Former Barstow player Gilyard leads Richmond to upset over Iowa

By Max Goodwin

Jacob Gilyard, a 2017 graduate of The Barstow School, led his Richmond University team to the first round upset as the 12-seed Richmond defeated 5-seed Iowa, 67-63, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday.

Gilyard, a fifth-year senior point guard who is 5 foot 9 inches tall, became the NCAA record holder for most career steals this season. He averages more than three steals per game with 13 points and 5 assists per game. 

In Thursday’s first-round win over Iowa, Gilyard finished with game-high 24 points, and 6 rebounds, 6 assists, while shooting 4-of-7 from three. Gilyard closed the game for Richmond, making each of his four free throws in the final 16 minutes of the game. 

His energy appears inexhaustible as his feet constantly move on defense. He held senior Jordan Bohannon of Iowa, who averages 11 points per game, to just 6 points against Richmond. Gilyard plays with endless activity and limitless endurance as he also has now logged more minutes than any Division I player in the last dozen season.

Before playing for the Richmond Spiders, Gilyard won three Missouri Class 3 state championships while at Barstow. His senior season at Barstow, Gilyard averaged 33.2 points per game. He was named the DiRenna Award winner, given each year to the player recognized as the most accomplished player in the Kansas City metro area. His senior class set the Barstow record for wins, with a record of 103-15 while Gilyard was there. He is set records at Barstow for career steals, assists, and the season record for points. 

Jacob Gilyard and the Richmond Spiders advance to play against 4-seed Providence in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday.