BECK SIGNS OFF ON A RAM DISTRACTION

SCOTT CITY -- Jon Beck wants to have a worry-free senior season of high school basketball as he tries to lead Scott City's Rams to a place they've never been before -- the state tournament.

That's why Beck decided to take advantage of the early signing period that began Wednesday. In a ceremony at the school, Beck signed a letter of intent with Arkansas State, the defending Sun Belt Conference champion.

"I'm really excited," said the 5-foot-11 Beck, one of the state's premier guards. "I'm going to an excellent program and a very good school. And I really wanted to sign early so all the phone calls will stop. I'll be able to sleep real good now. I just want to concentrate on getting to state."

The Rams, who have won three straight district titles, thought they had an excellent chance of making the Class 2A Final Four last season -- but then misfortune struck Beck.

During a practice the week of the sectional game with Portageville, Beck suffered a serious concussion. He gallantly tried to play against Portageville but was totally ineffective.

"What happened last year just made me sick," Beck said. "I felt real bad that I couldn't help the team. But we're going to get there this year."

Scott City coach Derek McCord would like nothing better than for Beck's prediction to come true. But even if it doesn't, he knows just how much his star player has meant to Rams basketball.

"We've been ranked in the top 10 in the state the last three years and Jon is one of the main reasons we've had the success we've had," said McCord. "He has just been a pleasure to coach because of his work ethic and the type of person he is.

"It just goes to show that you don't have to be a 6-8 or 6-9 kid to play major-college basketball. He's a product of hard work and dedication. He just loves the game. He's got a passion for it. And he's a winner."

Beck, a deadly shooter who also possesses impressive quickness, averaged 22.1 points per game and earned first-team Class 2A all-state honors as he helped lead the Rams to a 27-3 record last season.

In one of the area's top individual performances in recent years, Beck hit a state-record 16 3-pointers and scored 59 points during a win over Egyptian, Ill. The 16 3-pointers rank fifth nationally on the all-time high school list.

Beck averaged 13.3 points per game as a sophomore as Scott City went 25-5. He was the sixth man as a freshman on the Rams' team that went 27-4.

"I think we knew as a freshman that Jon was a special player," McCord said. "Watching the stuff he did off the dribbles as a freshman against the older kids, the way he stayed after practice and just wanted to work to get better, that's not typical for a lot of high school kids."

Beck smiles when his work habits are mentioned.

"I work hard because I love getting better," he said.

McCord has taken his Scott City squads to team camps at Arkansas State for several years and the Indians starting paying attention to Beck around his sophomore season. He soon fell in love with the school and campus.

"They've sent me letters I guess since I was a sophomore," Beck said. "I really love the school and the town (Jonesboro), and the coaches are great. They're real motivational, which is the way I like it."

But Beck pointed out that, even though he's liked Arkansas State for some time, it wasn't always a done deal that he would sign with the Indians.

Another group of Indians -- Southeast Missouri State University -- made quite an impression after head coach Gary Garner and his assistants came on the season prior to last season.

"I really liked SEMO and all the coaches. It was definitely down to those two schools," Beck said. "But I just decided that Arkansas State would be best for me."

Beck, who said he plans to major in kinesiology and would like to some day own his own health club, can't wait for the day when he actually begins his college career.

"I really looking forward to it," he said.

But in the meantime, he's going to totally enjoy his senior year of high school -- and a worry-free one at that.