Student-Athlete of the Week – Jacob Niro

DESERT HOT SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Desert Hot Springs boy's basketball captain, power forward and center Jacob Niro is the latest student-athlete of the week.

“This year he was our heart," head coach Justin Flores said. "He's really what you want as a coach [and] in a player.”

Jacob Niro is a senior on the Golden Eagles team and he said basketball is a sport he has always loved.

"I went to a fair share of, Clippers games when they were still, like, very relevant back in the mid 2010s," Niro said. "I've always loved 32 Blake Griffin. Always played with my family growing up. I want my life to be around basketball as much as it can until I physically can't play it or just can't remember it anymore.”

Before Niro went to Desert Hot Springs High School, he met head coach Justin Flores at the YMCA, where Niro played basketball with Flores's daughter. Years later, Flores is his coach and the YMCA is a place Niro continues to share his love of basketball with other local kids.

"I now work there now as, like a counselor or like a referee as well," Niro said. "But yeah, like I have a job because of it now, so that's great.”

“He loves the game and he he's really invested in the school," Flores said. "I'm just so glad to see him grow from when he first started, to now.”

Niro said he's also grown alongside his Golden Eagles team, especially as he's helped them reach back-to-back Sun Valley league championship titles.

“I had my other seniors with me... It's so great. It's like just leaving, like a legacy," Niro said. "For me, it's gonna really suck leaving. But, you know, my name is going to be like, on these these walls forever.”

Niro said he's waiting for a few more college acceptance letters before deciding where he is going, but he has some ideas of what he wants to study.

“I'm gonna try and study either journalism or kinesiology. I want to be a basketball analyst, like ESPN, Bleacher Report," Niro said. "If that doesn't work out, I'd love to be a basketball coach."

“Whatever he ends up doing, you know, we like we want to be successful," Flores said. "But, you know, who knows? Maybe one day when I retire, he can take over my spot.”

The student-athlete of the week segment airs every Tuesday on KESQ News Channel 3.

If you know a senior who is a strong student, standout athlete and an exceptional person, submit a nomination to share@kesq.com.