Camara commits to Jacksonville University

Gaston College's athletic program restart continues to pay dividends as the school's first major college basketball commitment was made on Thursday by Rhinos' 6-foot-7 sophomore Kalil Camara.

Camara committed to play for Jacksonville University of the Atlantic Sun Conference after also receiving offers from five other NCAA Division I schools - Bryant, Cleveland State, Robert Morris, South Carolina State and Stony Brook.

Camara's commitment comes a month after Gaston College baseball players Zach Zedalis (South Carolina) and Chandler Riley (Campbell) became the school's first college scholarship signees.

"It feels real good to be the first recruit for a school that didn't have basketball or a recruit for 50 years," Camara said.

Camara said Jacksonville's commitment from a longtime friend, Albany Tech point guard Jalen Nesmith, aided the Dolphins' cause in securing Camara's commitment.

"Their connection with me and the connection with one of my best friends that I've been playing with since the sixth grade made a difference," Camara said. "We have pushed each other since we were very young. If there's anybody who knows my game, it's him. So to have the opportunity to play with him at Jacksonville is something I look forward to."

Camara, a 2019 graduate of Our Saviour Lutheran School in Bronx, N.Y., played at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M for two seasons before using his final season of junior college eligibility that was granted because of the COVID-19 pandemic to play at Gaston College.

After averaging 7.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 2019-20 and 8.3 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 2020-21 at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, Camara is averaging 10.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 11 starts for the Rhinos.

"This place has been incredible from the start for me," Camara said. "They teach you how to become a better person, a better player and a better individual. I'm just blessed and I thank Gaston College and (head) coach (David "Dickey") Nutt and (associate head) coach (Jamie) Rosser for everything."

Nutt and Rosser have a solid connection with Jacksonville University head coach Jordan Mincy.

"I'm so proud of Kalil and his decision to go play for Jacksonville University," Nutt said. "He's going to play for a high level coach that will have a family environment with a strong culture complete with total discipline. Kalil has improved so much since his arrival and we are so pleased with his decision. I've known Jordan Mincy for a long time in part due to my assistant coach Jamie Rosser who serves as a mentor to him. We know he's building a foundation of toughness and, most importantly, character at Jacksonville University. Kalil will be able to thrive not only as a player but as a man in coach Mincy's program."

Born in Manhattan, N.Y., Camara's background is from West Africa as his father is from Guinea-Conakry and his mother is from Mali by way of Senegal. That background helped Camara learn several languages. "I speak Mandingo, SaranKulay, French, English and a little bit of Twi from Ghana," Camara said. "I'm very proud of my heritage."

For now, Camara and the Rhinos are focused on finishing up strong before the holidays. Gaston College is 8-4 overall entering Sunday's 3 p.m. non-conference game at Pitt Community College in Greenville, N.C., and will close out the first-semester schedule at home on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Gaston Christian against Blue Lights College.

"What a lot of people don't know is that even though it's a first-year program, these coaches did a great job getting a lot of hidden gems from around the country like Damon Davis, Jaylen (Bates), me, Da'marco (Watson) and the others. I knew we were going to be good from the first day I met these guys. We've worked hard and done everything coach Nutt has asked. I wish we were together for another year or two because this is a great group of guys."