Three Wildcat hoops stand outs headed for Division I programs

POPLARVILLE Three Pearl River Community College Wildcat basketball standouts will suit up with Division I universities for the 2011-2012 season. Forward-center Phillip Crawford has signed with Alabama State, forward Emil Jones with Troy University (Ala.), and point guard Pedro Maciel with Nicholls State (La.). I look for great things from these three on the next level, said PRCC head coach Richard Mathis who just completed his 20th year at the Wildcat helm. They are solid basketball players and should contribute to their teams significantly. It was a pleasure to coach of three. Crawford (6-foot-7, 205 pounds), who prepped at Murphy High in Mobile, Ala., was a first-team All-MACJC and All-Region 23 performer the past two seasons. This past year, he averaged 18.2 points and 7.9 rebounds a game and boasted a team-best 59.9 percent field goal average. Crawford was also named an MACJC South Division All-Star. Jones (6-foot-3, 205 pounds), who prepped at North Forrest High, earned first-team All-MACJC and All-Region 23 honors this past season; as well as being named to the All-Region 23 Tournament team. He averaged 18.3 points and 8.1 rebounds a game as a sophomore both team-high totals as well as 2.8 assists. Jones hit 49.8 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from three-point range. Maciel (6-foot-1, 180 pounds), a native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, who prepped at St. Stanislaus in Bay St. Louis, transferred to PRCC this past season after playing his freshman season at Centenary (La.) University. He was named to the MACJC South Division All-Star squad and averaged a team-high 5.1 assists a game. Both Crawford and Jones were members of Mathis 2009-2010 MACJC state championship squad. The Wildcats lost to Mississippi Gulf Coast in the state championship game this past season and finished the year at 23-5 overall.