By Robert Wilson
The Segrest family has won five MAIS Overall Tournament boys championships for Jackson Prep, three by father Andy in the late 1990s, one by his oldest son Luke by himself in 2022 and one by Luke and younger brother Ben in 2023.
Ben – now a 6-foot-1 senior guard – wants to win one by himself.
If Ben continues to play like has this season, he will give Prep a legit shot of winning another one.
Ben kept playing well last week and averaged 18.3 points in three games in the Big Orange Classic at Hoover, Ala.
For his outstanding performance, Segrest has been named the Tatum and Wade/Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson Boys Basketball Player of the Week.
Segrest made 12 of 17 shots from the field, 5 of 10 from 3-point range, and 1 of 2 from the free throw line and had three assists and led Prep to a 71-59 victory over Memphis University School in the first game of the tournament.
He had 13 points, 8 assists and 3 rebounds in a 72-58 victory over Hueytown, Ala., High in the second game and had 13 points, 2 rebounds and 1 assist in an 80-42 loss to undefeated, No. 7 nationally ranked and host school Hoover High in the third game.
Segrest – a member of the Tatum and Wade/Mississippi Scoreboard Preseason Elite 11 Team – was averaging 20.4 points, 3 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.5 steals this season going into the Hoover tournament for 14-2 Prep. He scored a career-high 32 points against MSHAA Class 4A Choctaw Central earlier this season. Cam Brent has the school record with 43 points (a school record 12 3-pointers, second most in MAIS history) against Parklane Academy during the 2020-2021 season.
“I am biased, but I think Ben is one of the best shooters, if not the best shooter, in the entire state,” second-year Prep coach Zach Allison said. “However, he is continuing to develop his game where he is more than just a shooter. He attacked the weight room this summer and it has helped him get downhill and finish at the rim effectively this season. I am proud of his development and the hard work he has put into the game. Ben is a great basketball player, but an even better person. He has great work ethic and a high IQ for the game. Ben is a good leader for us, and his teammates enjoy playing with him.”
Segrest averaged 16.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists and led Prep to a 25-12 record, a MAIS Class 6A runner-up finish and reached the Overall Tournament semifinals and was third team on the All-Metro Jackson team last season as a junior. He had a then career high 31 points in a win over MHSAA Class 7A Lewisburg.
As a sophomore, Segrest scored 11 points to help his brother Luke and Prep to a 58-46 win over Clinton Christian in the Overall championship game in 2023.
Segrest has offers from Belhaven University, Huntington (Ala.) College and Bevill State (Ala.) Junior College.
Ben is the son of Andy and Anna Segrest. Andy played basketball at Prep and graduated from Ole Miss. Andy was a part of three Overall championships team at Prep from 1996-98 with coach Gerald Austin. Anna ran track at Northwest Rankin and was a state finalist in the 800 meter run in 1998. She also graduated from Ole Miss. His older brother Luke played basketball at Prep and won two Overall championship with coach Tim Wise. He is now a student at Ole Miss and is a practice player and scout manager for the Ole Miss men’s basketball team. Luke’s brother Eli (10th grade), sister Macy (ninth grade), and brother Knox (fifth grade), attend Christ Covenant School in Ridgeland. Eli and Macy play basketball and tennis and Know plays basketball, tennis and baseball. Luke’s first cousin, Camp Segrest, was a pitcher at Madison-Ridgeland Academy and now plays for Northwest Mississippi Community College.
Prep plays former Prep coach Tim Wise and Evangelical Christian Friday at 5:15 p.m. at Hartfield Academy in Flowood and plays Oak Forest, La., Saturday at 2:15 p.m. at Hartfield.
Mississippi Scoreboard selects a boys basketball player from Hinds, Madison, or Rankin counties each week. Coaches can nominate a player by text or call to Robert Wilson at 601.506.2276.
WEEK ONE: Phil Nelson, Ridgeland
WEEK TWO: Jamarion Fleming, Canton
WEEK THREE: Mike Williams, Germantown
