Warrior on the Rise: Former KP star Jake Layman looks forward to first season of ACC basketball

Maryland photos courtesy of Mark Clem, Terrapin Times

King Philip photos courtesy of HockomockSports.com

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During the 2012 Division 2 state tournament, the suddenly relevant Warriors were forced to play home games at neutral sites because the 600 seats available in their sparse gym could never hope to contain the crowds that would watch them battle some of the best teams in the region.

How did the program go from invisible to the star attraction of the winter season?

In the months leading up to the 2008-09 season, King Philip hired Sean McInnis as the new head coach and he immediately set about changing the program and building from the youth leagues. The MetroWest leagues are now a solid feeder system for the high school team and young players look forward to (pulling) on the Green and Gold Jersey.

Yet, McInnis’ influence could only work with a main attraction to get fans excited.

In stepped a tall, lanky superstar from Wrentham that easily towered over just about everyone in the Hockomock League and had the skills to dominate at several positions. By his senior year, Jake Layman would grow into a 6’9” league all-star and top Division 1 college recruit.

As Layman’s skills developed, the KP basketball program grew into one of the best in the ultra competitive Hockomock.

Layman towered over the competition in the
Hockomock League.

“I think when I first came here, there wan’t much of a program and over those four years we really turned it into a high level program,” said Layman by telephone from the University of Maryland where he will be playing this season.

He added, “The biggest thing for me was just bringing the community together like that. When we first made the playoffs and brought KP back to being a winning team- that was the most exciting thing for me.”

Fans were craving top-level basketball and people streamed in from Norfolk, Plainville, and Wrentham to pack the gymnasium for games against powerhouse teams such as Mansfield, Stoughton, and Franklin. Thanks to the prodigious talents of Layman, who became the school’s all-time leading scorer with 1,752 points, the Warriors were not only on the map, but a prime destination for fans of good basketball.

Layman’s talents were also being noticed nationally as many schools began making recruiting trips to Wrentham. The forward, who also played AUU basketball for the prominent BABC program, had a variety of options including spending a year in prep school, a choice made by top recruit Nerlens Noel of Everett and, locally, within the Hockomock, by former Stoughton High guard Aaron Calixte.

The family atmosphere at King Philip was too much of a draw for him to consider playing with anyone other than the warriors, “Don’t get me wrong, every kid can use that extra year, but I really just wanted to stay with my friends and be with them.”

At Maryland, Layman will be expected to use his size
as a defensive presence on the wing.

“I felt that I was getting enough exposure playing with BABC and I didn’t need the prep school experience,” Layman added.

That exposure led to a tough choice of where to play his college ball with offers from Maryland, Boston Colllege, Providence College, Florida, and others. This could be an overwhelming and difficult choice, but once the Terrapins came calling, Layman knew it was the right place for him.

“My dad’s whole family lives in the area so I’m going to get the chance to see them a lot and they’re going to be able to see me play,” he explained. “It was a new beginning when I came here last year and we’re definitely on the right track to being a winning team.”

Layman is enjoying his time with the Terrapins and is several weeks from beginning his freshman season as one of Maryland’s small forward options. Layman will be expected to provide scoring from the wing and is sure that his shooting will make him a threat against ACC defenses.

“Going from the Hockomock to D1, ACC, is a little different,” mused Layman. “It’s definitely a lot faster and the physicality of the game…there’s a lot more big guys out there.”

Layman can build on his experiences in AAU ball to help transition to the next level. He should also be full of confidence after spending the summer representing his country at the 2012 FIBA Americas U-18 Championship Tournament that was held in August in Sao Sebastiao do Paraiso, Brazil.

Learning from coaches such as Billy Donovan (Florida), Mark Few (Gonzaga), and Shaka Smart (Virginia Commonwealth) and playing with top recruits from across the country, should give Layman the platform to shine at the next level.

It was also pretty nice to take home a Gold medal.

Layman throws it down during Maryland's
Midnight Madness event.

“That was an unbelieveable experience. It was the experience of a lifetime. Every kid wants to represent their country like that so it was awesome. I think that I’m going to have a chance to tryout again next year for the U-19 team so I’m really excited about that.”

Wrentham basketball fans will be packing the King Philip gym again this winter hoping that the Warriors can make another run at the postseason, and the player that helped bring them back to the program will be keeping his eye on the team from afar.

KP basketball is still a priority even with games against Duke, North Carolina, and Florida State on the horizon, “I definitely pay attention. I built a lot of good relationships with my coach and guys on the team so I talk with them all the time.”

The growth of youth programs in the King Philip region, the continued success of the high school team in the Hockomock League, and the thriving Warriors fan base can all be attributed to Layman’s arrival on the scene. Now it is time for Layman to look forward to making that big of an impact at the University of Maryland.

“I can’t wait for the first game. I think we have all the tools and this should be a good year.”