Former Beacons Impress at International Exhibition
NCU Sports Information
EUGENE, Ore. – Former Northwest Christian University basketball players Josh Jarrett, Jordan Whittenburg (pictured) and Leo Thornton recently participated in a series of NetScouts Basketball International Showcase events in Eugene and San Jose, California. NetScouts Basketball is a scouting service connecting players and teams for professional opportunities worldwide.
Whittenburg, who was a the second-leading scorer for the Beacons last season, took the stage in San Jose, averaging 10 points and 3 assists per game during the tournament while shooting 50% from three-point range.
“I felt like I held my own out there,” said Whittenburg. “The idea of playing basketball for a living has been a dream of mine for a long time, and to know that I have a chance makes me want to work that much harder to make it a reality.”
Whittenburg teamed up in the backcourt with former Oregon State point guard Brandon Payton, who has played the last three seasons in Portugal to go with experience in New Zealand and the Philippines. Payton, the younger brother of former NBA All-Star point guard Gary Payton, earned all tournament honors. Other players in the event represented schools such as the University of Washington, Southern Utah, University of Portland, Chico State, Whitworth, and Colorado State-Pueblo.
Whittenburg said, “Going against players of that caliber was a good test for me. With the whole camp being video-taped and posted online, I hope that some coach in the world will see that I can help their team and give me an opportunity to play.” Whittenburg added that he has also seen improvements in his game that he needs to make. “Playing against better competition showed me that I need to get physically stronger and work on my defense and my ability to score off the dribble, rather than just being a catch-and-shoot guy.”
The Eugene camp featured Northwest Christian’s former All-CCC forward, Josh Jarrett, who earned All-Tournament honors at the event, averaging 10 points and 5 rebounds in two games. Jarrett displayed a consistent mid-range game and shot a high percentage from the floor. Former one-year Beacon point guard Leo Thornton also had a nice showing, recording a 2:1 assist to turnover ratio and running the team offense well. Thornton earned tournament honorable mention. Other players in the camp included former players from the University of Hawaii, Western Washington, Whitman College, and Western Oregon.
NCU head men’s basketball coach Corey Anderson said, “It is great to see our guys have the opportunity to possibly play overseas or elsewhere. Often times at this level, talent can get overlooked, so it is a great resource to have a program such as NetScouts provide the service that they are providing to local players.”
The West coast events were the first showcase camps of the summer for NetScouts, with East coast camp dates scheduled in late July at three sites: New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C. The camps feature notable NCAA Division 1 players, many with years of professional experience overseas, along with standout college players of all levels.
In addition to game film from the camps being made available on the NetScouts website, individual skill workouts and video interviews will be added to each player’s personal profile. Professional teams around the world pay for the scouting reports and video provided by NetScouts, with the goal of signing as many quality American players to overseas contracts, or helping established pro players improve their stock and advance to more competitive, better-paying leagues.
For more information on NetScouts Basketball and upcoming events, visit www.netscoutsbasketball.com.