By Rick Pedone
Sports Editor

David Jerome’s parents weren’t surprised when their son decided to play college basketball.

“He’s loved basketball as long as I can remember,” his mother, Magda Jerome, said.

His dad, Dieudonne Jerome, said, “It was his favorite sport, always.”

Jerome, a 6-5 three-sport athlete at Gateway, signed a scholarship to Florida State College in Jacksonville Wednesday at Principal Larry Meadows’ office.

“I tried football as a junior, and I liked it a lot as a senior, but basketball has always been the one,” Jerome said.

Jerome played the post for the Panthers through his career for Coach Bob Baker and helped the team win the Orange Belt Conference championship last season.

At FSC, he’ll move outside.

“They want me to be a small forward, so all summer I’ve been working on my outside game,” he said.

Coach Neil Orr said Jerome has an opportunity to be a good player for the Blue Waves.

“A very good player,” he said. “He’s a good kid. That is especially important in our situation. And, unlike some of our kids, he’s coming in with a good academic record. He’s D-II qualified. As a basketball player, he has surprisingly good skills on the perimeter for a player who has spent most of his career in the post.”

Baker said Jerome should prosper at FSC, a two-year junior college that competes in the Mid-Florida Conference.

“It’s a great situation for him. Coach Orr runs a very good program, and Jerome should have an opportunity do some good things there,” Baker said.

Jerome said his dream is to play professionally overseas, the way former Gateway players Keaton Grant and Chris Baez do. Grant recently signed a contract to play in Greece, and Baez is playing in Puerto Rico, Baker said.

“That’s what I’d like to do after two years,” he said.

He will study physical therapy.

Orr said Jerome should compete on his team as a freshman as long as he maintains his work and study habits.

“Academics are huge to me. I ran two of my best players last season for making a D,” he said. “Nothing dramatic, just 10 minutes up the stairs with a heavy ball, but it is the perfect punishment because who are they going to complain to? Are they going to call their parents and tell them they are being punished for making a D? Are they going to complain to their teammates? We graduate almost all our players. We had two go D-I and two go D-II and two go NAIA after last season.”

Jerome, who competed for the Panthers track team as a high jumper and has two younger brothers in the Gateway athletic program, said he will remain an Orlando Magic fan despite his busy schedule.

That dedication will be tested after the Magic traded his favorite player, center Dwight Howard, last week. He hoped that the center would re-sign with Orlando.

Maybe Jerome will one day play for the Magic?

“No, those (NBA) guys are pretty good,” he said.