#TCCBasketball’s Powell signs with Nicholls State
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (July 26, 2016) – From Lincoln High School to Tallahassee Community College and now on to Nicholls State University.
That’s where the game of basketball has carried Jahvaughn Powell after the Eagles’ standout signed a national letter of intent with the Colonels.
Powell was born in Dayton, Ohio, before moving to Tallahassee, where he enjoyed a standout prep career at Lincoln while playing for TCC alum and Eagle Athletics Hall of Famer Dimitric Salters.
At TCC, Powell, who played from 2014-16, helped bridge the transition from former head coach Eddie Barnes, who retired in 2015, to current head coach Mark White, who took the Eagles to within one victory of a trip to the national tournament in his first season.
“He’s one of the best individuals I’ve ever coached,” said White. “He has an infectious personality that rubs off on his teammates.
“On the court, he does two things that really helps the team win – he makes shots and he’s a tremendous defender.”
Much of the team’s success and Tallahassee’s 21-12 record can be attributed to Powell. He missed 15 of the first 16 games with a pair of injuries, and without him, the Eagles managed but a record of 9-7. Once he returned, Tallahassee won 12 of 17 and advanced to the championship game of the NJCAA Region 8/FCSAA State Tournament.
Powell’s biggest moment came in the opening round of the state tournament.
Facing a 21-point, second-half deficit against NJCAA No. 4 Eastern Florida State College, Powell scored 26 points to lead Tallahassee to a 76-67, come-from-behind victory.
As a sophomore, he averaged 12.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.7 steals in 18 games. For his career, Powell appeared in 46 games and averaged 9.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.6 steals.
Powell cited the Colonels’ persistence during the recruiting process as a big reason for signing with the Southland Conference school.
“They stayed loyal to me throughout my recruitment,” Powell said. “I had a good connection with the coaches – we have a lot of the same interests, basketball-wise. Off the court, I know they can help me get where I’m trying to go in the next stage of my life.”
Another factor in Powell’s decision was location. Nicholls State is in Thibodaux, La., and, with a less than seven-hour drive from Tallahassee, provides family and friends the opportunity to see him play most any day.
One game Powell’s supporters won’t have to travel for comes on December 8. That’s when Nicholls State will visit the Donald L. Tucker Center for a date with the Florida State Seminoles.