COOK TWINS ALSO LEAVE THEIR MARK AT SOUTHEAST

Shauna and Sherry Cook are leaving the Southeast Missouri State University women's basketball program in much the same condition they left the Jackson High School girls program.

When the twin sisters left Jackson in 1995, after helping the Lady Indians post a 100-9 record, the program continued to gain momentum. Now as their collegiate careers close, they have seen the Otahkians post their best-ever Division I season. The Southeast program also appears ready to continue climbing.

The roles the pair played, of course, have been vastly different on the college level. When the two started the Jan. 20 home finale against Eastern Illinois it was Sauna's fourth start of the season and 13th of her career. For Sherry, an all-stater in high school, it was her seventh career start and first of the season. The twins exited with 14:01 to go in the half and Eastern Illinois ahead 18-15. Both returned for a few minutes later in the half, as the upstart Lady Panthers took a 46-37 halftime lead.

The Cooks' court time in the second half was extremely limited as the Otahkians fell behind by 18 points before an impressive 30-11 run gave them the lead. They pulled away for a 101-86 victory, keeping alive the team's first-ever unbeaten home season.

With a few exceptions, the contribution of the Whitewater natives has not been in the statistical columns. Sherry played 13 minutes in the Eastern Illinois game, tying for the team lead with four assists. Shauna saw 12 minutes of action. On the year Sherry was averaging 12.5 minutes (2.9 points) per game and Shauna 9.0 minutes (1.7 points).

Other than an amazing 31-point performance by Shauna against Murray State last season and a nine-assist outing by Sherry in an early-season victory at Alcorn State, most of their contributions have in less tangible ways.

"When I think of those two, they really epitomize what a true student-athlete is," said Ed Arnzen, head women's coach. "They're good basketball players, but they're great people. Their parents have to be extremely proud of what they've become."

What they have become are team leaders, big sisters and great examples for underclassmen to follow.

"Both have been a very big help for four years at a variety of positions. And both have worked very, very hard," Arnzen said. "A lot of kids quit on things when we weren't doing well the last two years, but they certainly never did. They hung in there through some trying and difficult days."

They have in turn been able to help others face difficult times and tough transitions.

"They're my roommates and they helped me a lot, coming in," said team scoring leader Paula Corder, who transferred in from Three Rivers this season. "It was kind of strange being away from home, but they made it a lot easier. They're definitely big assets to the program, all the way around."

"They've improved as far as maturity," said Ron Cook, the twins' father and long-time Jackson High School girls coach, "and are understanding their rolls a little bit better as ball players. When Coach Arnzen first recruited them he told me they'd be more of a roll player. I think they accepted that pretty good as the years went on. I'm happy they got the opportunity to play college ball; that's the main thing."

Although they might have seen more playing time at a smaller school, the Cooks have no regrets on choosing Southeast.

"I would still come here, definitely," Shauna said. "I'm from the area and like being close to home. My parents are able to be here, watching. Plus I like the coaches here."

"I like the coaches, too, and I like all the girls," Sherry agreed. "It's been a great year."

And Southeast fans like the Cooks. After their final regular season game at the Show Me Center, fans of all ages hugged and congratulated the pair. One young girl carried a "We love the Twins" poster.

"We appreciate all the support from all the Jackson fans coming over here and from all the SEMO fans," Shauna said, "as well as all the boosters, the coaches, our family and friends for watching us play."

"We thank everybody for everything," Sherry agreed. "We enjoyed it."

"It's been a good run for them and for me, as a father, watching his daughters play," Ron Cook said.

It has also given the identical twins a rare opportunity to continue playing basketball together--something that will end this season, after 16 years.

"It's been a real treat being able to play together. Most people don't experience playing with a sibling," Shauna reflected. "It's been especially neat since we're twins, growing up together, playing basketball. It was a great experience. I could never play without her. It would be really strange."

Basketball will cease to be a daily part of the twins' lives after this academic year. So will their daily time around each other.

"I'll miss playing with her," Sherry said. "It'll be different not seeing her every day at practice and not having basketball around."

"It's weird," Shauna agreed. "Our whole lives, basketball's been part of it and it's not going to be a major part of our life anymore and it's kind of a strange thing. We won't have to go to practice very day. That'll be really weird."

Few Jackson or Southeast fans, though, would doubt that the Cooks will succeed whether together or apart. They have long since established their credentials as winners.