COLUMBIA, Mo. - Mizzou Men’s Basketball has signed future student-athlete Jordan Geist (Fort Wayne, Ind.) to the program’s 2016 recruiting class, head coach Kim Anderson announced. A 6-3, 180-pound guard, Geist earned Second Team NJCAA All-America recognition last season at Ranger College (Ranger, Texas), leading the Rangers to a fourth-place finish at the 2016 NJCAA Division I National Championship.
Geist averaged 15.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game as a freshman during the 2015-16 season, helping head coach Billy Gillispie’s squad to a stout 35-3 record. The newly-signed Tiger showed impressive marksmanship throughout the campaign, shooting 45.6 percent from the field and 35.3 percent from three-point territory.
“Jordan Geist has a winner’s mentality on and off the court,” Anderson said. “His ability to be another trustworthy ball handler and relentless defender for Mizzou Basketball was important to us. Jordan is a savvy player who immediately brings solid experience and leadership to our squad. We’re excited to have Jordan and his family become a part of our program, and we cannot wait to have him in Columbia this summer.”
The Rangers were assisted by Geist’s solid play during its postseason run at the NJCAA national tournament in Hutchinson, Kan., with the guard averaging 11.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.0 steals during Ranger College’s five-game stretch. Geist’s stellar postseason was boosted by a 29-point performance (9-of-15 FG, 10-of-15 FT) in his squad’s 87-74 victory over sixth-seeded Eastern Florida State College in the tournament’s second round.
“The atmosphere and culture surrounding Mizzou’s program is very exciting to me,” Geist said. “The campus is beautiful and the basketball arena is second-to-none. Coach Anderson and his staff treated me so well on my visit. That made me excited to be a part of the program. Playing in a great conference was also important to me. The SEC has great competition and has tough programs to play against. And I’ll be getting great coaching from the Mizzou coaches. I know they’ll prepare us the right way.”
Before his highly successful stop in the junior college ranks, Geist was a standout player in the competitive Indiana high school basketball scene. He helped Homestead High School to an Indiana Class 4A State Championship as a senior in 2014-15. With Geist at the point for head coach Chris Johnson, the Spartans posted an impressive 30-2 season record. Geist compiled averages of 16.8 points and 3.6 assists per game in his final high school season.
Geist earned Indiana Junior All-Star honors following his junior season at Penn High School (Mishawaka, Ind.), in which he averaged 17.7 points and 3.3 assists per game. He led the Kingsmen to a school record 23-2 mark.
Geist has proven to be a winner, with the last three teams he has played for (Penn HS, Homestead HS, Ranger College) combining for an 88-7 record (92.6 winning percentage) over the last three seasons.
“Mizzou fans will see toughness from me,” Geist said. “I’m out there to win and give everything I have for Mizzou Basketball. I think the little things are the most important parts of basketball. On defense, you have to bother people. I’ll do whatever it takes to win.”
Geist’s signing joins him with the current 2016 recruiting class of Frankie Hughes (Cleveland, Ohio), Willie Jackson (Cleveland, Ohio), Reed Nikko (Maple Grove, Minn.) and Mitchell Smith (Van Buren, Ark.). Learn more about the previous Tiger pledges here and here.
Geist averaged 15.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game as a freshman during the 2015-16 season, helping head coach Billy Gillispie’s squad to a stout 35-3 record. The newly-signed Tiger showed impressive marksmanship throughout the campaign, shooting 45.6 percent from the field and 35.3 percent from three-point territory.
“Jordan Geist has a winner’s mentality on and off the court,” Anderson said. “His ability to be another trustworthy ball handler and relentless defender for Mizzou Basketball was important to us. Jordan is a savvy player who immediately brings solid experience and leadership to our squad. We’re excited to have Jordan and his family become a part of our program, and we cannot wait to have him in Columbia this summer.”
The Rangers were assisted by Geist’s solid play during its postseason run at the NJCAA national tournament in Hutchinson, Kan., with the guard averaging 11.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.0 steals during Ranger College’s five-game stretch. Geist’s stellar postseason was boosted by a 29-point performance (9-of-15 FG, 10-of-15 FT) in his squad’s 87-74 victory over sixth-seeded Eastern Florida State College in the tournament’s second round.
“The atmosphere and culture surrounding Mizzou’s program is very exciting to me,” Geist said. “The campus is beautiful and the basketball arena is second-to-none. Coach Anderson and his staff treated me so well on my visit. That made me excited to be a part of the program. Playing in a great conference was also important to me. The SEC has great competition and has tough programs to play against. And I’ll be getting great coaching from the Mizzou coaches. I know they’ll prepare us the right way.”
Before his highly successful stop in the junior college ranks, Geist was a standout player in the competitive Indiana high school basketball scene. He helped Homestead High School to an Indiana Class 4A State Championship as a senior in 2014-15. With Geist at the point for head coach Chris Johnson, the Spartans posted an impressive 30-2 season record. Geist compiled averages of 16.8 points and 3.6 assists per game in his final high school season.
Geist earned Indiana Junior All-Star honors following his junior season at Penn High School (Mishawaka, Ind.), in which he averaged 17.7 points and 3.3 assists per game. He led the Kingsmen to a school record 23-2 mark.
Geist has proven to be a winner, with the last three teams he has played for (Penn HS, Homestead HS, Ranger College) combining for an 88-7 record (92.6 winning percentage) over the last three seasons.
“Mizzou fans will see toughness from me,” Geist said. “I’m out there to win and give everything I have for Mizzou Basketball. I think the little things are the most important parts of basketball. On defense, you have to bother people. I’ll do whatever it takes to win.”
Geist’s signing joins him with the current 2016 recruiting class of Frankie Hughes (Cleveland, Ohio), Willie Jackson (Cleveland, Ohio), Reed Nikko (Maple Grove, Minn.) and Mitchell Smith (Van Buren, Ark.). Learn more about the previous Tiger pledges here and here.
