Wednesday, November 13, 2002

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Nov. 13, 2002) - Head coach Ed DeChellis announced Wednesday the signing of Monessen, Penn., native A.J. Jackson to a national letter of intent with the East Tennessee State University men's basketball team. Jackson, a 6-foot-6, 210-pound power forward, averaged 19 points and 13 rebounds a game as a junior at Monessen High School. He was an all-district, all-area, and all-Western Pennsylvania pick last season, and he has helped lead his team to back-to-back WPIAL Class A state titles. "We are very excited about A.J. choosing to join our basketball family here at East Tennessee State," said DeChellis, whose team has won two-straight Southern Conference North Division titles and will debut Thursday against Charleston AAU at 7:30 p.m. in Memorial Center. "A.J. comes from a good high school program where his high school coach Joe Salvino has done an outstanding job. " Jackson has collected 1,193 points and enters his senior year just 318 points shy of the school scoring record. He is only the third player to be a four-year starter for Monessen under Salvino, and he played summer AAU basketball for the Pittsburgh Shockers, averaging nine points and 10 rebounds. DeChellis said Jackson's versatility made him a valuable recruit. "He's a long player with a good build who can shoot the ball well from 3-point range," DeChellis said. "He has the ability to play both wing and the post position." ETSU opens its 2002-‘03 regular season Friday, Nov. 22 against Guilford College at Memorial Center. Tip is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.