Kent State University at Tuscarawas is announcing the signing of a 2021 Middletown High School senior to their men's basketball team. On May 10, 2021, Jonathon Risheberger signed a National Letter of Intent to play for the Golden Eagles.
Risheberger was a varsity letter winner for the Middies basketball team and started playing high school basketball during his senior year. He was the fifth leading scorer on the team and led OHSAA DI Middletown, as well as the Greater Miami Conference, by sinking 64.8% of his field goal attempts. As a junior, he averaged 17 points, 11 rebounds and two assists for his AAU team that made it to the semifinals of the season ending tournament before being eliminated. He recorded a double-double that same season and also had three 30-point scoring mgames and seven 20-plus point scoring games.
In the classroom, Risheberger was an A&B Honor Roll student as a freshman for both semesters, while during his senior year he was on the B Honor Roll for the entire year. Another high academic accomplishment was marked when he graduated four months before his fellow 2021 Middletown classmates.
During summer basketball workouts, he volunteered by coaching, refereeing and assisting elementary school basketball players during scrimmages and skills training. He also went to practice more than one hour early each day to give snacks and juice drinks to the elementary players who helped care for the high school uniforms.
"Jonathon is a very hungry and humble young man," said Richard Tharp, Head Men's Basketball Coach for Kent State Tuscarawas. "Just look at what he has accomplished in such a short time playing organized basketball and you will see his desire and commitment to his teammates. He has a nice jumper and certainly has the ability to get to the basket, but it's the opportunities that he creates on the floor that make him so special. Jonathon is a great addition to our program and I look forward to his continued improvement."
Kent State Tuscarawas is a member of the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA).
Jonathon Risheberger signs his LOI while his mother Hope watches.