CARTERVILLE (WSIL) -- John A. Logan is headed to the Junior College National Tournament.
Their first trip since 2015.
All-American Jay Scrubb scored 36 points to lead the Vols in the Region 24 Central District Tournament Championship.
Sum up the season for you.
"Surreal," Scrubb said. "It's been surreal. Everything is happening right in front of my face. It's crazy."
Jay Scrubb has reached All-American status at John A. Logan. He's a doing a good job of making people believe he's the best junior college player in the country, and possibly NBA ready.
"I try to leave an impression on people that I'm the best player in the gym hands down. Any time I play a game that's what I'm looking to embed in people's heads."
But he pays no attention to outside noise.
"Man I can't hear anything but the ball go through the net."
"Pay more attention to the on the court things rather than the social media things. If you feed to much into social media, you got people calling you this, calling you that so you just got to stay focused."
The sophomore can hit the three, come up with the highlight dunk and create his own shot. The sophomore averages nearly 22 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists a game. And he knocks down fifty percent of his shots.
"Take it one day at a time because one game you might have, you might score a forty point game then the next game you might score a four point game. It all changes daily so just taking it day by day, just having fun with it, that's all it's really about is having fun."
His stats jump out at you. He has talent. No doubt about it. But it's how you handle the success that speaks volumes.
"When I first got here, I already had the skill but I was lacking different things like attitude, showing up to practice late, not doing the right things."
"He's done a really good job of accepting constructive criticism, done a much better job of pushing through tough times and when you can have those two things done by one of your better players, everyone else is going to do the same," John A. Logan Men's Basketball Coach Kyle Smithpeters said.
"He's helped me become more of a leader and showing me those things are important at the next level. I mihgt not be the best player at the next level so I have to contribute a little on the little things," Scrubb said.
Scrubb has grown up a lot this season. He missed three games due to conduct detrimental to the team. It was a wake-up call.
"We are never going to show favortism regardless of talent and I think he has finally realized that because we don't have to say a lot when you're playing hard and that's all we ask is great attitudes, great effort and when he has that we are really really good and I think he also realized learning to trust the people around him, that he doesn't have to do it all the time and those guys apreciate the fact that he now trusts them," Smithpeters said.
"It hurt me being away from the team for those three games so I'd say I'm doing anything in my power to not let that happen again. Just trying to stay focused and be the right leader for these guys," Scrubb said.
Scrubb is committed to the University of Louisville and NBA scouts have shown up to his games. Could he go straight to the league? Scrubbs future is still unclear. That's a question for after the season.
"I'll talk with my family we'll maybe go through the draft if that's available but when the time comes we will figure it out."
The focus is on winning John A. Logan a national title. Scrubb is in a championship state of mind.
"That's my focus right now, not worried about the NBA, Louisville or anything."
"Oh it makes you feel good as a coach it realy does. He's saying the right thing, but he is. I can tell on a daily basis. He's definitely wearing that weight very well. And it would weigh on any of us to have that type of opportunity sitting right in front of you and he has done an unbelievable job of concentrating on his school, concentrating on his team, concentrating on his abilities because there's a lot of distractions out there for him. That takes a lot of maturity for a 19 year old kid with everything he has at him and at his doorstep to be able to do that for the other 13 guys on this team," Smithpeters said.
