Thomas becomes Jacksonville College's 8th men's hoopster to sign with 4-year college

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July 27, 2012

Thomas becomes Jacksonville College's 8th men's hoopster to sign with 4-year college

Jay Neal Jacksonville Daily Progress The Jacksonville Daily Progress Fri Jul 27, 2012, 11:07 AM CDT

JACKSONVILLE — Coaches of four-year schools from across America have reaped quite a harvest at Jacksonville College this spring and summer.

Chris Thomas, a sophomore post from Orlando, Fla., became the eighth member of the 2011-12 Jaguar basketball team to earn a scholarship to a four-year school. JC Head Coach Jody Bailey revealed Thomas' signing Wednesday night.

Thomas, who transferred to JC from a Division III school last summer, will be playing for Newman University (NCAA Division II, Wichita, Kan.) this fall.

According to Bailey, in addition to Newman University, Thomas had full-ride offers from Fresno Pacific University, Rockhurst University and Francis Marion University.

“Chris had a ton of offers,” Bailey said. “He played in the Jerry Mullins event for unsigned players in St. Louis earlier this month and he stole the show up there.

“Every since then it has been mind boggling as to the number of (phone) calls that I have received from coaches wanting Chris Thomas.”

Bailey said that Thomas took his time and considered each of his options carefully before deciding to become a Jet.

“It came down to Rockhurst and Newman, two excellent schools, and Chris went with Newman,” Bailey said. “I think he was able to forge a nice-personal relationship with the coach (Mark Potter) up at Newman, and that made the difference.”

Bailey described Thomas as a true post who defends his position well.

“Chris is an old schooled basketball player,” Bailey said. “He'll hit you and he is physical.”

Newman went 18-9 and finished 10-4 in the Heartland Conference.

The Jets fell, 63-60, to St. Mary's University in the conference championship tournament.

Thomas became the eighth member of the 2011-12 Jag team to sign with a four-year school.

He joined sophomores, Malik Smith (Florida International), Nelson Kirksey (Missouri-Kansas City), Nikola Gajic (Stephen F. Austin), Maurice County (New Orleans), Cory Carden (Dallas Baptist) and J. J. Williams (Evangel) — freshman Deondre Logan (Our Lady of the Lake) also moved onto the four-year school ranks earlier this year.

“In the past two years we have been fortunate enough to have had 13 players move on to four-year schools, with five of those going to (NCAA) Division I schools” Bailey said. “We're confident in doing what we are doing — pushing kids hard to first graduate and then be in a position to move on and continue playing basketball at the next level.”

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Thomas becomes Jacksonville College's 8th men's hoopster to sign with 4-year college

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