Itawamba CC Updates

Itawamba C.C. in Fulton, Miss., has enjoyed a fine season under Head Coach Marty Cooper.

The Indians are heading into the Region 23 tournament next week in Clinton, Miss., as the number three seed in the state.

In addition to highly recruited power forward Shun Jenkins (profiled elsewhere on this site), Itawamba has a number of other players getting D-I looks this winter.

Among them are:

Trent Vaughn, a 6-4, 218 pound sophomore swingman from Cuthbert, Ga. Vaughan handles the ball well and averages 19 points and nine rebounds per game for the Indians. He also shoots 42 percent from beyond the three point arc. Cooper said that Ohio Valley and Missouri Valley Conference programs are looking at Vaughn this winter.

Jason Pannell, an undersized 6-0, 183 pound off guard, has averaged 17.9 points per game this season for the Indians. He is one of their top three point marksmen, connecting on roughly 44 percent of his three point attempts. Pannell last played at Itawamba in 1999-2000 prior to this season, as he red-shirted the 2000-2001 campaign.

Prince Thompson, a 6-3, 175 pound point guard from Tupelo, Miss., is a long, athletic floor general noted for his defense and ability to get past defenders. He averages 10 points and five assists per game. Wisconsin recently came in to look at both Thompson and Shun Jenkins.

Charles Slaughter, a 6-6, 218 pound combo forward from Cuthbert, Ga., has been another key ingredient for Itawamba this season. Slaughter, who has range out to three point land, averages 10 points and seven rebounds for the Indians. Cooper said that SW Texas, Stephen F. Austin and David Lipscomb are among the Division I programs looking at Slaughter this winter.

Lawrence Mason, a 6-9, 250 pound power forward from Middleton, Tenn., transferred into Itawamba in the fall after spending last year at Okaloosa-Walton C.C. in Florida. Mason averages nine points and five rebounds for the Indians this season, and depending on his academic situation, could be a Division I target this spring.