A run to a Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 6A State championship continues to prove fruitful for members of the Columbus High School boys basketball team.
After all of the parades, ceremonies, and awards Columbus has received since defeating Starkville 37-33 on March 12 in Jackson, the players on the team have enjoyed the attention that accompanies being a member of the state title team in the state’s biggest classification.
On Wednesday, JaQuan Hines and Jarvis Jackson became the latest members of the team to reap the rewards from the Falcons’ title run when they announced their intentions to play basketball at Rust College in a signing ceremony in the Columbus High gym.
Rust College, a historically black liberal arts college in Holly Springs, which is approximately 35 miles southeast of Memphis, Tennessee. Rust College is a Division III member of the NCAA. Michael Vickerstaff coached the men’s basketball team for the 2015-16 season.
Columbus High coach Luther Riley said four more players are expected to announce their college destinations Friday. They will join Chris Deloach, who signed in February to play football at East Central Community College in Decatur, and Demetrice Clopton, who has announced his plans to play basketball at Jackson State.
“I want to commend these two young men because being a new coach coming in it was tough at times, but they weathered the storm and finished the season and were 6A champions,” Riley said. “Every college coach wants young men who come from winning programs, and then you talk about a championship, it makes it better.”
Riley said Hines and Jackson could have been starters and averaged 20 points per game at nearly every other school in the state of Mississippi. He said the fact that the Falcons had “quality depth” gave Hines, who was in his first year of organized basketball, and Jackson, a chance to grow in practice against tough competition.
“I think Rust College is getting two young men that are great people first and have great families, and certainly they are great athletes,” Riley said.
Jackson said he and Hines talked about wearing matching blue bow ties with their white dress shirts. He said the plan was to wear a color that matches the Rust College colors. He also feels having a high school teammate with him in college will help ease the transition.
“I never thought it would come, but it is here,” Jackson said. “I worked hard and accomplished goals and played my heart out.”
Like Hines, Jackson said the recruiting process unfolded quickly. He said it was surprising at how quickly everything happened. He said he and Hines visited Holly Springs on Tuesday to tour the campus and facilities and liked what he saw. He realizes he and Hines will have to transition to playing against bigger and stronger competition, but he feels both of them will be able to answer the challenge.
“I will have to work on shooting and dribbling and a lot of boxing out and all of that,” said Jackson, who was a member of the team for four years. “It was a good experience winning a championship before you go to college. The teammates I had were outstanding. It was great to win in my last year with the team.”
Potential might be the best word to describe Hines, who is 6-foot-6 and 175 pounds, and Jackson, a 6-4, 175-pound guard who Riley said has the deadly combination of athleticism and shooting ability. Riley said he was surprised higher classification schools didn’t offer Jackson a scholarship, but he said he was pleased Vickerstaff saw the potential he saw every day in Jackson.
Riley said the same can be said about Hines, who also can shoot the ball and has so much room to grow and to fill into his frame.
“He brought so much energy and enthusiasm to our team, and kept the team going,” Riley said. “I just want these two young men to finish up strong academically, and I think Rust will be glad that they signed these two young men.”
Hines said the championship run played an integral role in helping him realize an opportunity to play at the next level. He said he is “all about Rust” and is focused on his academics so he can graduate from college.
“I already have a championship mentality and I know how it feels to be a champion,” Hines said. “It is going to be a happy ending. I feel I can help Rust out and bring them some championships.”
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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