House Resolution 67

A RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING THE JONES COUNTY JUNIOR COLLEGE BOBCATS MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM AND HEAD COACH JAY LADNER UPON AN OUTSTANDING 2013-2014 SEASON AND FOR WINNING THE NATIONAL JUNIOR COLLEGE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION (NCJAA) DIVISION I MEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT.

WHEREAS, the Bobcats Men's Basketball Team at Jones County Junior College had an outstanding 2013-14 basketball season, becoming the first school from the State of Mississippi, the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges and Region 23 to win the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division I Men's Basketball Tournament held in Hutchinson, Kansas, and finishing the season with an impressive 28-5 record; and

WHEREAS, the No. 11 upon entering the tournament, the Bobcats established an unprecedented ascension to championship acclaim by outshining each of its formidable tournament opponents as skillful tacticians on the hardwood, and became the lowest seeded team to win an NJCAA Basketball Championship in any division by defeating the No. 3 seed Chipola, No. 2 seed Vincennes, and No. 1 seed and top-ranked Indian Hills College in successive days to win the national championship; and

WHEREAS, the team won five games in five days, defeating Highland College 81-79, Hill College 91-82 in overtime, Chipola College 86-79, Vincennes College 76-63 and Indian Hills College 87-77 in the championship game; and

WHEREAS, with an unrelenting determination and perseverance to reach the big dance the Bobcats, were hungry for the sweet taste of victory and every worthy adversary fell prey to the team's power and skill as it satisfied its hunger on the road to national championship glory and its history-making success with the capture of its first Region 23 championship and the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) South Division; and

WHEREAS, the Bobcats have been superbly coached and inspired by Head Coach Jay Ladner who has broadened the players' knowledge of the game and refined their skills in execution, and whose success in leading the charge of a championship allowed him to be named Coach of the Tournament for the NJCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament and Region 23 Coach of the Year; and

WHEREAS, many team members in their athletic prowess have received individual honors, including the naming of Leroy Fludd as the William B. French Most Valuable Player for the NJCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, All-Region 23 Honorable Mention, All-Region 23 Tournament team and All-MACJC South Division second-team; the selection of Johnny Zuppardo to the All-Tournament team for the NJCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, All-Region 23, All-Region 23 Tournament team and the All-MACJC South Division first-team; and the selection of Thaddeus Hall to the All-Region 23 Honorable Mention and All-MACJC South Division Honorable Mention; and

WHEREAS, the 2013-2014 Bobcats team consist of: Head Coach Jay Ladner; assistant coaches, Jesse Carlin IV, Derek Peterson and Sai Quon Stone; sophomores, Darris McLendon, Johnny Zuppardo, Tyler Rhodes, Jared Tillman and Leo Garrett; freshmen, Thaddeus Hall, Bryce Perry, Ashton Woodson, Leroy Fludd, Christopher White, Bryce Jones, Otis Harvey and Cecil Hartfield; managers, Chris Johnson, Gunner Pacide and Jamal Wilkerson; and statisticians Morgan Adam and Sydnee Mellow; and

WHEREAS, the Bobcats have developed a winning and cooperative spirit and a high degree of sportsmanship, and their activities and attitude reflect great credit upon the individual players and their coaches and bring honor to Jones County Junior College and the State of Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to recognize and commend excellence, especially when evidenced by the youth of our state, who are its future:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commend and congratulate the Jones County Junior College Bobcats Men's Basketball Team and Head Coach Jay Ladner upon an outstanding 2013-2014 season and for winning the National Junior College Athletic Association Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, and extend best wishes for continued success in all of their future athletic and academic endeavors.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Jones County Junior College, Head Coach Jay Ladner and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.