Cumberland County boys basketball player Jake Christopher said this season is not just been about getting stronger. It has been about getting higher.
The Jets’ power forward and center is coming off a season of career highs in both points and rebounds, but he said his goal for this year is as clear as it is emphatic.
“I’m looking to get my first dunk,” Christopher said. “I want it bad. That’s where the physical part comes in but I want to be mentally prepared for, to be able to dunk on someone. I want to be that excitement in the gym.”
Christopher said he has already taken a major step toward that moment, increasing his vertical leap by nine inches in the last four months. Entering his junior year, Christopher said he hopes to arrive in the second half of the season with the confidence of knowing he can rise above the rim.
“I like that, coming in confidence, knowing I can [dunk],” Christopher said.
While the highlight-reel moment is on his mind, Christopher’s impact on the floor has already shown up in the box score. He has been a steady contributor in multiple games, scoring in wins and battles throughout the season, including matchups against DeKalb County, York, Bledsoe County and White County. His presence inside has given Cumberland County a reliable option around the basket and on the glass.
Christopher said rebounding, in particular, is where he feels most at home. That mindset paid off last season when he grabbed a career-high eight offensive rebounds in a single game, extra possessions that often swung momentum in the Jets’ favor. Now, Christopher said he is setting the bar even higher, aiming to average a double-double. Despite playing a physical position, Christopher said his game is more mental than muscle.
“I’m more of a mental, not physical person, so I’d rather be a stick figure out there and be tall,” Christopher said. “I’d rather be having a good mindset than not,”
That approach, paired with improved athleticism and growing confidence, has Christopher believing his junior season could be a breakthrough. Whether it’ is a putback on the offensive glass or a long-awaited dunk that brings the gym to its feet, Christopher said he is determined to take his game, and the Jets, to a new level.