The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

A PAIR of University of Texas Longhorns student athletes led their respective programme’s Hurricane Dorian relief recovery initiatives.

In an effort to provide aid and supplies to local victims of Hurricane Dorian, Texas Athletics partnered with the Austin Disaster Relief Network to host a supply drive which concluded yesterday.

The initiative began last Friday, September 20 at the Texas vs. Texas A and M volleyball match at Gregory Gym.

Kai Jones was joined by his men’s basketball teammates while Lashann Higgs was joined by her women’s basketball teammates on site to collect supply donations.

“Thankfully the island where I’m from wasn’t heavily affected by this, but some of my family and close friends have definitely been affected by this hurricane,” Jones said. “Hopefully we can get all the supplies we need to help those back home. It would mean a lot to me and it would mean a lot to the community.”

Higgs said: “As all know about Hurricane Dorian and the effect it has had on the islands of Freeport and Abaco, it is important that we show compassion and support for each other so we are collecting any sort of items that could possibly help with the recovery and relief of the hurricane.”

In addition to Friday’s volleyball match, supplies were accepted everyday at the Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Donated supplies will be taken to the Austin Disaster Relief Network to be shipped to the Bahamas.

Jones, an incoming member of the 2019 freshman class, came to Texas as one of the top 50 Prep Basketball recruits in America. He was listed at No. 49 in the final ranking of the ESPN Top 100 for the Class of 2019 following his standout season at Brewster Prep Academy in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire.

Listed at 6’10” 193 pounds, Jones earned a scout grade of 88 overall and was ranked No.13 among all centres, No.12 in his region and No.1 in the state of New Hampshire. His Brewster Academy Bobcats claimed the 2019 National Prep School Championship title with a 67-51 win over Scotland Campus (Pennsylvania).

Jones, a consensus four-star recruit, chose the Longhorns over the Florida State Seminoles and Baylor Bears. He became the fifth Bahamian player to join either Longhorns basketball programme following Locksley Collie (1989-91), Dexter Cambridge (1990 - 92), Shaquille Cleare (2015 - 17) and Higgs (2015 – present).

In August, the Big 12 approved a hardship waiver for Higgs, making the senior guard eligible to return to the Longhorns for the 2019-20 season.

In November 2018, Higgs was diagnosed with a season-ending torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her left knee. Recovery time for the injury is traditionally 9-12 months.

Higgs has appeared in 107 career games for the Longhorns and has scored 1,019 career points. She played in just four games of her senior season before suffering the season-ending injury.

Though sidelined, Higgs received her third selection to the Academic All-Big 12 teams. She was one of just eight student athletes in the conference this year to have at least three selections.

Through three games, she was averaging 16.3 points, five rebounds and 4.3 assists per game on 56 per cent shooting from the field.

Despite her limited time on the floor last season, she became the 44th player in Texas history to reach the 1,000-point plateau.

Higgs entered her senior season projected to be one of the top players in the Big 12 conference and was named to the 10-member Preseason All-Big 12 Team.