Aruta to the Poets

6-foot-3 St. Mary's High (Stockton) guard Jacob Aruta is heading to Whittier College in southern California. The Poets finished 15-11 overall last season in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

In a Thomas Lawrence column about the winner of the latest Charles Washington Award winner came this about one of the nominees:

"Jacob Aruta, St. Mary's

It was easy to see, as a boys basketball reporter, that Aruta was pivotal for the section and NorCal semifinalist Rams. He was a selfless player, who could bang in the post, hit 3-pointers and frustrate opposing forwards defensively. It's why he earned the chance to play college hoops for NCAA Division III Whittier College.
Aruta, though, was a classroom standout with a 3.87 GPA, helped coach youth basketball, contributed time at the St. Mary's Dining Hall and worked on Christina Fugazi's Stockton City Council campaign.

St. Mary's coach Ken Green raved about Aruta in his recommendation, saying that he knew Charles Washington, and that Washington would've loved a student-athlete like Aruta."