Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

WEST BRANCH – An offseason filled with hard work in the weight room paved the way for a breakthrough junior season for Jeff Bowie on the football field.

A noticeably bulked up Bowie was a first-team all-pick as a defensive end this fall after terrorizing opposing offenses to the tune of 22 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks.

If the added strength and size on his 6-foot-5 frame led to the best football season of Bowie’s career what is responsible for his basketball breakout this winter?

Ultimately all of those same qualities.

“He is a freak athlete, he’s a big weight room guy and obviously he’s a great football player,” West Branch coach Jason Kern said. “I think he is just seeing that all translate over to the basketball court now.”

In the first stretch of extended playing time in his varsity career Bowie has quickly blossomed into one of the top big men in Class 2A.

Bowie is averaging 14.6 points and 6.1 rebounds per game in his first season as a starter, both team-highs, while helping West Branch to a 6-1 start.

“Seventh and eighth grade I felt like I played like that a lot and coming into high school it’s a big step so I wasn’t really used to that,” Bowie said. “I feel like now I am really getting into the groove of it and I am back to where I should be.”

Bowie was slowed by an injury sustained during football season early in his sophomore season and managed to score 51 total points in his first two seasons combined.

He spent the offseason working in the weight room to prepare for football season where he has become one of the most sought-after recruits in the state as a defensive end.

Bowie is up to over 250 pounds and the strength and explosiveness gained in the weight room is showing up on the basketball court.

“It’s crazy how much better he has gotten,” Kern said. “Obviously his work in the weight room has helped and I think he is just finally growing into his body as well.”

Bowie scored in double figures and had at least five rebounds in each of the first four games.

Since a six-point, six-rebound performance in a 29-28 win over Cascade the junior forward has posted perhaps his two best performances this week.

Bowie matched his career-high with 23 points and grabbed a career-high nine rebounds in a win at Solon on Monday.

He followed with 14 points, five rebounds and three assists and two blocks in a win at Wilton on Tuesday.

“Coming in last year I was hurt from football so not having a setback like that has helped and I feel like I am just a lot more coordinated,” Bowie said. “I am been working my post moves a lot and I think that has helped.”

Through seven games Bowie is shooting a team-best 60 percent from the field and leads the Bears at 72 percent from the free throw line.

“He’s got confidence and he knows he can do some work inside,” Kern said. “He’s bigger than a lot of guys and his strength helps him out a lot.”

The emergence of Bowie has helped West Brach to a 6-1 start that includes a five-game winning streak.

West Branch will close out its 2019 schedule with a home game against Bellevue (2-3) on Friday.  

“We are feeling really good and we are ready to keep it rolling,” Bowie said. “We just want to keep things going because we don’t want to break this win streak we want to keep it going as long as we can.”

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