KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Kalamazoo College men's basketball team is excited to announce its 2019 recruiting class comprised of three student-athletes, all from the state of Michigan.
The class of 2023 will include Jeremy Kitka (Warren, Mich.), Conner Kok (Dorr, Mich.) and Jack McGuire (Walled Lake, Mich.).
"We're really excited about this class and what they bring to not just our team, but our campus," Head Coach Jay Smith said. "First off, they're excellent students. They'll succeed in the classroom."
The Hornets add Kitka and Kok to a perimeter group that returns three double-figure scorers, including second team All-MIAA member Ben Reiter.
McGuire, on the other hand, brings size to an already big front line.
"Because of what we return, we identified individuals whose skill sets are both impactful in the short term but also have extremely high upsides. We added tremendous length – especially at the guard spot – along with quickness and extreme toughness," Smith said.
Jeremy Kitka // Warren, Mich. // Paul K. Cousino // 6'3, 180
Kitka was named first team ALL-Macomb Area Conference - Red and was selected to the third team all-county. A prolific ball-handler, Kitka has the ability to penetrate, handle pressure, and finish at the rim. His length and athleticism make him a good defender with the ability to rebound with bigs. The name Kitka may sound familiar as his father, Kevin '87, was a three-time letter winner at K for soccer and also earned a varsity letter in basketball during the 1985-86 campaign.
Check out Kitka's highlight film: https://www.hudl.com/video/3/8775627/5c548a2f345332110491e902
Conner Kok // Dorr, Mich. // Grand Rapids South Christian // 6'6, 170
There are not many 6'6 guards in the MIAA, but Kok will be one of them. A two-time All-OK Gold honoree, Kok played the point guard position for both his high school and travel team, but his size and scoring ability make him versatile. He's a difficult match up as his size and length bothered smaller opponents and his quickness was too much for traditional post players. Kok helped lead South Christian to a quarterfinal appearance this past season after hitting the game-winning shot with 3.6 seconds in the regional championship.
Check out Kok's game-winner:
Jack McGuire // Walled Lake, Mich. // Walled Lake Northern // 6'7, 235
McGuire was an honorable mention All-Lakes Valley Conference selection this past season for the Knights. McGuire is a very tough, physical, post player that plays with a high motor. He's deceptively quick laterally and explodes off the floor to get rebounds. He can finish over both shoulders and does a great job sealing and working for angles to score. He can stretch the defense out and hit a mid-range jumper and is an excellent passer out of the post.
Check out McGuire's highlight film:
https://www.hudl.com/video/3/10445175/5c48bccd90eec20768d29cfe