Sisters Make National FCA Story

Ferguson sisters are finally on same team

By TOM BONE - Bluefield Daily Telegraph

ATHENS — Jan and Jessica Ferguson are living a “dream come true.” Finally, they’re teammates.The sisters from Nicholas County, four years apart in age, are both on the Concord University basketball team — Jessica is a sharp-shooting senior forward, while Jan is learning the ropes as a freshman point guard.That dream was nurtured as the two, along with a sister and younger brother, played under a backyard backboard growing up. It was threatened by Jan’s back surgeries in junior high school. It was glowing brightly when Jan tied Jessi-ca’s high-school 3-point shooting record.Now it is a reality.After a standout career at Nicholas County High School, Jessica enrolled to play basketball at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. When that didn’t work out, she hit the road for another Athens, the home of Concord, to play ball for Coach Ken Osborne.Jan’s route was even more torturous. She had surgeries in seventh and eighth grade to correct a slipping vertebra in her backbone. “I missed my seventh grade year because I was in a body cast for about three months and a wheelchair for about three or four months. ... I shot around the house a little bit, in my body cast, the best I could. It was hard.“It was tough, being out, but it just made me want to work hard to get back. ... I knew how much I loved the game. ... I got to play in my eighth-grade year because I was only out for two months.”The permanent effect of the fused vertebra is “not too bad,” she said. “I’ve learned how to cope with it, I guess.”In junior high school, Jan tied Jessica’s record of six 3-pointers in a game. In a sectional playoff game at the varsity level, Jan had a similar experience, tying her sister’s record of seven treys.Jan said, “I didn’t even realize she held the record. I didn’t even realize how many I had. It was still a close game. I found out afterward. My mom told me that.“I would’ve liked to have one more, to break it, but I guess it’s good that I tied it.”Jessica said, “She had seven (at the end of) the third quarter. Mom called me and said she’d tied it and had one quarter to go. I always told (Jan), ‘You can go tie my records but I don’t want you to go breaking them or anything.’ She tried really hard the fourth quarter but she ended up with seven for the game.“So we both hold that record together. That’s pretty neat.”Prior to Saturday’s contest at Shepherd, Jessica is third in the West Virginia Confer-ence in 3-pointers made (53), 11th in 3-point percentage (.384) and 13th in the league in scoring average (14.5 points per game) on an 8-8 Concord team.She has blocked 21 shots in 16 games and is ranked second on the team in assists (42) and rebounds (88). The fifth-year senior has again demonstrated her versatility by stepping in at point guard in relief of the equally resourceful Shari Walker.However, Jessica said, her real strength is “coming off the screen and shooting the jumper. I’ve always been really comfortable, since I was little, shooting 3-pointers up.”She feels fortunate to be on a team in which several share similar statistics.“I think that’s definitely one of our strengths. The defense can’t concentrate on one person, because somebody else’ll hurt you. If we can ever get all of us, on one night, scoring a lot, the other team’s in a lot of trouble.” She added, “I think we will.”Osborne said he feels fortunate that Jessica “leads by example. Her work ethic is extraordinary. She’s a great role model on and off the floor; she exemplifies what a student-athlete should be.“She’s not only a good basketball player, but she’s a top-notch student. … We’re proud of her, not only for what she’s done with the team, but clear across campus, with her involvement in FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) and all.”Jessica helped begin an FCA chapter in Athens with the assistance of area director Mike White.“In high school, we had a really big FCA, and I was vice president my senior year,” Jessica said. “When I transferred to Concord, there wasn’t any of that type of athlete Christian Bible study organization. ...“I think my first year here, we started with seven people, and we’ve slowly built up to where this year we average 40 at a meeting. That’s really encouraging. ...“It’s a good opportunity to hang out with other Christian athletes and see how you can influence the rest of the student body. They really look up to athletes, I believe, and (we can) use it as a tool to spread the Word.”Her leadership continues at the athletic center. Jessica said, “I think the younger players do look to the seniors for a lot of leadership. As far as I go, I’m not real vocal. If they ask me, I’ll try to help them out or take them off to the side and help them, but as far as, like in practice, yelling or telling everybody that’s what you do, that’s not my style.“But I do believe that that’s one of our responsibilities ... to help them adjust to the college game.”She got the chance with her younger sister. Jan said, “She always tells me little things to do. If my shot’s not on, she’ll always be like, ‘Just move your foot back a little bit,’ things like that.“She’s a better shooter than me. She always has been. ... She’s helped me a lot.”Jessica said, “I’ve actually never played with her before, on a team, because she’s four years younger. But (with me) being a fifth-year senior, that’s really been neat that I’ve got to play with her.“And I’m proud of her. She’s had some struggles as far as health issues and stuff ... but to be able to overcome that and see her play basketball, it’s pretty neat.”Jan said, “I wanted to come here and play with Jessica. But I like this school, and I like Coach Osborne, and I like pretty much everything about it here. It’s a good fit for me.”Jessica said, “That’s been one of her dreams, to play (in college), since she was little. And playing in the backyard, she’s always been very competitive. ... Even though my younger brother is five years younger than Jan, she’d still knock him down if he came inside.“I think she’s a very hard worker. As far as point guard, right now, that’s where we really need somebody, with Jamie (Cluesman) out. Hopefully, she’ll be able to step in and help us out there.“As far as being a smart player on the court, she definitely knows the game of basketball. And she’s a very good listener. ... She takes criticism well, which is hard for a lot of players.”Osborne said that Jan’s time has been limited, but “she’s put forth good effort. We got a lift from her when she got on the floor, particularly her shooting.”The coach said, “They’re both quality individuals. They have two different personalities — Jan’s a lot more outgoing; Jessica is quiet and reserved.”Asked about the Lady Lions’ future, Jan said, “I think we have a lot of potential. I’m really excited. I can’t wait to see what happens. I think we can get on a little roll here, and we’ll be doing good.”Jessica, in contrast, is coming to grips with her last few months in uniform. “I’m definitely feeling it this year,” the senior graphic design major said. “I always make fun, that I’m old, and after every game I’m always sore and stuff. “But ... I’ve had a good career, and it’s time to move on and do other things.”One of those things she hopes to do is to keep her little sister motivated. “I have to keep her in shape, and beat up on her a little bit, and make sure she’s doing her workouts,” Jessica said.Jan’s future may lie at point guard, but she appears happy with the present.“I feel lucky. It’s a dream come true, to me, to keep playing basketball.”— Contact Tom Bone attbone@bdtonline.com