Cincinnati continue to fill out the roster for next year, this time landing a 6’9″ big out of Boston College! Jayden averaged 7/6/1, a steal and 2 blocks per game last year, while posting a turnover rate of just 16.4% and fouling 3.3 times per game. He is a true big, and most of his impact is on the defensive side of the ball.
What to Expect on the Court:
He had just a 16.8% usage rate, and took just 131 field goal attempts last year for the Eagles. He profiles as a bruising big who will bang down low and focus on post touches and put back buckets. A strength, on offense, is that he gets to the free throw line a ton (71.8% free throw rate), which is an elite number. A concern, however, is his free throw % of just 50%. As Jayden projects as a development and depth piece on this year’s roster, he has time to improve that before stepping into a large role. Where he excels, however, is on the defensive side of the ball. Jayden is one of the nations elite shot blockers, and he grabs defensive rebounds at a great rate. most of his impact is going to again, come from down low and his bruising interior presence. Hastings will have 2 years remaining; he spent both of his first years at BC. His freshman to sophomore development showed that he is still developing and has made significant leaps as a player since entering college. His efficiency significantly improved and he is showing great potential to play within the system.
Coach Calhoun and co. have brought in another piece that helps reestablish the physical culture that UC has been missing. This is a great rotational addition, with clear upside!
Player comparison: Nick Ongenda, DePaul 2021
I know, comparing anyone to a player from 2021 DePaul is sketchy, however, this is an individaul comparison, not a team comp. Ongenda provided rim protection, and was a defensive anchor for the Blue Demons, yet on offense, he was a low usage player who knew his role and stuck to it. Finally, both struggled at the FT line. I’ll also add here that Hastings will fit in as a complementary role player rather than a starter, so having a guy who is very good at what he does is critical for the Bearcats to reach their ceiling this year. Hastings will fit this role well.
