Jermaine Long did everything for Allen Community College's men's basketball team during the 2015-2016 season.
The 6'3" guard finished second in the Jayhawk Conference in scoring with 20.4 points-per-game. Now he takes those skills to the Division-I level.
"Jermaine has been a great kid here the last couple of years, both on and off the court," Allen coach Andy Shaw said. "He is what you want in a leader, because I never had to worry about him in the classroom or community and he is obviously a very talented basketball player, so I am glad he is being rewarded with a full Division-I scholarship."
On Friday, Long signed with East Tennessee State University.
"East Tennessee State gave me a great feeling," Long said. "It felt like I was one of theirs already and they treated me like I was one of their kids and not just someone they were recruiting."
The Buccaneers finished just six points shy of advancing to the NCAA Tournament last season. They fell in the Southern Conference Championship Game to Chattanooga, 73-67. East Tennessee State finished its season with a 24-12 record.
"They are putting a lot of money into growing the program," Long said of the facilities. "That is why it was a great choice."
The Buccaneer program is led by former-Wichita State assistant coach Steve Forbes. Forbes coached in the junior college ranks from 2011-2013 when he led Northwest Florida State to a 61-6 record before moving on to Wichita State.
"Coach Forbes is a great guy," Long said. "They loved me from the jump. They wanted me and I wanted to go there. It just clicked"
Now Long joins Forbes in Johnson City and the two have a common goal for the upcoming season.
Go dancing.
For Long, he says the ultimate goal is to make the NCAA Tournament and experience college basketball on its grandest stage.
"I am very excited, blessed really," Long said. "I never thought I'd be at a program that actually had a chance to make the NCAA Tournament and have a run."
East Tennessee State replaces its leading scorer from a year ago in guard Ge'Lawn Guyn. Guyn averaged 18.5 points-per-game and was known as a shooter as he shot 42 percent from behind the arc.
Long hopes that when he joins the program he can help carry some of the load that Guyn is leaving behind.
"They have returners that still have the power to get us back to the tournament," Long said. "And when I come in and make an impact, we can actually make a run in the tournament."
Allen and Iola will always be the place where Long was given the opportunity to begin his college basketball career.
"I got a good feel for playing the game here with going up and down and getting stronger," Long said. "I'm from New Orleans, so (Iola) was a big culture shock, but I adjusted to it well. It all worked out great."
Long also had Division-I offers from Albany, New Hampshire and Morehead State.