Jernigan finds landing spot in the heart of Texas
After earning a scholarship to Tarleton State, 21st Century grad starts Division I basketball career with former Kentucky coach Gillispie
Cameron Jernigan reported to Tarleton State University on Monday for his first basketball workouts there.
It was inconceivable a year ago that Jernigan could score a Division I scholarship.
But walking out of the hot Texas sun into the TSU gym with Billy Gillispie screaming in his ear is proof that Jernigan has made it.
Jernigan was delivering pizzas on a bike in Gary to support himself last summer.
In December, I wrote about the 6-foot-7 forward’s situation.
For a week in August 2019, Jernigan didn’t have a place to stay. His mother had moved to Chicago, and Jernigan didn’t want to leave Gary. He eventually moved in with his brother.
Jernigan played at 21st Century, where he was a defensive specialist. His main job on offense was to feed the ball to Johnell Davis and Triyontae Lomax.
Dave Maravilla, founder of Bosco Institute in Crown Point, saw potential in the raw but athletic Jernigan after seeing a tape of him.
Jernigan grew 2 inches before starting at Bosco, and he flourished with the individual instruction he got there.
Still, getting a Division I offer wasn’t easy.
In-person recruiting was crippled during the coronavirus pandemic. And many borderline Division I prospects like Jernigan were displaced by the NCAA rule that granted an extra year of eligibility to student-athletes due to the pandemic.
Jernigan has surprised even himself.
“It didn’t seem realistic,” Jernigan said of getting a scholarship. “It was nothing I could imagine. It was like, ‘What team would I play for? Where would I go?’ I always doubted myself because I thought I can’t be here. My whole life I’ve been battling against the impossible. I’ve never really had the odds on my side.”
It’s fitting that Gillispie would take a chance on him.
Gillispie had a meteoric fall from the top. He was fired by Kentucky in 2009 after two seasons.
Gillispie checked himself into rehab after he was arrested for allegedly driving under the influence in 2009, according to ESPN.
In 2012, Gillispie resigned from Texas Tech after one season. The program was being investigated for alleged mistreatment of its players, and he reportedly had health issues.
In 2015, Gillispie was hired at Ranger College, a junior college
program. Ranger went 31-7 in his first season but had to forfeit the wins because of the use of an ineligible player.
Gillispie quit for a year, citing health problems. He underwent a successful kidney transplant in 2018 after suffering kidney failure. But he returned to Ranger and led the team to the NJCAA Division I championship game in 2019. He was hired at Tarleton for the 2019-20 season.
Gillispie was familiar with Jernigan’s story. He connected with Jernigan’s struggle.
Maravilla said Gillispie spent a lot of time watching tape of Jernigan and talking with him.
“He took a chance on Cam, but when you say ‘take a chance,’ you are taking a chance on anybody you haven’t seen live,” Maravilla said. “Billy did his due diligence. Cam is a guy that has a lot of qualities Billy values: his toughness, his ability to overcome adversity, and his athleticism.”
Jernigan signed his national letter of intent on June 4. He was shocked when Gillispie told him he had to get to Texas three days later for the team’s first workout.
Maravilla and Jernigan’s circle of support had to assure Jernigan it was time to leave. It was almost like he didn’t believe it was happening.
But Jernigan is happy to be down there, working for a coach who is trying to push him to new levels.
“I liked Billy because he was honest with me,” Jernigan said. “He told me what he wanted from me. We are both battling adversity. His is different. But I think that’s how we ended up together.”