STARKVILLE — Following two strong seasons from Starkville basketball, Friday saw five seniors announce their intentions to play at the next level on signing day for the Yellow Jackets.
Boys basketball players Jonathan Baker, Nate Pruitt and Connor Rogers, and girls basketball players Je’Niecia Hill and Jamaica Young will be headed the junior college route in their basketball careers.
Starkville is no stranger to sending players to play at the next level, and these five are next up in the Jacket pipeline.
“It’s a testament to their hard work,” Starkville boys coach Qu’Varius “Woodie” Howard said. “They came in for the three years that they were here, they got better each year. They became leaders. They perfected their craft, they worked on their weaknesses. It’s all starting to show once they signed their letter of intent to play college basketball.”
The opportunity to represent the Jackets at the next level not only resonated with players, but with their coaches.
“To know that it continues to be a continuation throughout the years, it’s a testament to them being great people, but the buy-in to the system,” Starkville girls coach Kristie Williams said. “You have to believe in what your coaches are trying to prepare you for and once you believe in that and you hold on to that throughout the years, moments like these are icing on the cake.”
Baker and Pruitt are a package deal headed to Hinds Community College, a decision the two talked about and agreed upon before Friday’s signing day event.
“We liked it down there, so we decided that we were going to go down there together,” Baker said.
The 1-2 punch with Baker, a point guard, and Pruitt, a forward, will give the Eagles some depth and flexibility in the frontcourt and backcourt.
“I feel like I’m at home down there, and then I got a teammate coming with me, so it really feels like home,” Pruitt said.
Young and Hill, both integral parts of a strong season for Starkville, will be headed to two separate places, Young going to Coahoma Community College while Hill is going down to Scooba and East Mississippi Community College.
The decision to go play for the Lions was a no-brainer for Hill.
“The opportunity that they presented, I went down there and loved the atmosphere,” Hill said. “I’ve always been a fan of the Lions. It wasn’t necessarily the location, but how it felt like home.”
Young, a point guard for the Jackets and one of the leading scorers this season along with forward Zariyah Edwards, will reprise that role in Clarksdale with the Tigers.
“I’m just hoping to go down there and work hard,” Young said. “Play hard, be a leader.”
Like Young, Rogers was as clutch a player for the boys team last season, creating a strong tandem with Makhi Myles that allowed the Jackets to win a MHSAA Class 6A, Region 1 title.
He’ll be headed to East Central Community College in Decatur, looking to channel those clutch moments at the collegiate level.
“I’ve been talking about this for a long time,” Rogers said. “Ever since I was a little kid, watching my brother sign, I told him one day that I’ll be able to sign and go play college ball somewhere, so it’s a great moment knowing that all my work has paid off and now, I’ll be able to go to the next level.”
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