Mott Community College: Jeremie Simmons set to sign with the Ohio State University

by Jared Field

Saturday April 26, 2008, 11:16 PM

Holly Hart | The Flint JournalMott's Jeremie Simmons was being heavily recruited by Alabama, Dayton, Butler, South Florida and Valparaiso before committing to the Buckeyes this weekend.

The NJCAA national player of the year, Mott's Jeremie Simmons, confirmed by phone late Saturday night his oral commitment to the Ohio State University and the Buckeyes' head coach, Thad Matta.

Simmons, a 6-2 guard from Chicago who led Mott Community College to two national championships, spent the last two days in Columbus before returning home Saturday night.

Simmons averaged 21 points and five assists for the Bears in 2007-2008 and won 70 games against only five losses in two years in Flint. Simmons started in all 75 games.

Simmons spurned Alabama, South Florida, Dayton, Butler and Valaparaiso among others. His only other official visit was to South Florida in April.

Simmons expects to sign with the Bucks on Monday.

He joins former Flint-area prep standout Anthony Crater, of Flint Southwestern, in Columbus this fall. Crater, who spent this past season at Brewster Academy, a boarding school in New Hampshire, verballed to the Buckeyes while he was still at Southwestern.