Dave Jamerson
John David Jamerson is an American former professional basketball player who was selected by the Miami Heat in the first round of the 1990 NBA draft. Jamerson played for the Houston Rockets, Utah Jazz and New Jersey Nets in three National Basketball Association seasons as well as four Continental Basketball Association teams.
Jamerson was the first NCAA Division I men's basketball player to make 14 three-point shots in a single game. Although this NCAA record for most single-game three-point shots made has been eclipsed, his name remains listed several times in the annual NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Record Book. Jamerson remains the Mid-American Conference single-season three-point shots made, single-game three-point shots made, single-game scoring and single conference game scoring record holder. Additionally, holds several Ohio Bobcat school records.
As a college basketball senior, Jamerson finished third in the nation in scoring and first in three-point shots/game with. He was the 1990 Mid-American Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year as well as a 1990 Academic All-America selection. In addition to his three-point shooting excellence, he once led the MAC and once led the Continental Basketball Association in free throw shooting percentage. In high school, he was an All-Ohio first team selection.
High school career
Jamerson graduated from Stow-Munroe Falls High School. As a senior, he averaged 34 points per game. He also averaged 5 rebounds, 5 assists, a 58% field goal percentage and 85% free throw percentage. He was an Associated Press 1985 Class AAA All-Ohio first team selection and the Northeast Ohio Class AAA player of the year. Jamerson played two years of high school varsity basketball. By the fall of his senior year when he committed to Ohio he had received scholarship offers from Kent State, Penn State, St. Bonaventure and Akron. As a senior, his team won 22 consecutive games before losing in the Class AAA District Tournament semifinal to Central-Hower High School 75-62.College career
After his freshman season for the 1985–86 Bobcats during which he averaged 14 points per game, he injured a knee on the team 1986 10-game European summer trip and missed the entire season. For the 1986–87 NCAA Division I men's basketball season the National Collegiate Athletic Association introduced the three-point shot.Jamerson returned as a redshirt sophomore for the 1987-88 Bobcats. On November 28, 1987, he scored a then career-high 39 points, while Scott Tedder scored 50 points leading to an upset over the Bobcats. Jamerson was an honorable mention All-MAC honoree when his 85.1% free throw percentage led the MAC. As of 2018, his 1988 MAC men's basketball tournament 15-15 free throw performance remained a Mid-American Conference men's basketball tournament single-tournament record. He was a member of the 1988 All-MAC Tournament team.
On February 25, 1989, Jamerson connected from with 1 second left in overtime to finish with 21 points and give Ohio a 77-74 victory over. He was second team All-MAC as a junior. He was a 1989 Academic All-MAC honoree for the 1988–89 team.
On December 21, 1989, against the Golden Eagles of the University of Charleston, Jamerson set a single-game record by becoming the first NCAA Division I men's basketball player to make fourteen three-point shots in a game. He went 14-17 and had a streak of 9 consecutive three-point shots in the first half. Before head coach Larry Hunter removed him with 8:33 to remaining to play, he scored 60 points in the Ohio victory, which set Ohio Bobcat, Convocation Center arena and Mid-American Conference single-game point total records. Jamerson scored 40 points on December 29, 1989, to keep Ohio in the contest against Washington State until they surrendered a three-point play with 1 second left to lose 72-69. The following night Jamerson scored 39 to lead Ohio to a comeback win against. He shot 8 for 16 on three pointers including four consecutive late in the first half to cut the deficit to 39-35. Jamerson was the nation's second leading scorer when he posted 52 points against on February 24, 1990. That tied the MAC single-conference game scoring record set twice by Jimmy Darrow and was the most points ever scored either for or against Kent State. As a senior for the 1989–90 Bobcats, Jamerson was a first team All-MAC honoree when he led the MAC in scoring and three-point shots per game. He also earned a spot on the 1990 All-MAC Tournament team. Jamerson was also a First team 1990 Academic All-America selection and repeated as an Academic All-MAC selection. He led the 1989-90 Bobcats in both scoring with 874 pts and rebounding 179 rebs.. That year he played alongside teammate Tom Jamerson, his younger brother.
After his college career at Ohio, Jamerson was underestimated despite finishing third nationally in scoring because the school had not produced an NBA player since Howie Jolliff in the early 1960s. He participated in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, earning tournament MVP honors and a late invitation to the Orlando All-Star Classic. Jamerson turned heads both on hot shooting nights and his off games when he had to demonstrate his all around game during the summer all-star circuit.
Legacy
Jamerson's 60-point/14-three point shot performance established several records. The previous school single-game record had been 45 by Fred Moore in 1957. The previous conference record had been 53 by Tommie Johnson. Scott Tedder of Ohio Wesleyan set the arena record with 50 points on November 28, 1987, which still stood as the visiting player record as of 2023. His NCAA record total of 14 three-point shots was not matched until Askia Jones went 14-18 on March 24, 1994, for of the Big Eight Conference against of NCAA Division I Western Athletic Conference. It was not surpassed until Keith Veney posted 15 on December 14, 1996, for Marshall of the Southern Conference against of the Ohio Valley Conference.Also as of 2018, his single-season three-point shot total of 131 and average of 4.68 per game were still standing conference records. His single-season point total of 874 stood as a conference record from 1990 until 2017 when Marcus Keene posted 959. His conference record 14 single-game three point shots was tied by Ronald Blackshear on March 1, 2002, but had not been surpassed as of the beginning of the 2018-19 season. When his college basketball eligibility expired, his career total of 2,336 points was second in MAC history to Ron Harper. Since no MAC player had scored 52 points since he tied the conference single-game scoring record, he still shared that record as of 2018.
Jamerson is listed five times in the NCAA's 2022-23 Division I Men's Basketball Record book: 1.) 3rd in scoring in 1990 31.2 points per game, 2.) 1990 national leader with 4.68 three-point shots per game, 3.) the 60-point game is listed as tied for 13th in the annual top 25 update for single-game scoring highs 14 single-game three point shots made is listed as tied for 4th in annual top 25 update, and 5.) 4.68 single-season three point shots per game is listed 6th in the annual top 25 update.
According to the Ohio Men's Basketball 2023–24 Record Book Jamerson currently holds the following school records: career points, career field goals made, single-season points, single-season scoring average, single-season three-point shots made, single-game points, single-game field goals made, single-game three point field goals made, single-game three-point field goal percentage, Per the same source, he formerly held the following school records: career three-point field goals made, career three-point field goal percentage, single-season field-goals made.
Many of Jamerson's records are for three-point shots. When he established his three-point shot records, the three-point line was at, but for the 2008–09 NCAA Division I men's basketball season, the line was extended to. For the 2019–20 NCAA Division I men's basketball season, the line was further extended to.
Jamerson's #33 jersey was retired during halftime in a banner-raising ceremony during a January 24, 2007, game at Ohio University' Convocation Center. He was inducted into the Ohio Athletics Hall of Fame in 1995. In 2015, he was inducted into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame. At the time he had a wife and four children.