Video: Columbus High/EMCC Graduate Patterson Signs with Jacksonville State

SCOOBA, Miss. (WCBI/EMCC Athletics) – Two-time all-state guard Ki-Ki Patterson from East Mississippi Community College will continue her collegiate career at Jacksonville State University in neighboring Alabama.

The former Columbus High School standout made the announcement during Tuesday’s signing event held at Keyes T. Currie Coliseum on the Scooba campus.

Twice named to the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges’ (MACJC) All-North Division First Team as a two-year starter for EMCC women’s basketball coach Sharon Thompson, Patterson averaged 14.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.4 steals per game during her career on the Scooba campus.  Her career totals for the Lady Lions included 668 points, 179 rebounds, 95 assists and 63 steals.  While starting all 46 games for the Lady Lions, Patterson posted career shooting percentages of 41 percent from the field, including 43 made 3-pointers, and 71 percent from the charity stripe.

“It’s a blessing to have this opportunity at Jacksonville State,” Patterson noted.  “Coach (Sharon) Thompson has taught me a lot about life and basketball, and how it’s about being an adult both on and off the basketball court.  I loved my teammates and the coaches here, and I will have great memories to take with me forever.”

This past season for the 13-9 EMCC Lady Lions, Patterson ranked as the team’s second-leading scorer (15.0 ppg) behind all-region performer and former East Webster High School product Quantesha Patterson, along with averaging 4.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.8 steals per contest.  The backcourt performer also improved her shooting percentage from 37 percent as a freshman to 45 percent this past year.  Patterson led East Mississippi in scoring as a freshman with an average of 14.0 points an outing.

“Ki-Ki has been a key ingredient to our team for the past two years,” EMCC’s Coach Thompson said.  “She did an outstanding job in the classroom here as well with a 3.25 GPA.  We are very proud of Ki-Ki and we know that she will do well at Jacksonville State.  They are getting a very talented guard who is going to bring energy, toughness and competitiveness to the court every game.  We wish Ki-Ki much success in the classroom, on the basketball court, and in life.”

Having previously signed with Mississippi State University coming out of high school, Patterson was a 2012-13 Parade All-American for head coach Yvonne Hairston at Columbus High School after averaging 32.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.5 steals per game.  She twice topped the 40-point mark as a senior with a career-high 46 points against Greenville-Weston and 44 versus Starkville.  Patterson averaged 20.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 2.2 steals per contest as a junior in pacing the Lady Falcons to a berth in the 2012 MHSAA Class 6A North State Semifinals.

Patterson joins previously announced Jacksonville State women’s basketball signees Morgan Towells (Fairburn, Ga.), McKenna Lawrence (Evans, Ga.) and Tasha Magruder (Walters State CC).  Under the guidance of head coach Rick Pietri, the JSU Gamecocks were 10-18 overall and 5-11 within the Ohio Valley Conference this past season.

“Ki-Ki is an exceptional athlete who is versatile enough to play any position on the perimeter,” said JSU’s Coach Pietri.  “She can handle the ball, has great vision, and is a capable scorer.  Ki-Ki can be a tremendous asset to our program.”