South Carolina basketball coach Dawn Staley recently handed out a scholarship offer to local point guard Lauren Jacobs. The 4-star prospect attends Heathwood Hall Episcopal School in Columbia (she also plays for the A'ja Wilson 17U AAU team), and the offer meant enough to Jacobs that she put the Gamecocks on her list of top schools less than a week later.
Top 10!🙏🏾 @palmetto76erawe @AthleticsHHES @HeathwoodHall @JeromeFleetwood @CoachBriZimm pic.twitter.com/7MUPS2HRms
— Lauren Jacobs (@LaurenJacobs25) August 26, 2024
Jacobs' top-10 includes the South Carolina Gamecocks, Clemson Tigers, Virginia Tech Hokies, Ole Miss Rebels, Georgia Bulldogs, Auburn Tigers, Florida Gators, Mississippi State Bulldogs, Marquette Golden Eagles, and Penn State Nittany Lions.
The Gamecocks do not yet have a commitment in the class of 2025, but Jacobs is one of several elite prospects who are considering the South Carolina basketball program.
Jacobs is listed at 5'9" and, as a shorter guard, utilizes quickness and leverage in her game. She is stronger than most smaller players, and she is not afraid to use her body to create separation as she is looking to get a clean look at the basket.
Ballhandling is one of Jacobs' strengths as a player, and she has a natural aggressiveness with the ball in her hands that allows her to attack the basket with ferocity or fire up a lightning-quick jump shot off the dribble. Her shot selection will need some work (something that a coach like Dawn Staley will emphasize), but she has a very high ceiling on offense.
On defense, Jacobs' good feet and strength allow her to cause problems for opposing guards. She has good instincts for jumping into passing lanes and has quick enough hands to knock away the basketball from players with loose handles. When she gets those steals, she immediately looks to start a fastbreak, turning good defense into quick offense.
You can watch some of her film here.