The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/362774
COMMITMENT PROFILE After living 10 years in Michi- gan and six more in Ohio, big man Jon Teske (a Rivals.com three-star prospect and rising) found himself t o r n b e t w e e n t w o programs. Both U-M and OSU had offered him as of this summer, and he had a feeling it would come down to the Wolverines and Buckeyes — he just didn't realize it would be so soon. Teske just turned 17 recently, and the 6-11, 2 2 0 - p o u n d e r f r o m Medina, Ohio, didn't plan on committing before next year. That all changed after his last visit to Michigan, his third trip in two months. The Sunday, Aug. 3, visit to Ann Arbor with his family made the decision clear. "My family and I thought about it, and we decided it was the best choice to get it over with, focus on the next two years and get ready for my high school season," he said. "Just on the way home from my Sunday visit we thought about it, prayed and came to that decision." The combination of being close to home, playing near his cousin Drew Zuidema (who plays at Spring Arbor University near Jackson, Mich.) and within driving distance of his grand- parents in Grand Rapids, Mich., was tough to pass up. Michigan's aca- demic and basketball prowess made it that much easier. Teske averaged 12 points and nine re- bounds per game last year, and his presence on defense made him a difference-maker. M i c h i g a n c o a c h e s made it clear from the get-go that he was the big man they wanted, and Teske realized U-M was the place for him, making the an- nouncement Aug. 6. He's a great ad- dition, according to Te a m Wo r k A A U coach Brian Bishop. "As a freshman, he was really strong defensively and rebounding — he's always had really good balance and very rarely gets himself in trouble, and he defends the rim really well. "He's really improved offensively in the last year. His post game — I've seen him go up and under, use his face-up game, hit mid-range shots. We even saw some fadeaways this year. He just has more versatility in his offensive game, and I would say his defensive game is just as strong." He'll need to get stronger, but he'll Jon Teske Becomes U-M's First 2016 Pledge Teske averaged 12 points and nine rebounds per game last year as a sophomore at Medina High School in Medina, Ohio. PHOTO BY BRIAN BISHOP