Handley, Veasley Take Game to Next Level

T.J. Handley and Jake Veasley, Mid-South Community College's top scorers last season, have signed letters of intent to continue their education and basketball careers at four-year institutions.

Handley, who played high school basketball at Watson Chapel in Pine Bluff, is going home to the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Veasley, who played for Cross County High School in Cherry Valley, will have a different kind of "homecoming." He is heading to North Carolina to join the Barton College Bulldogs who, like the Greyhounds, play their home games in "The Dog House."

"This is an exciting time for our program," said Greyhounds' head coach Chris Parker. "I think it speaks very well for our program that in such a short time we can produce young men who graduate and have developed into Division I and high Division II caliber student-athletes.

"I think it reflects the quality of our college and basketball program and shows what we can do for student-athletes who were under-recruited coming out of high school. We look forward to continuing this trend in the years to come."
Handley averaged 16.3 points, 4 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.1 steals a game last season while helping to lead the Greyhounds to their first Region 2 championship. He shot nearly 55% from the floor, including 30.4% from beyond the three-point line. Handley connected on 71.6% of his free throws.

"T.J. is going to be a great addition to our program," said UAPB coach George Ivory. "He brings a lot to the table in terms of his character, athleticism, and talent. We are very fortunate to be able to sign him and bring him home. We think he's going to make a major contribution to our program with all of the things he can do."