Saint Louis head men’s basketball coach Travis Ford announced today that three student-athletes have signed National Letters of Intent to attend the University and play basketball for the Billikens. They begin their four years of eligibility in the 2019-20 academic year.
The new Billikens are 5-foot-10 guard Yuri Collins, 6-foot-7 swingman Terrence Hargrove Jr. and 6-foot-6 guard Gibson Jimerson.
“What really stands out to me about this recruiting class so far is that all three really complement each other,” Ford said. “We have a true point guard in Yuri Collins, an elite athlete in Terrence Hargrove Jr. and a prolific shooter in Gibson Jimerson. They are going to fit in really well with the needs we have for our basketball team.”
Collins is entering his senior season at St. Mary’s High School. A true point guard, he averaged 13.6 ppg and 6.3 apg last season for the Dragons. Playing for Bradley Beal Elite last summer, he was fourth in the Nike EYBL in assists.
“Yuri has the ability to change the game when the ball is in his hands,” Ford said. “He has an unbelievable understanding and feel for the game, and he is great at making other people around him better. Yuri has explosive speed, is a great ball-handler and has exceptional vision. He reminds me of a smaller version of Russell Westbrook in terms of his explosion and his ability to make things happen for his teammates.”
Hargrove is beginning his senior year at East St. Louis High School. Last season for the Flyers, he averaged 18.2 ppg and 9.5 rpg. Hargrove shot 46 percent from the field and led the team with 61 blocks. He played with Collins on Bradley Beal Elite.
“Terrence is an elite athlete with great size,” Ford said. “He has a lot of versatility and can guard multiple positions. Terrence can really put the ball on the floor and use his athleticism, but he can also shoot it with great form. Above everything, his versatility and athleticism is what really separates him from other players.”
Jimerson will play his senior season at Montverde Academy in Florida. This past summer on the AAU circuit with Boo Williams, Jimerson was one of the EYBL’s top shooters, hitting 42-of-94 (44.7 percent) from beyond the arc. He ranked fourth on the circuit in offensive efficiency.
“Gibson is an elite scorer, one of the best in the country,” Ford said. “A lot of people talk about how well he shoots it, but he can score in a variety of ways as opposed to just from the 3-point line. He has a really good shot-fake, pull-up jumper, he can score off-balance, and he can come off of screens and score. He has an innate ability to put the ball in the hole.”
