Three-Star Center Commits To UF
Florida added to its 2019 class with the commitment of three-star center Jason Jitoboh of Hamilton Heights (Chattanooga, TN) Christian Academy. He becomes the fourth member of the class joining four-star prospect Omar Payne and McDonald's All-Americans Scottie Lewis and Tre Mann.
Jitoboh announced his school choice during a Hamilton Heights Christian Academy Instagram Live stream.
Listed at 6-foot-11, 300 pounds, Jitoboh chose the Gators over a final group that included Tennessee and UCF. He also held offers from Arkansas, Auburn, Illinois, Louisville, Saint Louis and Wake Forest. Jitoboh took official visits to UCF, Saint Louis and Louisville plus had an official visit scheduled to UF in October. Three days before his Gainesville visit was to begin, however, Payne committed and took what, at the time, was the last available scholarship.
We asked Jitoboh, a native of Abuja, Nigeria, what separated Florida from his two other finalists.
“Florida was actually my first offer,” he said. “We’ve been keeping in touch, they’ve been checking up on me. They did an in-school visit, the whole coaching staff, they’ve come to see me play and they check up on me almost every day. I have a great relationship with Coach White and Coach Mincy. The fans are crazy, the campus is great the dorms and the gym are very close to each other so I can go and get in work whenever.”
The Gators offered Jitoboh two years ago, had him on campus last summer during UF’s Team Camp, and quietly continued to recruit him. The big body big man did not play at the Team Camp because his broken left foot still had not healed. GatorsTerritory.com saw Jitoboh play with Woodz Elite last April, in the Nike EYBL, prior to his injury and felt he was a tremendous long term prospect with good footwork, a nice jump hook with some range on it, good touch around the rim and good his mobility given his size.
Coach Steve Cook, who coached Jitoboh during the travel team season and was close to his recruitment, spoke with us about how the timing of the commitment happened despite Jitoboh not taking an official visit to Florida.
“We were trying to set the visit up but Coach White explained that they were focused on the season because they were in a dilemma on whether they were going to make the (NCAA) Tournament or not,” Cook said. “They had to win some games in the SEC tournament to solidify a bid and once they did that they were focused on trying to get a good push for the NCAA Tournament once they made it. We talked to him (White) and everybody is on the same page where it comes to the next progression for him (Jitoboh) and we always felt comfortable with Coach White from day one. We’re still going to take the visit but Jason felt the time was right (to commit).”
With the addition of Jitoboh the Gators still have three scholarships available in the 2019 class, due to Keith Stone, Michael Okauru and Deaundrae Ballard announcing their intentions to transfer.