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Former South Laurel basketball standout Grubb to join NKU for upcoming season


By Don Owen
NKyTribune reporter

Northern Kentucky University is adding 6-foot-1 guard Jared Grubb to the roster for the upcoming season.

Grubb averaged 20.1 points per game as a senior for South Laurel High School during the 2016-17 season. He knocked down 51 shots from 3-point range and also converted 79 percent of his free throws.

Jared Grubb (25) averaged 20.1 points per game as a senior for South Laurel High School in 2016-17.

As a senior, Grubb helped South Laurel advance to the semifinals of the 13th Region Tournament and finish with a 23-11 record. He also became the first player in South Laurel history to reach the 2,000-point plateau and earned honorable mention all-state accolades.

Grubb spent last season attending Believe Sports Academy. He announced through social media this weekend that he was signing with NKU.

A two-sport standout at South Laurel, Grubb originally signed to play football at the University of Pikeville.

During his junior season at South Laurel, Grubb led the Cardinals to the 13th Region championship and a trip to the Sweet 16 at Rupp Arena. South Laurel advanced to the state semifinals, where the Cardinals were eliminated by Louisville Doss, 70-63. Grubb paced South Laurel with 22 points in that defeat.

Two days earlier, Grubb had poured in 20 points — including a crucial 3-pointer with a minute remaining in the game — during a 53-50 win over Christian County. He also netted 20 points during a 71-42 victory against South Oldham in the state quarterfinals.

Grubb joins an NKU program that posted a 22-10 record last season and advanced to the NIT. The Norse also captured the Horizon League regular-season championship.

NKU must replace two starters in point guard Lavone Holland II and forward Jordan Garnett. The Norse also lost key reserves Carson Williams and Mason Faulkner, both of whom transferred following the season.

Earlier this spring, NKU added recruits Silas Adheke and Adrian Nelson to the roster for next season. The Norse also gained a graduate transfer in guard Zaynah Robinson from Norfolk State.

The 6-foot-9, 237-pound Adheke averaged 7.1 points and 6.5 rebounds per game this past season, helping Eastern Florida State College post a 30-5 overall record and advance to the NJCAA national semifinals.

The 6-foot-6 Nelson averaged 14 points and nine rebounds per game as a senior at Pickerington Central High School, earning first team Ohio Capital Conference and District 11 honors.

In the fall, NKU signed prep standouts Trevon Faulkner and Bryant Mocaby. Faulkner, a Mercer County High School graduate, was named the 2018 Mr. Basketball in Kentucky. The 6-foot-3 Faulkner averaged 26.5 points and 9.2 rebounds this season. He also scored more than 3,000 points in his career at Mercer County.

Mocaby, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard, averaged nearly 20 points per game as a senior at Derby High School in Kansas.

Contact Don Owen at don@nkytrib.com and follow him on Twitter at @dontribunesport


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