CHS's LEWIS, JACKSON SIGN WITH SHAWNEE

Two more basketball standouts from Brett Reutzel's Cape Girardeau Central Class 4A district championship team will be taking their games to the next level.

LaVelle Lewis and Laurence Jackson both recently signed letters of intent to play basketball at Shawnee Community College in Ullin, Ill. The two graduating seniors join classmate Nathan Owen, who signed with Southeast Missouri State, as Tigers earning full-ride college scholarships.

Lewis, a 6-foot-2 forward, earned first team all-district and second team all-conference honors as the second-leading scorer for the Tigers with an average of 13 points per game.

Jackson, a 6-foot, 200-pound guard, received first team all-district and all-conference honorable mention honors while averaging 12 points a game. Both players are expected to play guard in college, so they might be fighting for the same position.

"Shawnee likes to get the ball up and down the floor so I don't think it would be a detriment to have them out on the floor at the same time," said Reutzel. "The way (Lewis and Jackson) run the court, it would be an asset."

Lewis, who played in the post for Central, will have to adjust to a new position. But Reutzel thinks Lewis can handle playing outside the paint.

"LaVelle's a scorer," said Reuztel. "He runs the floor so well and has a nose for the basket. He puts the ball in the hole.

"Besides, he plays better in an open style offense and that's the way Shawnee likes to play."

Jackson, one of the Tigers' top defensive players, also has the tools to succeed at Shawnee.

"Laurence's ball-handling skills are fantastic and he gets to the basket as good as anyone," said Reutzel. "He can shoot the three but he's also strong enough to post you up."