STEPHENVILLE, Texas — Tarleton State Men's Basketball head coach Eric Haut announced the signing of high school senior Jayce Griffen on 2026 National Signing Day on Wednesday afternoon.
 
Griffen is entering his senior season at McKinney HS in McKinney, Texas. Heading into his senior campaign, he is ranked the fourth best shooting guard/combo guard in Texas and the number 22 player overall in the state by Prep Hoops. He is expected to be one of the main contributors for McKinney HS who is ranked as a top 10 team in DFW by Dallas Morning News.
 
"Jayce Griffen is an exciting addition to our program," said coach Haut. "At 6'6", he brings great versatility to the wing position and has the ability to impact the game in a variety of ways. He is a very capable shooter who can stretch the floor, but what really stands out is his basketball IQ and feel for the game. Jayce understands how to play, makes good decisions, and has the ability to make those around him better. We love his skill set, competitiveness, and the versatility he brings to our program. We're excited to welcome Jayce and his family to Tarleton State."
 
Last season, Griffen helped led McKinney HS to an 18-11 overall record and 10-6 district record. They fell to top-seeded Little Elm in the Bi-District playoffs. He also played for Drive Nation EYBL in the summer. As a sophomore, he was named to the Pangos All-South Freshman/Sophomore Top 60 All Star Game.
 
Griffen is the first signee for coach Haut in the class of 2027. In his first year with the Texans, Haut recruited just one freshman to join his first team in Stephenville, Caeden Hutcherson. The season, the Texans have four players that played high school basketball in the state of Texas. Three of the four returned from last year's team (Joseph Martinez, Leroy Kelly IV and Kade Douglas) and one was brought in via the transfer portal (Franck Emmou).
 
Tarleton State will be back in action on Friday night. Tip is slated for 7 p.m. against Alcorn State also at the EECU Center. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.