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The James Madison University coaching staff must’ve really known what it was doing. Because the parent they seated next to Jada Mills on her recent recruiting visit said the magic words.
The Putnam Science Academy guard was already feeling good about the Harrisonburg, Va., school when she sat down at the restaurant for dinner.
“It was Parents Weekend and we were sitting next to a family,” Mills said, “and as I’m sitting there, the father next to me said, ‘There is no better place.’ Everything was already looking and feeling good to me, but those words just really stuck with me for whatever reason.”
By the time her visit was over, Mills told coach Sean O’Regan she was committing to the Dukes.
Mills, from Norwich, averaged five points per game last season for the Mustangs, who finished fourth in the national tournament and have expectations of winning the whole thing this time around. She’s a combo guard with size who can do a little bit of everything.
“She can defend, she can score the ball, she can pass the ball, she can rebound,” coach Devin Hill said. “So for her, it’s just a question of how she’s going to do those things in a way that’s going to help us win. How do you, if you’re not scoring a bunch of points, still be really effective? She’ll figure that out.
“And JMU is a great situation for her. It’s a good level. It’s just good all around for her.”
To that end, Mills credited PSA’s open gyms for keeping her name and game out there.
“It really gives me a chance to display my game because sometimes in game situations, I’m in a different role and not always able to show my full abilities,” she said. “But PSA has given me that opportunity.”
A few months back, Mills committed to play next year at Buffalo. But that fell through almost right after her announcement, putting her back not necessarily at square one, but feeling close enough to it.
“I was going through a rough time with that, trying to find another fit,” she said. “It was hard. Your mind kind of gets you thinking that things are going downhill, but I just had to stay positive. I did know there would be something coming for me. I think it just maybe didn’t come as fast as I wanted it to.
“Coach Neil (assistant coach Neil Harrow) came and saw me at open gym, by coincidence. We had a conversation after that, then Coach O came and saw me the next week. Flew in, flew out same day to see me. That made me feel special. He liked what he saw, and we just clicked. The coaching staff is great. They believe in me, and I know I’m going somewhere that I’ll be pushed.”
Stephen Nalbandian
Sports Information Director
Putnam Science Academy
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