Jake Biss established himself as a star just two years into his Shippensburg University basketball career.
But a stellar junior year firmly cemented the guard’s place in Raider hoops history. The Latrobe, Pennsylvania native averaged 15.9 points, 4.4 assists and 4 rebounds per game on 41% shooting en route to being named the 2019-20 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division Athlete of the Year.
Additionally, Biss was named to the All-PSAC First Team, the Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) All-Atlantic Region First Team and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division II All-District Team after the season concluded.
“It’s definitely a cool feeling to see all your hard work be recognized,” Biss said. “But none of that would be possible without my teammates and my coaches.”
Biss credited his own hard work and the motivation he received from his coaches for his success this past season.
“I just tried to stay in the gym and put in the hard work,” Biss said. “And, Coach [Chris] Fite is always pushing myself and the team to get better.”
On March 12, the NCAA cancelled the remaining winter championship tournaments, ending Biss’ and the Raiders’ season. The team, owners of a 24-7 overall record, was set to make a run at the Atlantic Regional Championships.
“It really stinks, and you just feel for the seniors, but the only thing we can do is just try to move past it,” Biss said.
With the 2019-20 season over, Biss is looking forward to staying active in the gym and working on improving his game. He has even started doing yoga to keep his body loose and to prevent injuries.
Biss said next year’s team goal is to win the PSAC and make a run at a regional title. But he’s also focusing on himself.
“For myself, I just want to be a better leader because as a senior I will have an increased leadership role. So I just want to lead the young guys,” Biss said.
With Biss leading the charge, the Raiders will be as much of a threat as anyone in the PSAC to bring home a conference title in 2020-21.
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