Colleges lining up for De La Salle guard Tate

Updated: September 24, 2012 6:25AM

De La Salle sophomore Jaylon Tate is turning heads with a strong start to the spring AAU season.

“Jaylon is a big point guard with long arms and an ability to run a team,’’ Scout.com’s Brian Snow said. ‘‘He has been coming on lately, and could be emerging as one of the better floor generals in the 2013 class.”

The 6-2 Tate led his Meanstreets 16U team to back-to-back titles at the prestigious Boo Williams
Invitational as well as the Battle for the Arch last weekend in St. Louis. Playing with Simeon’s Kendrick Nunn and De La Salle teammates Alex Foster and Alvin Ellis, Tate has plenty of options to choose from with the ball in his hands.

“They played well together last year, and now I’m coming in and just trying to fit in and play hard,” Tate said of playing with Meanstreets. “[Our relationship] is really strong. We know each other, and I play with some of those guys at De La Salle. It’s only making us stronger to play together this summer.”

The sophomore core of Tate, Ellis and Foster will take over a De La Salle team that will lose much of its identity with the loss of Illinois recruit Mike Shaw.

“I’m starting to be more of a leader and being more vocal,” Tate said. “I’m also trying to work on my jump shot.”

While Tate is taking the transition to team leader at De La Salle seriously, colleges also have begun to take his recruitment seriously.

“I have an offer from Northwestern, and I’m hearing from Illinois, Purdue, Ohio State, Xavier, Michigan, Florida [and] Marquette,” Tate said.

Tate knows what he is looking for when he commits.

“I’ve got to have a strong relationship with the coach, strong ­academics, a good basketball team and a good environment that makes me feel like home,” Tate said.

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