[TheRealVille]

Just saw this. Looks like JR is going to coach, teach and play. Nice. Good luck to one of our BGR posters.

On the heels of Shelby Valley bringing home Pike County’s first state basketball championship, another former state champion is taking to the court in Pikeville.

J.R. VanHoose, who led Paintsville to the 1996 state championship, signed recently to continue his basketball career with the East Kentucky Energy.
“I am excited to be playing professional basketball again, and very happy that it will be in Eastern Kentucky where I began playing basketball many years ago,” said VanHoose. “It is my hope that the Energy will be a franchise that is around for a very long time and represent the different communities in Eastern Kentucky in a professional manner.”
http://www.wkyt.com/wymtsports/headlines/89306407.html


J.R. VanHoose Career Highlights

High School
• 1998 Mr. Basketball, averaged 25.5 points, 14.5 rebounds and 3.1 blocks per game as a senior
• One of only three players in Kentucky high school basketball history to record more than 3,000 points and 2,000 rebounds in a career
• Named one of 50 greatest players ever to play in the Kentucky Sweet 16, joining the likes of Wes Unseld, Rex Chapman and Allan Houston
• Played in four Sweet 16s during his career at Paintsville, advancing to the final four three times, winning 1 championship and 1 runner-up trophy
• 1997 and 1998 Gatorade and USA Today Kentucky Player of the Year
• Parade Magazine All-American following his senior season
• Preseason third-team all-american in 1997-98 by Street & Smith Magazine
• Prep Stars Recruiting Handbook listed VanHoose as the No. 17 prospect in the country
• Lexington Herald Leader’s Kentucky High School Player of the Decade for the 1990s.

College
• Marshall’s fifth-leading scorer all-time and third-leading rebounder.
• Mid-American Conference All-Freshman team, runner-up for MAC Newcomer of the Year in his first year
• First freshman in school history to lead the team in points (14.7) and rebounds (8.1)
• As a freshman recorded 34 points and 17 rebounds against Buffalo, scored 30 points and grabbed 17 rebounds in a MAC conference tournament game against Kent State
• As a sophomore again led the school in rebounding and was featured in Slam magazine
• As a junior was the third-leading rebounder in the country, tied for more double-doubles in the nation with 20, first-team All Mid-American Conference
• Led Marshall in rebounding and field goal percentage four straight years and finished his career as the national leader for double-doubles since 1996 with an amazing 55
• Elected to the Marshall University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008