#ProJacks Report: Thompson Signs with Manchester Basketball, Templeton Shines Back Home in Lone Star State
8/5/2026 3:20:00 PM | General
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – Former Lumberjack standout Keon Thompson will begin his professional career across the pond as the Merrillville, Indiana native has signed with Manchester Basketball of the Super League Basketball (SLB); the top tier professional basketball championship in the United Kingdom. The club confirmed the signature on Monday, August 3.
The Southland Conference Player of the Year this past season, Thompson set a new single-season scoring record at SFA, garnered SLC All-Tournament honors and was a finalist for the Lou Henson Mid-Major Player of the Year award.
Thompson, who worked out for a handful of NBA teams this summer, hits the pro hardwood on Monday, September 14 in Bulgaria against Würzburg Baskets. For a full schedule, visit HERE.
Cody Templeton recorded a dozen innings over his last two outings back for the Milwaukee Milkmen. Templeton was back home in his native Texas and fired 7.0 innings of two-hit baseball with eight punchouts in a 5-3 win over the Cleburne Railroaders on July 28. Less than a week later, he added five more innings to his ledger with four strikeouts. In 14 appearances in his first professional summer, the Buda, Texas native has totaled 47.2 innings with 45 strikeouts at 8.5 per nine.
Recently named the Trenton Thunder's player of the week following an impressive five-game stretch in the MLB Draft League, Julian Swift's plate prowess continued into August as the former Jack hit his second home run of the season: a shot into the left field seats that measured over 370 feet and left the park with an exit velo of 94.9 mph.
Swift has played in 18 games this summer and is hitting .319 in 69 at bats. He has collected 22 hits with four doubles and two homers. The All-Southland honoree this past spring, Swift is responsible for 12 RBI and 16 runs scored.
Will Vest saw his 2026 campaign come to an end after electing to have surgery to repair a fractured bone at the base of his elbow. This season, Vest appeared in 27 games for the Detroit Tigers this season with nine finishes, three wins and two saves with 27 strikeouts over 26.2 innings.
Willie Jefferson added another sack to his 2026 ledger against British Columbia and has now recorded a sack in four-straight games with six in eight games with Winnipeg in his 12th Canadian Football League season. The Blue Bombers are currently 4-4 and tied for third in the West Division. Winnipeg is off in Week 10 and will return to action on Friday, August 14 at 7:30 pm CT in a home matchup with Ottawa.
Josiah Cotton | Milan Rhinos | Italian Football League
Kevon Harris | Xinjiang Flying Tigers | Chinese Basketball Association
Qualan Jones | Toronto Argonauts of the CFL | Practice Squad
Thomas Walkup | Olympiacos of the GBL and EuroLeague | Offseason
NFL TRAINING CAMPS OPEN LEAGUE-WIDE:
Charles Demmings:
--- Keen Focus, Faith & Freestyle Rap Making Impression at Vikings Camp
Xavier Gipson:
--- Giants WR/PR/KR Xavier Gipson Facing a Last Chance to Stick with Big Blue
John Franklin-Myers:
--- Franklin-Myers' Explanation for Why He Signed with the Titans Will Fire You Up
--- Titans' John Franklin-Myers wants to bring physicality to the defense
Follow sfajacks.com for more Pro Jacks training camp news as the 2026 NFL season draws near.
NFL SCHEDULE NOTES: The Vikings and Giants open preseason action on August 15 and Minnesota travels to New Orleans on October 11. The Titans and the Giants meet Week 3; Tennessee plays at Dallas on November 22 and will close out the regular season in Houston. The Giants make two trips to Texas, the first on October 25 for a Week 7 tilt at Houston and on January 3 against NFC East rival Dallas.
FULL 2026 SCHEDULES: VIKINGS | TITANS | GIANTS
FOLLOW THE LUMBERJACKS
For all the latest information on SFA athletics, visit SFAjacks.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Lumberjacks on X, Instagram and Facebook.
The Southland Conference Player of the Year this past season, Thompson set a new single-season scoring record at SFA, garnered SLC All-Tournament honors and was a finalist for the Lou Henson Mid-Major Player of the Year award.
Thompson, who worked out for a handful of NBA teams this summer, hits the pro hardwood on Monday, September 14 in Bulgaria against Würzburg Baskets. For a full schedule, visit HERE.
Cody Templeton recorded a dozen innings over his last two outings back for the Milwaukee Milkmen. Templeton was back home in his native Texas and fired 7.0 innings of two-hit baseball with eight punchouts in a 5-3 win over the Cleburne Railroaders on July 28. Less than a week later, he added five more innings to his ledger with four strikeouts. In 14 appearances in his first professional summer, the Buda, Texas native has totaled 47.2 innings with 45 strikeouts at 8.5 per nine.
Recently named the Trenton Thunder's player of the week following an impressive five-game stretch in the MLB Draft League, Julian Swift's plate prowess continued into August as the former Jack hit his second home run of the season: a shot into the left field seats that measured over 370 feet and left the park with an exit velo of 94.9 mph.
Swift has played in 18 games this summer and is hitting .319 in 69 at bats. He has collected 22 hits with four doubles and two homers. The All-Southland honoree this past spring, Swift is responsible for 12 RBI and 16 runs scored.
Will Vest saw his 2026 campaign come to an end after electing to have surgery to repair a fractured bone at the base of his elbow. This season, Vest appeared in 27 games for the Detroit Tigers this season with nine finishes, three wins and two saves with 27 strikeouts over 26.2 innings.
Willie Jefferson added another sack to his 2026 ledger against British Columbia and has now recorded a sack in four-straight games with six in eight games with Winnipeg in his 12th Canadian Football League season. The Blue Bombers are currently 4-4 and tied for third in the West Division. Winnipeg is off in Week 10 and will return to action on Friday, August 14 at 7:30 pm CT in a home matchup with Ottawa.
Josiah Cotton | Milan Rhinos | Italian Football League
Kevon Harris | Xinjiang Flying Tigers | Chinese Basketball Association
Qualan Jones | Toronto Argonauts of the CFL | Practice Squad
Thomas Walkup | Olympiacos of the GBL and EuroLeague | Offseason
NFL TRAINING CAMPS OPEN LEAGUE-WIDE:
Charles Demmings:
--- Keen Focus, Faith & Freestyle Rap Making Impression at Vikings Camp
Xavier Gipson:
--- Giants WR/PR/KR Xavier Gipson Facing a Last Chance to Stick with Big Blue
John Franklin-Myers:
--- Franklin-Myers' Explanation for Why He Signed with the Titans Will Fire You Up
--- Titans' John Franklin-Myers wants to bring physicality to the defense
Follow sfajacks.com for more Pro Jacks training camp news as the 2026 NFL season draws near.
NFL SCHEDULE NOTES: The Vikings and Giants open preseason action on August 15 and Minnesota travels to New Orleans on October 11. The Titans and the Giants meet Week 3; Tennessee plays at Dallas on November 22 and will close out the regular season in Houston. The Giants make two trips to Texas, the first on October 25 for a Week 7 tilt at Houston and on January 3 against NFC East rival Dallas.
FULL 2026 SCHEDULES: VIKINGS | TITANS | GIANTS
FOLLOW THE LUMBERJACKS
For all the latest information on SFA athletics, visit SFAjacks.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Lumberjacks on X, Instagram and Facebook.
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