FAIRMONT – 6-foot-7 Jackson Crouso, a recent East Fairmont boys basketball graduate, began his high school career as a point guard before finishing it at center.
Now he is taking his talents to new heights by signing with the West Virginia Wesleyan College men’s basketball team.
“It’s a great school,” Crouso said Tuesday at the high school. “Good campus. I really like coaches. The team seems really nice. Really nice town. They also have the program I wanted to get into. In general it suits me well.”
Crouso finished his high school career on a high note. He helped East Fairmont win its first state tournament in 23 years and was named to the all-tournament team. Crouso said the loss to Elkins in the regionals her junior year motivated East Fairmont to greatness the following year, and his former head coach agreed.
“(The senior class) came in and they were a very distinguished group of kids,” said now-retired East Fairmont head coach Ty Asterino. “To come to Charleston and win a game was incredible for that group. “It’s been building as they’ve gone along, so it’s just a great group of kids, and Jackson was definitely the leader of it.”
According to Asterino, Crouso’s time at East Fairmont was characterized by growth and achievement. Crouso played a vital role in the success of East Fairmont boys basketball.
“He’s really progressed and played well over the years,” Asterino said. “He got stronger, he got bigger. Great leader, very good student-athlete. He has been a big part of our program.”
The way Crouso decided on Wesleyan showed the work of both parties looking for a good fit.
“I put myself out there a little bit and they showed some interest,” Crouso said. “From there, everything continued to grow like a snowball. I finally went down to campus for a visit. “They said they would like to offer me.”
Crouso, no stranger to playing for up-and-coming programs, has a tough road ahead of him to turn the Bobcats into a contender. West Virginia Wesleyan won just two games in 2023-24. Still, Crouso said he felt loved by head coach Derek Sloan and assistant coach Jeff Hoffman, a big deciding factor for the young big man.
One thing that could help is the continued development of Crouso. Asterino believes Crouso hasn’t reached his full potential yet, which is something considering Asterino coached Crouso for four years and watched him become an all-tournament player.
“It’s nice to be able to see him play (in college), and he’s one of those kids that I think has a world of potential ahead of him,” Asterino said. “I don’t even think he’s achieved a lot of the things that he has and that he’ll be able to provide. I think he is a great fit for Wesleyan – 100 percent.”
Since Wesleyan is in the Mountain East Conference, which is made up of most of the NCAA Division II schools in West Virginia, Crouso should expect to play with and against high school opponents. He said he hopes to see people he knows, but he won’t let that distract him from the more difficult level of play he’s entering.
“It would be nice to see some familiar faces, but the competition will obviously increase,” Crouso said. “I know there are guys who are playing the best they could at their school. It’s going to be fun.”
Crouso plans to major in engineering at Wesleyan, although he is not yet sure what his focus will be in this field. He is excited about the small class sizes that come with attending a small school.
“The engineering will take a lot of work,” Crouso said. “But having a small class will really help me get to know my teachers and hopefully help me get through schoolwork and having to balance everything that comes with being a student-athlete.”
Contact Colin C. Rhodes at 304-367-2548
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