Jay Kinney Class: Freshman Hometown: Champaign, Ill. High School: Centennial Height / Weight: 6-1 / 178 Position: G

High School
McDonald's All-America nominee ... Finished fifth in the balloting for 2009 Illinois Mr. Basketball ... Earned Associated Press first-team Class 3A all-state accolades in 2009 ... Also garnered first-team Illinois Basketball Coaches Association 3A/4A all-state plaudits and second-team Chicago Tribune all-state honors in his final prep campaign ... Captured the Champaign News-Gazette All-Area Player of the Year award as a senior ... A three-time News-Gazette first-team all-area and All-Big 12 Conference selection ... Finished his high school career ranked first in three-point field goals (164) and second in points (1,492) at Centennial ... Capped his high school career by leading Centennial to its first-ever boys basketball state title, and the first for the city of Champaign in more than 50 years ... Finished with 18 points in the state final, sinking two clutch free throws with less than 20 seconds to play to preserve the win ... Paired with current Bobcat teammate D.J. Cooper to lead the South to a dramatic comeback victory in the Chicago High School Classic, sharing game-high honors with five assists in addition to his four points and three boards ... Also selected for the event's three-point shooting contest ... Earned a spot in the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association All-Star Game in 2009 ... Selected to the 6-3 club for elite high school guards by MidStateHoops.com prior to his senior season.

Personal
Born Oct. 11, 1990 ... Son of James Sr. and Sandra Kinney ... Has a sister, Jamilia, and a brother, Lawrence ... Chose Ohio over Evansville, Penn State and George Mason, among others ... A communication studies major.