Patrick Hite
STAUNTON — Jarvis Vaughan has been dreaming about playing at Old Dominion University for years.
But there's a twist.
Back in middle school, Vaughan thought he would be on ODU's football field. But football was slowly replaced by basketball as Vaughan's sport of choice. On Sunday morning, the Robert E. Lee High School senior gave his verbal commitment to play basketball for the NCAA Division 1 Monarchs.
Vaughan headed for Norfolk Thursday for an official visit this weekend.
"After going on my visit and being with the players, and bonding with the coaches and the players, it just felt right." Vaughan said by phone Sunday afternoon. "Just the atmosphere and the community, everything just felt great."
Lee High coach Jarrett Hatcher couldn't be any happier for his player.
"I think it's a great opportunity for Jarvis," Hatcher said. "Obviously, to have his education paid for, that's the ultimate benefit of having a basketball scholarship. That situation that he is going into at ODU, he really liked the coaches and the environment."
Old Dominion is coached by former University of Virginia player and coach Jeff Jones. This will be his fifth season at ODU. Jones also coached at American University for 13 years. He's led teams to 13 postseason appearances, including an NCAA Elite 8 appearance and an NIT championship. He is 46-24 in four seasons at ODU.
Bryant Stith is an ODU assistant and, along with Jones, recruited Vaughan. Following a standout college career at UVA, Stith played in the NBA for a decade.
"It's an amazing coaching staff," Vaughan said. "It's a great feeling to know that I have [Jones] to guide me along the way. And then Coach Stith, being that he played in the NBA and being the great player that he was, he can teach me techniques that will get me through this next level of my life."
Vaughan averaged 16.6 points and 8.7 rebounds per game as a junior last season, helping lead Lee High to the VHSL Group 2A state championship. Vaughan really exploded during the postseason, scoring 84 points in the three state tournament wins, including 31 in the championship game.
That performance in the postseason helped put him in the spotlight, but he also thought a standout summer on the AAU circuit really brought attention to him from larger colleges.
Vaughan's decision wasn't hurt by ODU's location.
Robert E. Lee's Jarvis Vaughan goes up and shoots as Dan River's Bennett McCann guards during a Group 2A state semifinal basketball game played at James Madison University on Saturday, March 4, 2017. (Photo: Mike Tripp/The News Leader)
"Yes sir, the beach is about 30 minutes away," he said. "That was definitely another perk to going there."
ODU plays in Conference-USA where it finished third last season with a 19-12 overall record.
Another member of Conference-USA is Marshall, where Vaughan's former Lee High teammate Darius George will begin playing this season.
"It is going to be an experience like no other," Vaughan said of that anticipated first matchup with George. "Hopefully everybody comes down to watch."
Hatcher said it's been fun to be part of the recruiting processes of both Vaughan and George.
"It's a nice opportunity for our kids to have teammates that are going to go on and continue their careers in college," Hatcher said. "It's exciting."
With his college decision made, Vaughan is now ready to focus on his senior year at Lee.
"It takes the pressure off of me," he said. "It allows me to focus more on the task at hand. It gives me the comfort to know that I do have a life after the high school season."
STAUNTON — Jarvis Vaughan has been dreaming about playing at Old Dominion University for years.
But there's a twist.
Back in middle school, Vaughan thought he would be on ODU's football field. But football was slowly replaced by basketball as Vaughan's sport of choice. On Sunday morning, the Robert E. Lee High School senior gave his verbal commitment to play basketball for the NCAA Division 1 Monarchs.
Vaughan headed for Norfolk Thursday for an official visit this weekend.
"After going on my visit and being with the players, and bonding with the coaches and the players, it just felt right." Vaughan said by phone Sunday afternoon. "Just the atmosphere and the community, everything just felt great."
Lee High coach Jarrett Hatcher couldn't be any happier for his player.
"I think it's a great opportunity for Jarvis," Hatcher said. "Obviously, to have his education paid for, that's the ultimate benefit of having a basketball scholarship. That situation that he is going into at ODU, he really liked the coaches and the environment."
Old Dominion is coached by former University of Virginia player and coach Jeff Jones. This will be his fifth season at ODU. Jones also coached at American University for 13 years. He's led teams to 13 postseason appearances, including an NCAA Elite 8 appearance and an NIT championship. He is 46-24 in four seasons at ODU.
Bryant Stith is an ODU assistant and, along with Jones, recruited Vaughan. Following a standout college career at UVA, Stith played in the NBA for a decade.
"It's an amazing coaching staff," Vaughan said. "It's a great feeling to know that I have [Jones] to guide me along the way. And then Coach Stith, being that he played in the NBA and being the great player that he was, he can teach me techniques that will get me through this next level of my life."
Vaughan averaged 16.6 points and 8.7 rebounds per game as a junior last season, helping lead Lee High to the VHSL Group 2A state championship. Vaughan really exploded during the postseason, scoring 84 points in the three state tournament wins, including 31 in the championship game.
That performance in the postseason helped put him in the spotlight, but he also thought a standout summer on the AAU circuit really brought attention to him from larger colleges.
Vaughan's decision wasn't hurt by ODU's location.
Robert E. Lee's Jarvis Vaughan goes up and shoots as Dan River's Bennett McCann guards during a Group 2A state semifinal basketball game played at James Madison University on Saturday, March 4, 2017. (Photo: Mike Tripp/The News Leader)
"Yes sir, the beach is about 30 minutes away," he said. "That was definitely another perk to going there."
ODU plays in Conference-USA where it finished third last season with a 19-12 overall record.
Another member of Conference-USA is Marshall, where Vaughan's former Lee High teammate Darius George will begin playing this season.
"It is going to be an experience like no other," Vaughan said of that anticipated first matchup with George. "Hopefully everybody comes down to watch."
Hatcher said it's been fun to be part of the recruiting processes of both Vaughan and George.
"It's a nice opportunity for our kids to have teammates that are going to go on and continue their careers in college," Hatcher said. "It's exciting."
With his college decision made, Vaughan is now ready to focus on his senior year at Lee.
"It takes the pressure off of me," he said. "It allows me to focus more on the task at hand. It gives me the comfort to know that I do have a life after the high school season."
