Clayton State Signs Two for 2008-09 Men's Basketball Season

MORROW, Ga. – April 17, 2008 – Fresh off an improbable, but amazing postseason run to close out the season, Clayton State men’s basketball head coach Gordon Gibbons began reloading for the 2008-09 campaign on Wednesday with the signing of brothers Jaquas and Juron Dobbs.

Jaquas Dobbs is a junior power forward who comes to Clayton State from Truett-McConnell, while Juron Dobbs is a freshman wing who is coming off a stellar prep career at Heritage High School in Conyers, Ga. They are the second set of brothers to ever play together at Clayton State, joining Ben and Ryan Amestoy, who played for the Lakers from 1994-1996.

They will join a Laker squad that returns three starters and nine letterwinners off this season’s 19-15 squad that won the Peach Belt Conference Tournament championship and advanced to the “Sweet 16” of the NCAA Division II National Tournament.

If Jaquas Dobbs’ name sounds familiar to Laker fans, it is. The 6-foot-7, 225-pounder redshirted at Clayton State last season (2006-07) before joining head coach Cory Baldwin’s program at Truett-McConnell for this season. Dobbs started all 32 games in pacing Truett-McConnell to a 21-11 mark, averaging 13 points and seven rebounds a game, while shooting 57 percent from the field, 81 percent from the free throw line and 40 percent from 3-point range.

He finished fourth in the GJCAA (Georgia Junior College Athletic Association) in field goal percentage and eighth in rebounding in garnering GJCAA All-Region honors. Dobbs also was selected to play in the Georgia/Florida All-State Game, scoring 13 points for the Georgia Junior College All-Stars.

Dobbs originally signed with Clark Atlanta in 2005, and saw action in 23 games in the 2005-06 season with 15 starts. He averaged nine points at six rebounds a contest, including a 23-point, 12-rebound double-double against Stillman.

Like his brother, Jaquas Dobbs also prepped at Heritage High School in Conyers, averaging 18 points as a senior to lead the team in scoring.

“Jaquas returns to our program after an outstanding season at Truett-McConnell,” said Gibbons, who is 140-72 in sevent seasons at Clayton State. “His scoring, rebounding and defensive ability will immediately help our team.”

A 6-4, 180-pound shooting guard, Juron Dobbs gives the Lakers another big wing for their perimeter. He was Region 8AAAA Player of the Year this season, averaging 20 points and 11 rebounds a game, while shooting 52 percent from the field for head coach Ron Bradley at Heritage. He paced the Patriots to a 19-7 mark this season as a senior, Heritage’s most victories in a season in 13 years.

Dobbs was also a two-time All-Region selection and two-time Rockdale County Player of the Year.

“We are excited about Juron joining our program,” Gibbons said. “He had an outstanding senior season for coach Bradley at Heritage. Juron has the potential to play several positions and should contribute and compliment our team as a freshman.”