BIRMINGHAM – As the 2020-21 men’s basketball season rapidly approaches, UABSports.com will provide the fans with a weekly positional preview. Today focusing on the primary ball handlers – Michael Ertel, Quan Jackson, Jalen Benjamin, Tyreek Scott-Grayson and Koby Jeffries.
“Guard play is obviously vital to successful teams. The role of being a ‘primary ball handler’ is one that requires poise, decision-making as well as the ability to make plays,” said head coach Andy Kennedy.
Michael Ertel – Graduate transfer – Indianapolis, Ind.
Ertel, a 6-2 guard, comes to Birmingham as a graduate transfer who played his first three seasons at Louisiana Monroe. His junior season he led the Warhawks in scoring (16.2 points per game), 3-point field goals (59), assists (81) and steals (30) while registering double figures in 27 of 29 games, including eight 20-point contests. He was selected to the All-Sun Belt Second Team as well as the National Association of Basketball Coaches All-District 23 Second Team.
On Jan. 4, 2020 Ertel scored a career-high 39 points in the Warhawks’ victory over South Alabama. In that game, he set a ULM record with 11 3-pointers – which tied the Sun Belt record for an in-conference game as well as tied the most made in the NCAA during the 2019-20 season.
Ertel was a 2019 SBC Third Team All-Conference selection as a sophomore and became ULM’s first-ever Sun Belt Freshman of the Year in 2018.
For his career, Ertel has scored 1,386 points.
He was ranked #35 in ESPN’s list of transfers by Jeff Borzello.
Quan Jackson – Graduate transfer – Tallahassee, Fla.
Another 1,000-point career scorer, Jackson signed with the Blazers one day after Ertel in April. A graduate transfer from Georgia Southern, Jackson brings a tenacious defensive game with him. With aspirations of being the Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year, Jackson finished his junior year leading the Sun Belt Conference with 2.6 steals per game, which was eighth best in the NCAA. Coupling that with 13.4 scoring average, Jackson earned All-Sun Belt Second Team honors.
As a sophomore, Jackson was named All-Sun Belt Third Team after averaging 14.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.0 steals while shooting 44% from the field and making a team-high 47 3-pointers.
Jackson was also ranked in Borzello’s ESPN list of top transfers.
Jalen Benjamin – Sophomore – Raleigh, N.C.
A member of the 2020 Conference USA All-Freshman team, Benjamin returns to the Blazers backcourt after averaging 12.1 points per game last season. He set a new UAB freshman record by scoring 362 points, surpassing the previous record held by Demario Eddins in 2002-03.
Benjamin made 26 starts last year, playing in 31 contests. He recorded 18 double-figure games including a career-high 29 points against Southern Miss. He averaged the second most minutes on the team last season (27.7) and played over 30 minutes in 17 of those games.
He switched his uniform number from 13 to 5 this season – the same number he wore at Meadowcreek High School
Tyreek Scott-Grayson – Senior – Brick, N.J.
Along with Benjamin, Scott-Grayson returns to the Blazers this season after completing a junior season in which his scoring increased by 68%. Scott-Grayson played in every game last year making 27 starts and set person-highs in every category.
Scott-Grayson was just one of seven players in Conference USA that recorded a 30-point game last season when he scored 30 points against Rice on 12-of-17 shooting.
He had a strong finish to the 2019-20 season by scoring in double figures in eight of his last 10 contests.
Koby Jeffries – Redshirt Freshman – Olive Branch, Miss.
Jeffries signed with UAB last December and became a practice squad player for the spring semester after playing at Skill Factory Prep.
Prior to his prep career, Jeffries attended First Assembly Christian School where he led the Raiders to a 41-11 record and a pair of District 2 titles over two years. He received First Team All-Region accolades as well as being selected as the two-time Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association District 2 Player of the Year.
“We will typically have at least two, most of the time three, primary ball handlers on the court at all times,” added Kennedy. “The experience of our three seniors coupled with the minutes that Jalen got in this role as a true freshman last year gives us a number of options for how we want to attack from this position.”
2020-21 UAB men’s basketball season tickets are on sale now. Current basketball season ticket holders can click here to renew their seats for the upcoming season. Fans interested in purchasing new season tickets can do so starting as low as $100 with the Blaze’s Corner season ticket.
For questions regarding your 2020-21 UAB Basketball season ticket order, email the UAB Athletics Ticket Sales and Service team at tickets@uab.edu or call (205) 975-UAB1. Ticket representatives can be contacted during normal business hours of 9:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. Fans can also request more information on ticket options for the upcoming season here.
For more information on the UAB men’s basketball program, follow @UAB_MBB on Twitter and Instagram. Also be sure to follow @CoachAK13 on Twitter.
