Skinner's thunderous slam dunk continues to draw national attention

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December 14, 2012

Skinner's thunderous slam dunk continues to draw national attention

Jay Neal Jacksonville Daily Progress The Jacksonville Daily Progress Fri Dec 14, 2012, 09:06 AM CST

JACKSONVILLE — It's been just over a week now since Daniel Skinner's flying one-hand slam dunk that began near the free throw line during a NJCAA Region XIV game between Skinner's Jacksonville College team and Tyler Junior College, which took place in Tyler, went viral and there has been no let up in media attention for the school and for the spectacular hoops play.

Publications and media outlets from far and near have done stories chronicling the play that could possibly live for ever (or at least a very long time), with Skinner and his head coach, Jody Bailey, being in great demand for interviews.

“Anytime we can do something to generate excitement and that brings positive attention to our school and our men's basketball program, then its a good thing,” Bailey said. “It's neat to be a part of something like that.”

The play, which was actually negated when an official whistled Skinner for charging, was captured on video by Lum Newburn IV, a longtime JC fan and supporter.

Newburn and others made haste in making sure the video was promptly submitted to ESPN on the evening of Dec. 5 and after viewing, the network thought so much of Skinner's exploits that they named the dunk as No. 1 sports play for that day on its popular Plays of the Day segment.

As of early afternoon Thursday, the You Tube clip of the dunk had garnered nearly 724,000 views.

Considering the network sifts through a plethora of awesome athletic acts from all sports and from all over the world nightly, to have a play made by any junior college basketball player to make the list is most noteworthy.

“It's not often a play made by a junior college kid is going to show up on ESPN,” Bailey said.”That is a rarity indeed.”

JC athletic director Lynn Nabi said that the while experience has been a thing of pride for the school.

“I congratulate Daniel (Skinner) for what he was able to do,” Nabi said. “There are not many people that can do something like that with a basketball.

“All of the media attention has been overwhelming.”

But life goes on for Skinner and the rest of the Jaguars, as the young men are now focused more on taking care of business in the classroom, as semester exams time is here, than worrying about things of a basketball nature.

Skinner is a sophomore from Dallas and a product of basketball-rich Lancaster High School.

The Jaguars will return to action on Jan. 3, 2013 when they host the East Texas Flight club team at 7:30 p.m.

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Skinner's thunderous slam dunk continues to draw national attention

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