Born in Columbus, Indiana, Jerry Newsom attended Columbus High School. After high school, Jerry attended Indiana State University, located in Terre Haute, Indiana. He played basketball under head coach Duane Klueh and Gordon Stauffer.
Leading the team in scoring and rebounding his entire career.
He finished his career as the #1 career scorer (he"s now #3) and the #1 rebounder (#2 behind Larry Bird).
Columbus
He led the Bulldogs to consecutive undefeated seasons in 1963 and 1964. Reaching the State Finals in 1964. He led the state in scoring during his Senior year averaging 28 points a game, with a total of 1,325 points in his high school career.
He fell short of winning the Indiana Mr.
Basketball Award to Dennis Brady. Indiana State
He helped lead the Sycamores to three consecutive Interstate Commerce Commission Championships and three National Collegiate Athletic Association College Division (now Division II) Tournaments.
He was part of the "Columbus Connection," as he and two fellow Columbus teammates—Butch Wade and Steve Hollenbeck) all played at Indiana State. These three players led the Sycamores to a record of 46-11 during their two seasons of varsity play.
Wade, a year older than Hollenbeck and Newsom, graduated in 1967.
In his Senior year, he led the Sycamores in scoring with 27.3 points a game while being named a Consensus All-American, and received his third straight First Team All-Interstate Commerce Commission selection. He was a 2nd team All-American following his sophomore season. Jerry scored a career high 41 points on January 10, 1966 against Eastern Illinois, the second most in school history, (at that time) only behind Butch Wade"s 43.
With 2,147 career points he was the first of three Sycamores to reach the 2,000 point plateau, along with Larry Bird and John Sherman Williams.
In 1968, his senior season, Jerry led the Sycamores to the Championship game of the 1968 National Collegiate Athletic Association Men"s Division II Basketball Tournament. He was named Tournament Most Valuable Player and to the All-Tourney team
The Sycamores couldn"t withstand a furious rally by Kentucky Wesleyan. Boston Celtics & Indiana Pacers
Jerry Newsom was selected as the 74th overall pick in the 1968 National Basketball Association Draft by the Boston Celtics.
He was also drafted by the Indiana Pacers in the 1968 American Bar Association Draft, in the 6th-10th rounds.
He did not appear in a professional game but went on to a successful business career in his hometown. He obtained his referee license in order to remain involved in basketball and became a highly respected IHSAA referee.
He was a member of the Indiana All-Star Team.
