By Jay Neal
sports@jacksonvilleprogress.com
Several of last year’s Jacksonville College and Lon Morris College hoopsters had memorable starts with their new-NCAA Division I teams late last week.
Former Jacksonville College standout, Darryl Ashford, had the greatest influence on his new team, the Creighton (Omaha, Neb.) Bluejays.
Ashford got the start for the defending Missouri Valley Conference champions, played 26 minutes and finished the night with 13 points and two rebounds.
Ashford, currently a junior, led JC in scoring, steals, and blocked shots last year.
The Bluejays lost to No. 24-ranked Dayton, 90-80, in Dayton Saturday. Creighton (1-0) was scheduled to host Florida A&M; late last night.
Another Jag-ex, Kenny Franklin, now at Nicholls State University (Thibodaux, La.), came in off the pine to notch 21 minutes of playing time and score three points in Nicholls’ 85-62 loss at Duquesne University (Pittsburgh).
Nicholls will be back in action tonight, playing host to Houston Baptist.
After spending one season at Lon Morris College, Konner Tucker is now a member of the Wake Forest University (Atlantic Coast Conference) basketball team.
Tucker has played a total off 16 minutes in the Demon Deacons’ first two games — wins over Oral Roberts (76-56) and East Carolina (89-58) — and has scored seven points for Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons host High Point tonight.
In women’s action, former JC Lady Jaguar, Chelsea Foy, is also off to a good start at Stephen F. Austin State University.
Foy logged eight minutes off action off the bench, scoring six points and shagging four rebounds, in the Ladyjacks’ season-opening win over University of North Texas.
The Ladyjacks return to the court Saturday afternoon at Rice.
