Jerod Ward
Full Name: Jerod Davanta Ward
Birthdate: May 5, 1976 (he signed the National Letter of Intent on his 18th birthday
Hometown: Clinton, Mississippi
High School: Clinton High School, Clinton, Mississippi
Height: 6-9
Weight: 225
Position: Forward
Jersey Number: 32
Parents: Thomas and Mary Ward (both are ordained non-denominational ministers)
Career Highs:
Minutes: 36, vs. Michigan State 2-17-98
Points: 24, vs. Indiana 2-22-98
Rebounds: 11, vs. Bradley 12-8-97
Assists: 3, three times, last vs. Purdue 1-29-98
FG: 10, vs. Indiana 2-22-98
FGA: 15, vs. Indiana 2-22-98
3-FGM: 5, vs. Purdue 1-16-97
3-FGA: 9, vs. Purdue 1-16-97
FT: 7, three times, last vs. Michigan State 2-17-98
FTA: 11, vs. Duke 12-13-97
Steals: 4, twice, last vs. Northwestern 2-5-98
1997-98 Notes (Senior Year)
Received the Rudy Tomjanovich Most Improved Player Award at the 37th Annual University of Michigan basketball Bust
14 points, 9 rebounds and 4 steals against Cleveland State
21 points and 7 rebounds at Towson State
11 rebounds, 9 points in loss to Bradley
Named Puerto Rico Holiday Classic All-Tournament Team after averaging 16 points and 5 rebounds
13 points, 10 rebounds (7 offensive) in loss to Purdue
18 points against Iowa
19 points (7 of 10 FG), 8 rebounds in win against Northwestern
Season high 3 blocks against Minnesota
14 points, 9 rebounds against Ohio State
22 points in loss at Michigan State
24 points, 10 rebounds in 28 minutes against Indiana
Fourth on the Michigan team in scoring with 12.7 points per game
Has scored in double figures in 22 games his senior season
In last 3 games (Ohio State, Michigan State, Indiana), he averaged 20 points, 7 rebounds per game, and shooting 60% from the field (22 of 37)
Averaged 16.8 points in the last 7 games
Summer of 1997:
Played for the Big Ten All-Stars during an August 7-18 trip to Europe
Averaged 19 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.6 assists on the 6 game tour
Missed the first game with an ankle injury, but came on to lead the team in scoring in the next four games
25 points, 4 of 9 three-pointers and 5 of 6 free-throws, in win over Sheffield Sharks, and English pro team
Scored 24, 19, and 19 points in the next three games against another English pro team and teams in Belguim and Germany
1996-97 (Junior Year)
Played all 35 games for Michigan after playing in just 30 games over his first two years
Started every game at small forward until February 23 at Purdue
Had trouble adjusting to the role off the bench before scoring 15 points in NIT semifinal game against Arkansas
Set career highs in home wins against Purdue with 19 points and 5 three-pointers
Season best 9 rebounds at Northwestern
Key contributer down the strech in one-point win at Duke on the boards and setting three consecutive screens leading to Michigan's last 6 points
Solid outing against Arizona, scoring 11 points with 3 triples
Was most impressive on defensive end, where he had 5 rebounds and flustered Michael Dickerson into 4 of 20 shooting and finished with 9 points (while averaging 25.5 PPG entering the game)
1995-96 (Sophomore Year)
Started 3 of first 10 games of season
Suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament to his left knee in the second half against Washington in mid-December, which sidlined him for the rest of the year
Averaged 7.2 points and 4.8 rebounds
1994-95 (Freshman Year)
Played in 20 games and started 4 early in the season
Best all-around game was 11-point, 10-rebound effort against Arizona in the Great Eight Basketball Festival at the Palace of Auburn Hills
17 points, 7 rebounds against Jackson State, which is located near his hometown
Was showing signs of emerging into one of the team's top players when he suffered a torn meniscus in first half against Michigan State in late January
High School
Won the Naismith Award as the National High School Player of the Year as a senior
McDonald's All-American and First Team All-American pick by Parade magazine, USA Today, Basketball Times and Slam magazine
Was Mississippi's Gatorade Player of the Year
Scored 2,652 points with more than 800 rebounds in three varsity seasons at Clinton
Average 29.8 points and 10.3 rebounds as a senior for a 26-3 varsity team
Posted a 51-point game, a 49-point game, and had a 19-rebound game
Averaged 33.5 points in the state tourament
Led Clinton to the Class 5A state championship as a junior, averaging 29.5 points and 9.3 rebounds
Averaged 27.5 points and 9.5 rebounds as a sophomore
His high school coach was Joel Boone