4/15/04 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SOUTH ALABAMA SIGNS CHIPOLA STANDOUT GUARD MARIO JOINTER
JUCO SHOOTER TO JOIN JAGUAR MEN'S BASKETBALL PROGRAM
CONTACT: Matt Smith
MOBILE, Ala. – University of South Alabama men's basketball coach
John Pelphrey landed a big recruit Thursday when Chipola Junior
College guard Mario Jointer accepted a scholarship.
Jointer, at 6-foot-3, 180-pounds, was a standout shooting guard for
one of the nation's top programs at Chipola this past season. The
Jackson, Miss., native led the 32-5 Indians to the Panhandle
Conference championship and a sixth-place finish at the National
Junior College Athletic Association Tournament in Hutchinson, Kan.
In 37 games, Jointer averaged 17.2 points, 5.1 rebounds 2.3 assists
and 2.0 steals while earning first-team all-conference accolades. He
averaged 20 points per game during the NJCAA Tournament and earned
all-tournament honors.
"We are very excited about Mario Jointer joining our basketball
program," said Jaguar head coach John Pelphrey, who's entering his
third season at USA. "He is a guy who's going to provide us with the
same things as Chris Young did from the two-guard spot in terms of
three-point shooting and scoring. We feel fortunate to get a player
of Mario Jointer's caliber at this level. He's going to be a great
addition to our basketball team. Not only is he talented, he plays
hard and is competitive. He wants to be here at South Alabama."
Coming out of Jim Hill High in Jackson, Miss., Jointer originally
signed with Ole Miss before playing his freshman season at Northwest
Mississippi Community College. He decided to transfer to Okaloosa-
Walton (Fla.) Community College the following season but sat out due
to transfer rules. He then moved on to Chipola for his sophomore
season.
First-year Chipola coach Chris Jans has high remarks about his
Division I prospect.
"Mario Jointer is an unbelievable scorer," Jans said. "He has a big-
time jump shot. He can also get to the rim and finish. He is a high-
major type player."
Earlier in the week, Jointer received the "Mr. Offense" award during
Chipola's season-ending banquet.
Jointer becomes the third Jag signee of the 2003-04 class, joining 6-
3 guard Antonio Odoms of Monroe County (Ala.) High and 6-9 post
player Daniel Northern of Houston County High in Warner Robbins, Ga.