Kent State of Mind: Malique Jacobs - Stepping Into the Spotlight
12/9/2022 12:00:00 PM | General, Men's Basketball
Man, this all still feels like a dream to me.
If I’m being honest, from the time I played my first JUCO basketball game for Indian Hills Community College to right now, as a redshirt senior at Kent State, I don’t think I’ve ever stopped dreaming.
The truth is nobody expected any of this from me.
Throughout all of my high school years, people didn’t know what I was going to do with basketball. Even when I made it to JUCO, people still didn’t know what I was going to do.
But you know what? I knew what I was going to do.
I knew because I trusted in myself and what I felt, not what everyone else was feeling at the time.
Now, they see me out here playing ball at the DI level.
All of the grinding and hard work I was doing in the shadows is starting to come to light, and it feels good.
It feels so good.
On to the next play
I had to work my butt off for all of it, though. That transition from JUCO to Division I basketball was really hard, especially since I was coming in when everyone was still stuck in quarantine. So there weren’t that many people on campus, and there was nothing to do but workouts, workouts and more workouts.
Playing with no fans was also difficult because there really wasn’t that extra energy out there to feed off from.
There was no such thing as home-court advantage.
It was just strictly basketball and talent versus talent.
But more than anything, I had to get used to the scoring. I wouldn’t necessarily say the speed is a lot faster, but any player on every team could drop 15 or more points on any given night at the Division I level.
The main thing for me was just being consistent and staying in the gym.
I’ll keep it real, though — one of my biggest problems coming in was laziness. I’d always show up at games completely focused and ready to work, but I didn’t give that same effort at practice.
If I wanted to be successful, I knew I had to change that mindset and improve as a student-athlete.
Coach Brian Barnes was the one that really stepped up and helped show me the way.
When it’s your first year at this level, and you’re trying to put the pieces together, it helps to have someone like that in your corner. Coach Barnes was my guy, man. He really helped me out with a lot of things, both on and off the court.
I was in my second year when he passed away.
It really was hard losing him, but you know, I never forgot the things he taught me. It’s all about working hard and not allowing myself to get discouraged by one play.
You missed the shot? Okay, it’s on to the next play.
You made the shot? That’s great, we’re still moving on to the next play.
When you’re on that court, at all times, you need to remember what you worked for.
The redemption season
I’m using that same mentality in life as well. It’s on to the next thing. When I make a mistake, I won’t make excuses. I’m going to dust myself off, learn from it and grow as a person. I just want to show great character on and off the court.
I can’t stop thinking about that MAC Championship game from last season.
Missing the first half of that game cut deep. That’s a feeling I’ll never forget. Just seeing my brothers out there without me is something that’s going to be stuck in my head for the rest of my life.
Even if we go out there and win the MAC Championship this time around, what happened last season is always going to hurt me. There were seniors we could have gotten a ring for in that game.
For me, it’s never been about the records and accomplishments, though.
I just want this team to be successful.
Our main goal is to stay together and finish the season right this time around. I’ll be that engine and bring that energy on the court.
We’re bringing those good vibes this season!
One for the road
I know a lot of eyes will be on us this year. People know what we were on the verge of accomplishing last season, and they’re going to be waiting to see what we do this time out.
We have big goals, and we’re going to fight hard to accomplish them.
This year means a lot to me because it’s my last year with the team.
It already feels different, you know? My family got to come out and see me play live in a college game for the very first time this season.
We played at the College of Charleston, which is like a four-hour drive from my hometown in Wilmington, North Carolina.
It was the closest I’ve ever played to home in college, and I had around 50 people show up to the game. I owe the coaches a big shout-out for taking care of my family and making that possible.
When you go to college, you’re supposed to be on your own, right?
You’ve got your own house, your own car, and you pay for your own stuff.
But I always felt like someone was watching over me at Kent State, whether that was Coach Barnes, Coach Sendy, or some other coach or faculty member.
I have nothing but love for Kent State.
I hope to play basketball beyond college, but for the time being, I’m just focused on getting another crack at that MAC Championship.
As long as we believe in one another and stick together, anything is possible, man.
ANYTHING!
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