New Mexico Lobos guard Jaelen House delivering on both fronts
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – When assembling a roster, coaches first look at what type of individual they need and then, once they have a solid foundational base, will look at which kind of player will help them reach that next level. That next-level player is the needle in the haystack. An individual whose availability is so rare that, if a coach stumbles upon that kind of recruit, they will do and say whatever it takes to convince that player to join their program. Because this player is someone that encompasses the totality of the sport. Both great offensively as they are good defensively. In the case of New Mexico Lobos men’s basketball team, they have found their two-way player in Jaelen House.
The 6-foot guard transfer from Arizona State is delivering what is expected of him so far this season. House played and started in six games where he’s averaging the second-most team minutes at 32.8 per game. As a result of his increased game time, he’s also the second-best scorer on the team where he’s averaging 16.3 points. That’s 3.7 fewer than the leading scorer. Not only is he scoring well, he’s shooting the ball rather decently. House has a field goal percentage of 41.3 and a three-point percentage of 32.4. Those numbers should increase given his playing time. His volume of shots will increase as will his confidence. The real test of how well he can shoot is visible at the free throw line where he’s attempted 27 shots and only missed six. House’s contributions don’t end on the offensive end.
His ability to strip the ball from the opposition has been displayed in full force this season as he leads the team in steals with 14. That’s a little over two steals per game which indicates how alert and quick he is at spotting weaknesses in the opposition’s offense. Such skill in anticipation is a credit to his basketball IQ whereby he undoubtedly received from his father and grandfather who were both successful in college basketball. Jaelen’s father, Eddie House, played at Arizona State from 1997 to 2000 where has the 2000 Pac-10 Player of the Year. Eddie’s No. 5 jersey has even been retired from the school. And Jaelen’s grandfather, Henry Bibby, helped UCLA win three NCAA titles from 1970 to 1972.
Both his grandfather and father went on to achieve great success in the NBA and that’s what Jaelen also wants to achieve. So far, he’s on the right path by contributing as the leading passer on the team with 27 assists, the leader in steals, and second in scoring. He’s a player that can offer so much to this team and he’s being rewarded for his efforts by the college who knows they have found their needle in the haystack that can elevate them to the next level.
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