College basketball team media days normally are low-key events with routine questions and cliched answers. Missouri State coach Dana Ford reversed that trend on Thursday with a fun finish to the proceedings.
Ford surprised walk-on Tommy Pinegar, a redshirt freshman from Springfield’s Greenwood Laboratory School, by offering him a scholarship at the end of Thursday’s Bears media day in the Great Southern Bank Marty Eddlemon Interview Room.
Under the premise of giving his players “media training,” Ford picked Pinegar to come to the dais — with the rest of the team watching from the back of the room — for a Q & A session. Ford said he would kick it off and asked Pinegar when he first started going to MSU games and who was his favorite MSU player.
Pinegar answered kindergarten and Deven Mitchell. Ford then asked Pinegar if he would like to have a scholarship. Pinegar was momentarily speechless as his teammates went nuts in the back of the room. Pinegar nearly cried as he signed the paperwork.
Pinegar is a Springfield native who made 322 career 3-pointers during his four years at Greenwood, located on the Missouri State campus. He ended his career ranked No. 7 in state high school boys basketball history in 3-pointers made.
The Bears had one scholarship opening after forward Dalen Ridgnal transferred over the summer to Wichita State.
