Jailiyah Rockmore commits to Kilgore College women’s basketball for 2026

Jailiyah Rockmore committed to Kilgore College women’s basketball for 2026, giving the Lady Rangers an East Texas guard who can line up at point guard, shooting guard or small forward. The Longview High School product brings local familiarity, a listed 5-foot-7 frame and a scorer’s resume to a Kilgore program that finished 20-13 in 2025-26 and has built its reputation in NJCAA Region 14, Division I.

Rockmore’s fit starts with what she did for Longview late in the season. She scored 22 points in a 59-56 win over Royse City on Feb. 10, 2026, added 16 in a district win over Rockwall on Jan. 23, 2026, and posted 14 points in a 66-36 playoff win over Lakeview Centennial on Feb. 17, 2026. Those outings came in a senior-heavy rotation that also included Bethany Baltes, Terri Sparkman, Maya Ward and Kennedy Bailey, a setting that gave Rockmore meaningful minutes in high-pressure games before she moved into the junior-college lane.

For Kilgore, the commitment adds another player who should be able to handle the speed and physicality that define Region 14 basketball. The Lady Rangers list an all-time record of 855-513, with national championship seasons in the program’s earlier eras, and Stephanie Williams remains the public face of the current build after directing Kilgore’s 2025 girls basketball camp. Rockmore’s arrival fits that continuity: a Texas guard from a nearby program, entering a college that has long leaned on regional recruiting and expects freshmen to compete quickly.

The move also fits Kilgore’s broader pitch as a transfer stop. The college says its core curriculum is designed to transfer to public colleges and universities in Texas, which gives junior-college recruits a runway beyond one stop in East Texas. For Rockmore, that makes the commitment a clean development path. For Kilgore, it adds a versatile perimeter piece to a roster that still has to be assembled around players who can adapt fast in NJCAA Division I play.

Rockmore’s profile got another push in February, when she was named to the East roster for the Azalea Orthopedics All-Star High School Basketball Classic at Tyler Junior College. That kind of local recognition, paired with her Longview production, gives Kilgore another East Texas connection at a time when the Rangers are still shaping the 2026 class and looking to keep their recruiting footprint close to home.