was Grant Jerrett’s turn Tuesday night.

That’s the way it is going to be for Arizona’s three freshman big men. Not every one is going to be hot at the same time. But the chances of at least one playing his best — or close to it — is really good.

Yeah … it’s good to be deep.

With 7-footer Kaleb Tarczewski burdened with foul trouble for the second consecutive game, the 6-10 Jerrett had what coach Sean Miller called “the best game of his career,” helping fourth-ranked Arizona easily dispatch Oral Roberts 89-64 at McKale Center.

Jerrett scored a career-high 15 points and had four rebounds in 21 minutes. He shot 6 of 8 from the field, including all three of his 3-point attempts.

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