Five players from EMCC’s NJCAA Tournament hoops team to continue careers at the four-year level

SCOOBA – Five players from East Mississippi Community College's 2015-16 NJCAA Tournament team have signed national letters of intent to continue their collegiate basketball careers at respective four-year schools this coming academic year.

Within EMCC's district, former West Point High School standout Juan Davis Jr. has signed with Troy University, where first-year EMCC men's basketball coach Billy Begley previously served as an assistant on Phil Cunningham's coaching staff prior to returning to the Scooba campus.  An MACJC All-Star Game participant and second-team all-state performer this past season, Davis averaged 11.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and a team-high 1.3 blocked shots per game for the 20-9 EMCC Lions as a sophomore, while also shooting a club-best 56 percent from the field and 67 percent from the free throw line.  The 6-foot-8, 220-pound forward totaled 483 career points, 272 rebounds and 68 blocks as a 48-game EMCC starter in helping lead the Lions to a 38-17 combined record the past two years.

Fellow two-year East Mississippi starter Daniel Simmons has inked with Southeast Missouri State University, coached by former Mississippi State head coach Rick Ray and where former EMCC All-American Jarekious Bradley starred a few years back prior to pursuing a professional basketball career.  Simmons, a prep all-state guard at Biggersville High School, led the EMCC Lions in scoring at 15.5 points per game this past year along with ranking as the team's third-leading rebounder (5.7 rpg).  The 6-foot-3, 190-pound guard recorded 732 career points (13.3 ppg), including 110 made 3-pointers, and 290 rebounds (5.3 rpg), along with posting career accuracy marks of 42 percent from the field, 33 percent from beyond the three-point arc and 76 percent from the charity stripe.

Set to join forces with former EMCC Lion Chuck Ester at reigning NCAA Tournament participant Chattanooga is guard Nat Dixon, who will have three years of eligibility remaining with the defending Southern Conference Champion Mocs.  Dixon averaged 12.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.6 steals per contest this past season for the Lions after transferring from Boston College.  The versatile 6-foot-4, 185-pound athlete also starred in football as well as track and field during his prep days in Panama City, Fla.

Also with three years of collegiate eligibility remaining will be Montrael Nabors, who is taking his talents to Jackson State University.  The 6-foot-1, 160-pound shooting guard from Lafayette High School averaged 5.2 points and 2.1 rebounds an outing, along with connecting on 43 percent of his 3-pointers, this past year in a reserve role for the EMCC Lions.

Previously announced signee Jahyde Gardiner will team with former East Mississippi guard and Starkville product Jacolby Mobley at UT Martin of the Ohio Valley Conference.  The 6-foot-6, 220-pound forward collected 2015-16 NJCAA All-Region 23 honors as a sophomore after averaging 13.7 points, a team-high 7.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game for the Lions.  A native of Philadelphia, Pa., who graduated from The Potter's House Christian Academy in Florida, Gardiner totaled 754 career points (13.7 ppg), 445 rebounds (8.1 rpg), 92 blocks and 78 assists, while shooting 49 percent from the field, 35 percent from the arc and 70 percent from the line, during his two seasons on the Scooba campus.