Jaydon Elridge became a 1,000-point scorer and an all-state player this season and will be a college basketball player.

Jaydon Eldridge Signing Photo Gallery

The Mexico senior signed to play for Division I junior college Olney Central College in Olney, Illinois, at a ceremony on May 7 at the Mexico Sports Complex. Eldridge was the leading scorer at 17.4 points per game for a 23-7 Bulldogs team that advanced to the state quarterfinals for the third time in four years.

Eldridge also averaged 4.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.6 steals, 42 percent shooting, 71 percent free-throw shooting and 35 percent 3-point shooting this season. He said he plans to study business at the school that seemed to be the best fit for him.

“The coaches bought me in (to the program),” Eldridge said. “I really like the coaches, and I really like what they have in their future coming to them. They said I can go there to develop, and I can do whatever I want from there. It’s the best route for me.”

In his four-year varsity career, Eldridge is a two-time all-conference player, a two-time MSHSAA all-district player (including being named the Class 4 District 8 player of the year this season), a KMZU Dream Team member this season and a Northeast Media all-district team member last season. He made 60 shots from 3-point territory as part of 162 in his four-year varsity career along with scoring 1,171 points for a 11.5 average per game. 

Head coach Darren Pappas said Eldridge developed “tremendously” during his career after putting in many “unseen hours.” Pappas is confident Eldridge will further develop at Olney Central with its coaches and in its league after featuring a good skill set as a freshman and turning into a good leader as a senior.

“As a player, he wasn’t just a shooter,” Pappas said. “He was able to put it on the floor and get to the rim. This year, he was able to get that tough bucket when we needed it to either stop momentum or increase the lead or calm things down.”

Eldridge said he started seriously thinking about playing college basketball in his eighth-grade year but thought his skills started measuring up to the college level during his junior year. He said he played AAU ball during the summer that had him play in Kansas City and St. Louis within the state but also out of state in places like Texas and Indiana. In other states, Eldridge said players are “extremely physical” so that toughened him up physically and mentally.

“That’s when I really started getting after it,” Eldridge said. “My body started developing, and I started jumping higher than everybody else.”

Pappas said he will miss having the “go-to” player that Eldridge became but is proud of what accomplished as a Bulldog and wants to see what he can do at the next level. Eldridge scored at least 20 points in Mexico’s four postseason games this season, including 20 points against No. 1 and state champion Vashon in the state quarterfinals. 

“The run that he made in districts, putting us on his back in the two district games, led us to those two wins,” Pappas said. “His last game here at home against the No. 1 team in Class 4, he definitely put himself on the map and definitely upped his recruiting.”

Eldridge said the Vashon game was definitely his favorite moment in his four years because of the atmosphere in his final high school game overall and at home. He said Pappas has even invited Eldridge to his house to talk to him and “really makes you feel at home.”

“What I will really miss is coach Pappas and Bosco (Dion Nunnelley) because they really pushed me to be the best player I can be today,” Eldridge said. “When I was struggling, they were ready to come talk to me.”