UH's Kaleb Meredith In The News
The Johnson City Press printed the following article featuring UH's Kaleb Meredith.
There are also some great photos in the
press
.UH's Meredith has all the right tools
By Tanner Cook, December 3, 2020
Kaleb Meredith has already had some big moments in his two-sport career at University High and hes not even halfway through his senior year.
I would compare being on the pitchers mound in those big moments to being at the free-throw line late in the game, Meredith said. Every single pitch is so important. Youre trying to block out everything else and not really focus on anything else except the batter and the catcher or you and the goal.
Its all about staying focused and getting your job done.
Meredith, a Class A all-state guard for the Bucs basketball team, has already accumulated 2,251 career points and is averaging more than 36 points a game this season.
As a left-handed pitcher, hes amassed 74 strikeouts in 69 innings and a 2.47 ERA. And thats without a junior season that got canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.
BIG MOMENTS
One of his highlight games came against Tennessee High two weeks ago when he scorched the nets for a career-high and school-record 49 points in Viking Hall.
That was amazing because thats where they play the Arbys (Classic) and thats a big gym, Meredith said. Thats where you want to play around here and it was an amazing feeling.
I think the school record had been standing since 2009.
Meredith scored his 2,000th point in last seasons District 1-A finals on a game-winning buzzer-beater against Hampton.
The shot itself was surreal and I found out 20 minutes later that I had passed 2,000 on that shot, Meredith said.
The Bucs made an appearance at the 2019 state basketball tournament in Murfreesboro, but lost to McKenzie in the first-round. Meredith scored 33 of UHs 49 points.
That whole experience was something else, Meredith said. Walking in and being able to have passes to get on a big floor with people everywhere was awesome. I really cant describe it.
The following spring, UH made a return appearance to the state baseball tournament behind a deadly 1-2 pitching punch of Michael Degennero and Meredith.
In the opening game of the 2018 state tournament against Loretto, the Bucs went up against future San Diego Padres first-round pick Ryan Weathers.
Obviously, its an honor to go to the state baseball tournament, but it feels almost like a travel tournament because were playing at local high schools, Meredith said. (Weathers) was a force. I got lucky because I didnt have to hit against him, but he faced six batters against us. He had five strikeouts and one of our guys managed to hit a grounder to third.
He could hit, too. Pitchers dont usually hit, but he hit one over the scoreboard against us.
ON THE HARDWOOD
I started coaching (Kaleb) in seventh grade, UH basketball coach Herman Rice said. That was his first year at University School. Kaleb is one of those kids within 15 minutes of the first practice, you knew that you had something special.
Meredith won the Northeast Tennessee scoring title last season, averaging 24.6 points in 36 games.
Through his junior season, Meredith is averaging 20.3 points for his career, shooting 50.5% from the field, making 38% of his shots from deep and nailing 77.3% of his free throws.
Coming into his senior season, Meredith needed to make 116 3-pointers to make the top 10 list all-time in the states history (335).
If he were to have another monster season like he did last year, where he scored 882 points, Meredith could be looking at the magical 3,000-point mark.
Another thing about him is that some kids with his talent would come to practice and not take it seriously, but hes the hardest worker Ive got, Rice said. He always has been. It shows in his game and also his leadership. These younger guys look up to him and it speaks to the quality of a human being that he is.
CHASING HISTORY
Only 22 boys and 9 girls in the history of Tennessee high school basketball have ever scored more than 3,000 points, according to the TSSAA record books. Only one 1979 David Crockett graduate Jennifer Taylor (Campbell) with 3,144 from the Johnson City Press/Kingsport Times-News coverage area has achieved the mark.
Former Tennessee High and Kentucky standout and Cleveland Cavaliers draft pick Derrick Hord still maintains the Northeast Tennessee boys scoring title, having amassed 2,947 points in his illustrious career that ended in 1979.
ON THE BUMP
A dominant southpaw in high school is something that most baseball players dont want to see when they step into the batters box.
What drew me to Tennessee is it really is like that hometown thing, Meredith said. Everyone around here loves them and they have great team success. They were 11th in the country before the pandemic shut them down.
Said UH baseball coach Josh Petty: When he can spin the ball and bury it deep and in the right-handed batters box, they have little to no chance. We knew exactly what we were getting one of the first times we saw him.
When youve got a fastball in the 80s and you have command, youre going to play in college. Kaleb has all the tools to be successful at the next level.
In league play in his first two seasons, Meredith is 4-0, has a 0.76 ERA, a 0.79 WHIP and a 10.7 strikeout per game rate.
Meredith isnt shabby at the plate either, tallying a .415 career on-base percentage and has 29 steals.
He does a great job working deep into the count and he sees the ball about as well as anybody, Petty said. The thing that speaks to his work ethic is on weekends he goes out there in the winter and throws his bullpen session.
OFF THE PLAYING FIELD
In the classroom, Meredith excels as well, toting a 3.9 GPA and has a 29 on the ACT.
Hes always on time and hes one of the most humble people youll ever meet, Petty said. Hes quiet and lets his actions do the talking. Hes a real top-notch kid.
Said Rice: Kaleb doesnt have a selfish bone in his body. Hes such a great kid and if you got to know him, youd realize how much better of a person he is than he is an athlete. And hes a really good athlete.