Nice article by Richard Skinner in the Enquirer. http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20130723/SPT01/307230173/NKU-transfer-Giesler-refined-game?nclick_check=1

 

Jake Giesler’s athletic career was basically spent playing two sports year-round for the last several years, but he admitted that sitting out this past season after transferring from Jacksonville to Northern Kentucky University to play basketball was the best thing that could have happened for him.

 

The 6-foot-7, 245-pound Giesler was a standout football and basketball player at Newport Central Catholic High School who had offers to play either sport in college, but chose to play basketball at Jacksonville. He struggled in his one season there in 2011-12, when he played in just 16 games and averaged 1.9 points and 1.4 rebounds per game and decided to transfer to NKU, which wound up in the same league as Jacksonville soon thereafter when it moved from NCAA Division II to Division I.

 

That transfer caused Giesler to sit out last season and helped him transform his body and gave him an extra year to focus strictly on basketball.

 

“I was in the weight room a lot and my lower body strength has gotten a lot better and that has helped me, having a little more spring and being lighter on my feet,” said Giesler, who was an offensive lineman/defensive lineman in football and would play at well over 260 pounds. “Not having to make that transition and a having bunch of extra weight I had to get rid of has helped the last couple of years. I’ve been waiting to play basketball all year round for awhile. Going into summers I would be playing my best basketball and then have to jump right back into football. It feels good being able to focus on basketball.”

 

While he was able to practice with NKU last season, he got a chance this summer to finally play games again while playing in the City Gear-The League (formerly the Deveroe’s Summer League) for McCluskey Chevrolet, which was composed primarily of incoming NKU freshmen. He averaged 13.4 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game as the only post player on the team.

 

“The first couple of games it took me awhile to get my legs loose, but after the last couple I’ve been easing into it and feel pretty good,” he said. “I did a lot of good things and got a chance to see what I really need to work on.”

 

He knows there are plenty of people wondering why he will be any better at NKU than he was at Jacksonville, but he has an answer for those people.

 

“I’m 20 years old going on 21 instead of 18 and playing all year instead of just coming out of high school and having played football,” Giesler said. “I’ve probably lost 20 pounds of fat honestly and put on muscle. Now that sitting out is over and I have three years left, I couldn’t be happier with getting that extra year and being a year older. This summer was really good for me. I really wanted to come out and prove I’m going to be a significant player this year for NKU.”

Loved watching Jake Giesler play in high school. Glad to see him doing good.

Looking forward to watching him play at NKU.

I wish him well, he seems like a great kid.

I stated somewhere on here a year ago that I didn't think Jake was going to get much time at the D1 level. In reading the above I may have to adjust my thinking. I hope so because I'd love to see him be successful.

Saw Jake play over at the DSL....solid player but still has work to do. Simply not quick enough to guard some of the athletes that he went up against and struggled against smaller guys who played physical against him. Hope he can continue to improve.

Does he lose a year of eligibility by sitting out that year? He was listed as a rostered player for the Norse last year though the article says he has 3 years remaining. Is it like redshirting? Just not sure how that works.

Best wishes to Jake. Hard working kid!