Johnny Jones Inks All-East Texas Forward Jacob Holmen
Courtesy: University of North Texas
Release: 11/19/2008
Courtesy: Rick Yeatts

DENTON, Texas (11/19/08) – Head coach Johnny Jones and the North Texas basketball team inked Whitehouse standout and Texas Preps Basketball magazine cover-boy Jacob Holmen to a National Letter of Intent.

Holmen (6-8, 215, PF) was the District 11-4A Defensive Player of the Year and a First-Team All-East Texas selection by the Tyler Morning Telegraph following his junior season, and adorned the cover of Texas Preps Basketball under the headline “The Magnificent 7” in the 2008 high school preview issue.

“Jacob will be a great addition to our program,” Jones said. “With his size, he is very versatile and can play inside or out. He has the ability to shoot from the perimeter, and has great passing and ball handling skills. Jacob comes from a great basketball program and a tremendous family. We are very excited to have him apart of the Mean Green family.”

Widely considered one of East Texas’ best players, Holmen averaged 17 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks per game in leading Whitehouse to the Regional Semifinals last year.

He is ranked the No. 9 power forward in the Lone Star State according to TexasPrepInsider.com, and TexasHoops.com listed him as the 48th best overall player in Texas. As a sophomore, Holmen was named the 11-4A Newcomer of the Year.

ESPN.com listed Holmen as the No. 135 ranked power forward in the country. A versatile athlete, Holmen also lettered in football and track at Whitehouse.

Holmen joins Paris guard Shannon Shorter as signees to the Mean Green this year. Shorter, a 6-foot 4-inch, 200-pound slasher is pouring in 12.0 points per game and hitting at an astonishing 65.2 percent clip for the Dragons so far this year.

The Mean Green is coming off back-to-back 20 win seasons, and an NCAA Tournament berth in 2007. North Texas hits the road to face Sam Houston State on Thursday and Indiana State on Sunday. Both games can be heard on the Mean Green Radio Network.

I definitely think he will be a good signing and is a kid who flew under the radar. Unless he bulks up I really see him as more of a combo-forward than a true post. I think he will fit well in the Sun-Belt as many of the post players like to bring the ball out and not just back their man down. Judging from what I have read, Holmen should have the speed/quickness to guard the big men in the conference when the bring the ball out, as well as potentially beat defenders with his quickness.

Good get - now I hope we can go out and find a true bruiser down low. If I have my numbers right, we have 4 seniors on scholarship + the scholarship we lost for this year. That's 5 potential scholarships, so hopefully the first two signers are just the start of a great class.

Coach Jones also mentioned he was still growing.

I think you are correct on the number of scholarships (it's four...possibly 5 if we get the one back for the APR score). Either way, I expect one of the remaining scholarships will go to Cameron Spencer, the transfer from SMU.

Poor man's Ron Harris?

I'm really hoping it ends up the other way around...

Ron Harris' poor man?

That or the Ron Harris is a very very very poor mans Jacob Holmen?

Just throwing it out there...6'7"-6'8", 215-220, still growing, athletic, "sleeper"...I've heard it before.

Everyone knows I love JJ...but in his tenure Quincey Williams is really the only success story for Johnny's development of big men.

in most cases you are right, but I think this kid is more of a sleeper in the sense that he could be a stud, where the others are sleepers in the sense that they could maybe possibly one day help out.

I still wish we could find another shawnson johnson that we could have for more than one semester, but so does every other program, i guess.

I think JJ did pretty good finding Hogans and I think that Holman will be an asset. He's fast, can rebound well and shoots well. Plus, he is young and will grow some between now and his freshman or sophomore year. Plus, he has more than held his own in a good basketball district.

I'm surprised at everyone's ho-hum reaction to this signing. I remember comments of people saying it would a great signing if we could nab one the "magnificent 7." I think if JJ signed a Texas Top 25 player, members would complain we are not signing Top 10. JJ has really up'd the recruit quality over the years.

You're right! GMG!

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ESPNs evaluation: This combination forward possesses a 40 inch vertical jump. He is a shot blocker with excellent timing. He can knock the three with time and space and can get all the way to the rim on a regular basis. Holmen can score in the post with a jump hook and is a capable rebounder on both ends. Holman must work on providing a consistent effort every second he is on the floor to take his game to the next level.

graded out as a 79 and also was considering LaTech & UTEP