After transferring to CLHS in 2022, Jace Jeffries wasted no time in establishing himself as a versatile weapon within the Crusaders’ ranks.
The now senior guard earned all-district honors in his first year with the program, which he followed up with a second-team, all-state nod this Winter.
While it may be a daunting task for some to move schools midway through their high school career, that wasn’t the case for Jeffries.
“They (Concordia Lutheran) welcomed me with open arms, as a transfer,” he said. “They taught me the right values, not just to be a good student, but to be a good person in general. I learned how to deal with everyday situations, on and off the court.”
“They were hard on me, but showed love to me as well, which helped me to develop into the athlete I am today, which has given me the opportunity to continue at the college level.”
Once he graduates in May, Jeffries will be taking his talent to Beaumont, where he’ll play D1 ball for Lamar University .
“My decision was mostly impacted by my desire to be close to home,” said Jeffries. “Lamar is only about an hour and a half away, and staying in Texas was important to me. Also, the coaching staff – coach (Alvin) Brooks and coach (Mikhail) McLean – was very adamant and transparent about what I can do there.”
“Moving into their system shouldn’t be too much of a challenge since they’ve been so welcoming and I really like their system. At the end of the day, it was a ‘no-brainer’ for me.”
While Concordia Lutheran may not have experienced quite the level of success seen in years past in 2024, the soon-to-be Lamar Cardinal cemented his status as one the top players to step onto the Crusaders’ court in recent memory.
“We didn’t have the season we all wanted this past year, but hopefully I left a mark on the program,” said Jeffries. “I like to think I’ve set an example of what it’s like to compete at a high level, the work that’s needed to be successful, and I hope that I was a good leader to them and they’ll be able to carry out that mentality for the next few years.”
“In terms of the impact they had on me, they’re my family. Something that sticks out to me memory-wise is probably the prayers we had before games, and we really got to know each other, starting with the Laredo tournament my junior year. I’ll still be reaching out to them, even when I’ve gone off to college.”
Suffice it to say, there will be plenty more memories to be made when Jeffries heads east in the coming months.