Men’s Basketball — Northwestern State adds prep guard from elite Missouri academy

NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State coach Corey Gipson and his staff have added three college transfers during the spring recruiting period, and now the Demons have a high school signee in Jalen Hampton.

The St. Louis, Missouri, native finished his prep career at Link Year Prep, playing on the academy’s national roster that travels across the country to different showcases and invitationals.

The 6-foot-7 guard averaged 11 points and six rebounds per game against other nationally ranked prep schools.

“Jalen is a high-flying, multi-faceted wing guard,” said Gipson, who has signed four student-athletes with ties to his home state of Missouri. “When it comes to basketball, Jalen is like a queen on the chess board.

“His size, ability and athleticism affords him opportunities to strike on both sides of the ball.”

Hampton was named the MVP of the 2022 Southwestern Missouri Invitational in which he averaged 22 points on 71 percent shooting with nearly seven rebounds per game during the event.

At University City High in St. Louis, Hampton was a Class 5A All-State pick that averaged 19 points, nearly seven rebounds and 1.4 assists per game as a junior.