Mercer scores again in Wisconsin

For the second time in less than a week, the Mercer Bears received good news from the state of Wisconsin. The Atlantic Sun program landed a verbal commitment from Jake Gollon, a versatile 6-foot-7 forward from Stevens Point (Wisc.) High School on Monday.

Gollon traveled to the Macon, Ga., school recently with state mate Andy Smith, who committed last Thursday to the Bears, and saw enough to pull the trigger.

"I really like coach (Mark) Slonaker. He's a great guy and I got along great with their guys when I was down there for my visit," Gollon said. "As soon as I got down there and met everyone, I told myself, 'This is the place for me.' It's a great, great fit."

The versatile forward can play multiple positions and averaged nearly 15 points, seven rebounds and three assists a game as a junior. Gollon said Mercer first got a look at him in the summer time and closed out the year strong at the Main Event where he helped his Milwaukee Spartans AAU team finish 8-1 and won the gold division of the tournament.

The academic side of things at Mercer was a major help in picking the school over interest from Wisconsin-Green Bay and Winona State (the No. 1 team in the preseason Division II polls).

"It's funny because I'd get a lot of mail from other prestigious academic schools and they'd always rank their academic programs and Mercer was on everyone's lists and usually always higher," Gollon said.