SAN MATEO, CA – St. Francis’ desperation heave at the buzzer missed the mark and Serra High turned the middle of the Leavey Center court into its private mosh pit, jumping up and down and pushing each other playfully following the dramatic Central Coast Section title-game victory last season.
Hard to miss in the back of the mob was Serra’s then-freshman Jack Wilson, a fledgling player who played a bit part in the 40-38 title win against the Lancers, a game won by Jake Killingsworth’s three free throws with .6 seconds left.
That was then. Wilson has grown at least an inch since then and is now 7 feet tall, 265 pounds. He’ll join Columbia University commit Killingsworth in the starting line-up for the Padres when they meet the Serra alumni at 7 p.m. November 25, just one week from today.
“I’m looking forward to the season,” said Wilson from the din of the Serra gymnasium during a lively recent practice. “I’ve been waiting for it since last season ended.”
Wilson, just a sophomore, is the tallest player in Serra history. He played quality minutes last season against teams like St. Francis and Modesto Christian, but this will be the first year he starts after watching the older players mix it up last season.
“I learned a lot from them,” said Wilson in a deep baritone voice that belies his 16 years. “I was thankful to just be part of the team with those guys – they were a really special group. Then going to CCS, that was really exciting and to end up winning that and was a very cool experience for me. I’m never going to forget that. “
Now the former Montara resident (he moved to San Mateo a month into his freshman year) will try to make his own memories against top WCAL post men like Ben Kone of Archbishop Mitty and Peter Hewitt of St. Francis.
Veteran Serra coach Chuck Rapp indicated Wilson is on target developmentally.
"The thing that really stands out to me in regards to Jack is his willingness to learn,” Rapp said. “He has steadily progressed since he's been at Serra, and I've seen almost daily improvement in his game. He has an exciting amount of potential, and with his willingness to learn combined with his Coast-side work ethic you have a perfect storm of basketball improvement."
Wilson comes from athletic stock. His father Greg Wilson, a San Mateo firefighter, is 6-foot-9 and played football at St. Francis High and basketball at Cabrillo College in Aptos and Chaminade University in Hawii. His sister Elise, 26, played hoops for a while at St. Ignatius College Prep, then switched to crew and wound up with the full ride to UCLA. She’s now back in the Half Moon Bay area where the family formerly lived, working at a restaurant, as does Wilson’s mom, Shannon.
So with a sister who attended SI, why isn’t Wilson there?
“I always thought I would wind up at SI and then I remember I came to the Jungle Game and I watched Stephen Lumpkins play as a big and I saw how they played and how tough everyone here was and I started to slowly change my mind,” Wilson said. “Once middle school came around I talked with the coaches and picked their brains about their basketball program and when I shadowed at SI and then shadowed here, that was it. I knew I was going to be a Serra Padre.”
The Pads aren’t complaining. The school is known for its gritty, over-achieving teams, but has never had a big man like Wilson.
Serra football coach Patrick Walsh wouldn't mind suiting Wilson up, that's for sure.
"I'd put him out there at wide receiver 10 times a year and throw him jump balls," Walsh said with a laugh.
The big soph has always been tall for his age. At 4 years old he played in a league for kindergarten and first-grade students. By fourth grade he was 5-foot-9 and taller than his male teacher. By sixth grade he hit the 6-foot mark and has grown steadily from there, now wearing size 17 basketball shoes which he buys on-line.
“You just get used to it,” Wilson said of the gawks and stares he receives. “You get used to the attention. I love it. I see it as a blessing, for sure. I’m really thankful I’m able to be this big.”
And what of the comments he receives?
“You hear the cheesy ‘How’s the weather up there?’ a lot,” Wilson said. Or people say ‘Hey’ you’re really tall.’ Then the next thing they always ask me is if I play basketball. I embrace it.”
In eighth grade Wilson played for Our Lady of the Pillar parish where Rich Forslund, now the Half Moon Bay High coach, helped mold him. When the team traveled to San Francisco to play other parish teams, opposing fans often thought Wilson was a ringer and let him have it.
Said Greg Wilson: “The parents were relentless and were hard on Jack and it was difficult for him to keep his emotions in check, but I guess it was good for him.”
At Cunha Middle School in Half Moon Bay, Wilson’s height (6-9 by eighth grade) startled opponents.
“I used to call him ‘The Manchild’ because of his size,” said former Cunha coach Rick Campbell. “It was hilarious to see opponents’ expressions when he would enter the gym. Teams commonly had to change their strategy and either play zone or a box-and-one or put two defenders on him to try to slow him down. Great kid, very coachable and with an extremely bright future.”
Serra does not post scoring and rebounding stats online like many schools, but Wilson played well in his brief appearances last season, scoring his first basket at home and hearing the inevitable “He’s a fresh-man,” chant, then chipping in some points and taking some key rebounds in some big games near the end of the season.
Even at 7 feet tall, he doesn’t look gawky like a lot of oversized teens do. He runs the floor well and has good hands and can shoot. Where that all takes him remains to be seen.
“I’d like to play Division I basketball and be successful at that and then hopefully play in the NBA,” Wilson said. “If that doesn’t work out, I’ll find a place to play overseas.”
Before that, Wilson still has three seasons ahead of him in blue and gold. Serra fans can be thankful for that.
John Murphy is Web Content Manager of Prep2Prep. Reach him at jmurphy@prep2prep.com. Follow on Twitter @PrepCat
