Keyshawn Dease called the process “stressful” from the onset.
“At first I didn’t know what I wanted,” said Dease when asked about his recruiting process. “But [in the end] I chose Jones College because they’re the best.”
The Stringer basketball standout completed the process Thursday afternoon by signed his LOI (Letter of Intent) with the Bobcats inside his school’s gymnasium.
“Everything at Jones is great,” added Dease. “The players are great, the coaches are great, and there’s a great vibe at the school. The athletic program [as a whole] is great.”
Dease entertained offers from the likes of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and Southwest Community College among others. But it was Jones College that caught – and later retained – his attention.
“I’m super proud of him,” said Stringer head coach Brandon Jennings. “He’s earned everything he’s gotten. I’m looking forward to him growing at Jones. I think he has the potential to play at the next level after that.
“Dease was by far the best player in our district. That was voted on by other coaches. I’ve seen him grow so much over the last five years, not only as a player but as a young man.”
During the 2018-2019 season, Dease averaged 22.1 PPG (Points Per Game), 9.2 RPG (Rebounds Per Game) and 2.5 APG (Assist Per Game).
“His outside shot developed over the summer,” Jennings said. “He also hit the weights hard. I think South Alabama and Ole Miss measured him with a 38 inch vertical. He was also able to alter shots for us defensively. Offensively, he was a force to reckon with. If you got close to you, he’d go by you, and if you backed off, he’d shoot the basketball outside. He’s such a tremendous player.”
“I could have done better,” said Dease. “My goal was to average at least 30-35 points per game. But I feel like I played decent. I could have played better, but I played with my teammates, and we played as a team. We took [the season] as far as we could.”
Stringer finished the 2018-2019 season 19-10 overall and 5-3 in Region 7-1A, beating Lumberton 70-43 in the first round of the MHSAA Class 1A playoffs before falling to West Lowndes in the second round, 71-48. West Lowndes advanced to ‘The Big House’ in Jackson after beating Stringer then fell to Okolona 65-55 in the semifinal round.
Dease racked up several awards on the season, including the MVP of the Mize Tournament. Against Raleigh in the tournament, Dease scored a career-high 41 points. He averaged 38 points per game in the regular season tournament.
“The past two years he’s won our offensive MVP award,” said Jennings. “This year he won our team’s MVP award. He also won the district MVP award overall. For the past three years, he’s been named to the All-District team. [It just shows you how much of a] tremendous player he is.”
