In the upcoming season, the Oakland High Wildcats will be a team to watch with their talented starting five. The ringmaster for this group is point guard, Jalen Headspeth. Last year, the Wildcats were 17-13 and lost in the second round of the NorCal regional division I playoffs to De La Salle 67-55. Headspeth had a solid junior year where he averaged 9 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists per contest.
At 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds, Headspeth is an all-around point guard who has a 37 inch vertical. This Wildcat considers his hesitation move to be his most effective basketball skill because the move gives the crafty right-hander the option to shoot, crossover, or pass. When asked whose game he models his after, Headspeth compares himself to Orlando Magic Jameer Nelson because of the similar size, build, ball handling, and perimeter shooting.
Oakland High Coach Orlando Watkins says, "Jalen's strengths are his lateral quickness, strength, enjoys playing defense, penetrating to the basket, and being a gym rat who loves to work on his game. He is a competitor, has learned to become a leader as an extension of the coach, loves the game, and is a student of the game"
During this summer, Headspeth has been working out and playing in tournaments with both his high school team and his Bay Area Warriors club team. At the inaugural NorCal Summer Tipoff at City College of San Francisco, he was considered to be one of the top five players at the event. This Wildcat has been working on his jump shot as he believes that it needs to be more consistent, which would then space out the floor for his teammates.
Headspeth's Oakland High team includes the Brown brothers, Jabari and Jamil, who are often the recipients of his passes. He has been a varsity starter for the Wildcats since his sophomore year and teams up in the backcourt with TJ Taylor and Dominique Taplin. Headspeth wants to make the all-OAL team for next year and help the Wildcats make a run at state title.
Headspeth's point guard skills have garnered interest from Portland State (Coach Owens) and Whitman College (Coach Bridge). This Wildcat considers Whitman as his favorite because they run the dribble drive offense, which plays to his strengths. Coach Watkins says, "When everything is said and done, he will be a D1 guard. Jalen will be a steal for whatever program gets him."
Headspeth wants to attend a program that has a compatible coaching staff that will leverage his strengths. Academically, he has a 2.80 GPA and 1600 SAT score that makes him eligible. He is undecided on his college major but his favorite subject is English. Headspeth is not that concern about the college's location but does want the college to have strong academic and career placement programs.
Headspeth is also mentally strong as he has had to endure some setbacks early in his life. During his 8th grade, he broke his right wrist and had to sit out for six months. It was a trying and difficult time as he could not be on the courts. More personally, his maternal grandfather passed away last year. As a result, his studies and basketball both suffered. However, he has overcome these setbacks to be a stronger mental person. During his spare time, he hangs out with his friends. Expect this Wildcat to lead his team to a deep playoff run that will lead him to the NCAA level.
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