JONESBORO, Ark. (4/17/26) – Arkansas State men's basketball head coach Ryan Pannone announced the addition of 2023-24 Gulf South Conference Freshman of the Year Jordan Pyke to the 2026-27 roster on Friday.
 
"Jordan Pyke is a 6'7 versatile player that can dribble, pass and shoot," said Pannone. "When we got a chance, we wanted to jump on it right away. What we got a chance to see was his ability to beat guys off the bounce at his size, break defenders down, crack the paint, draw fouls, finish at the rim and dunk on players while also creating open shots for his teammates.
 
He shot 40 percent from three last year and 38 percent from three the year before, so when we saw a combination of his size, skill, athleticism and potential for shooting, we knew he'd fit exactly what we wanted."
 
The Greensboro, North Carolina, native will don the scarlet and black following two seasons at Incarnate Word. He made 50 starts in 53 appearances over two seasons with the Cardinals, averaging 11.3 points and 5.1 rebounds over that span.
 
The senior scored 20-plus points in 11 contests and surpassed double figures in 34. He delivered a career-best 33 points on 11-for-16 (68.8 percent) shooting from the field versus UTRGV on Jan. 31. In 2024-25 at the CBI, Pyke netted 20-plus points in back-to-back contests and posted a double-double against Manhattan on March 23 before being selected to the all-tournament squad.
 
He signed with Union University out of high school and posted a standout 2023-24 campaign highlighted by 13.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. The Shining Light Academy product secured six GSC Player of the Week accolades and was named the GSC Freshman of the Year.
 
He received NACA National First Team All-American and CSAA First Team All-State honors before being named the CSAA State Championship Most Outstanding Player in high school. Pyke averaged a triple double in the North Carolina state playoffs and led his team to two state championships.
 
"We got a chance to know who he was as a human being, and the way that he approaches the game and what he's thinking about in terms of how to impact winning," said Pannone. "We knew he was a perfect fit character-wise for our team and our community, and so we're really excited to be able to add him to our program as a human being and as a player."
 
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