WKU Basketball: How Jake Ohmer Will Fit In
If you love underdogs, then you’ll love Jake Ohmer and his journey so far. This in-state product was headed for the NAIA before playing his…
If you love underdogs, then you’ll love Jake Ohmer and his journey so far. This in-state product was headed for the NAIA before playing his heart out in the KHSAA State Tournament and catching the eye of WKU head coach Rick Stansbury. He may be a smaller player but he plays with a big heart and a lot of drive. So let’s meet WKU’s newest 2017 signee Jake Ohmer.
Jake Ohmer is a 6'0 guard from Taylor Mill, KY. He played at Scott High School and averaged 27.8 points per game along with 8.4 rebounds while shooting 41% from downtown his senior year. He absolutely obliterated the school’s scoring record by finishing with 2,705 career points and he has already had his #2 jersey retired at Scott High School. That’s pretty impressive. While those stats are definitely attention grabbing, that’s not what helped him end up at WKU.
In the KHSAA State Tournament this year, Ohmer helped lead his team to the semifinals by scoring 106 points in the three games his team played in the tournament before losing to the eventual state champions Bowling Green by only one point. This performance is what caught the eye of WKU head coach Rick Stansbury who saw the potential in Ohmer. Stansbury met up with Ohmer after the tournament and offered him a full scholarship to play for WKU, which is something Ohmer has always dreamed about: playing for a Division-1 school. Ohmer was initially committed to play for the NAIA level school Cumberlands but once getting the offer to play at WKU, he knew where he wanted to go play. But is he someone that is ready to play for a school like WKU?
Don’t let the fact that he was committed to an NAIA school fool you into thinking he isn’t good enough to play at the D-1 level.
Stansbury said about Ohmer “he was a young man that was flying under the radar that I think brings lots of different abilities to our program,” which is very true.
Not many small town products like Ohmer get the same kind of coverage and spotlight as players from more urban areas which is part of the reason he wasn’t recruited as hard or sooner by other schools. Not many people (including myself) even know where Taylor Mill, KY is which could’ve played a factor. The way he played and dominated against some of the best players and teams in the state tournament shows he can lead his team and score. So how will he fit in at WKU?
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Ohmer is a guard and, as you’ve probably heard by now, WKU has a plethora of talented guards coming to the Hill next season. One thing that some people could say is a disadvantage is that he’s smaller than most guards at the college level. But his heart and his motor definitely makes up for what height disadvantage he may have against other players. Ohmer is a solid 3-point shooter and despite only being 6'0, he averaged over 8 rebounds his senior year which is a ton for someone his size to average at his position against taller players. That shows his fight and energy on the court to always go after the ball and make the most of every possession.
Another thing that could help him is his ability to drive the ball to the basket and either score or draw a foul. He shot 86% from the free-throw line his senior year so a consistently good free-throw shooter could help WKU in big ways next season, especially in late game situations when the score is close. He is a high energy player that has a lot of potential but he’s not someone I see starting right away due to the other high quality guards coming in but he could most definitely be a major spark coming off the bench and hit some buckets while on the court.
Depending on how WKU’s final recruiting class finishes, Stansbury may have so many guards that he may need to redshirt one of them and Ohmer would be one that I feel like could be chosen if that situation were to arise so he could spend a year learning under Stansbury and developing as a player but as of right now I would say that would be unlikely.
Obviously Stansbury sees a lot of potential and upside in Ohmer by giving him a scholarship to come play at the Hill and the in-state product definitely has the shooting abilities and heart to produce for a team like WKU. Ohmer has performed well under the radar long before coming to WKU and he may continue to be under the radar by many even after getting here. But being an underdog isn’t something new to him but a role he thrives in so don’t be surprised if you see big things from him next season at the Hill.