November 19, 2021
By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today
Eighth-grader Alexander plays well beyond his years, hits two clutch 3s in fourth quarter to lift Oxford to quality win
OXFORD – The Oxford roster lists Jaylen Alexander as an eighth-grader, but he doesn’t want the basketball public to look at him like that. And he sure didn’t play like that Thursday night.
The 6-footer who wears No. 0 did everything he could to convince the world he can play beyond his years. He scored 12 points and hit two clutch 3-pointers in tight spots in the fourth quarter to lift the Yellow Jackets to a 69-59 quality win over 3A Plainview.
“I really couldn’t play scared,” Alexander said. “Throughout the game they figured out I was an eighth-grader and I had to show them who I was. I knew I couldn’t play scared or I’d get taken out and probably not get back in the game, so I was just showing them who I was. When I got the opportunity, I knocked down shots.
“I really don’t want people to think I’m an eighth-grader. I want to come out there play at a 12th-grade level or higher than that. I want to play better than an eighth-grader.”
He doesn’t have to go far to convince Jackets coach Joel VanMeter he’s doing that. You don’t play 6A ball as an eighth-grader unless you bring a lot to the table.
“Don’t think of that kid as an eighth-grader because he don’t look like no eighth-grader to me,” VanMeter said. “And that’s his mentality: Don’t look at me at my class, look at me as a basketball player and that’s what he is. [**read more]
**When you click read more you will be taken to the EA Sports Today website. Please make sure to come back to read more Calhoun County News.
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