Seahawks sign three Beaumont recruits

[LamarStatesports]

Three All-District 22-4A student-athletes from Beaumont recently signed letters-of-intent to play basketball for Lamar State College-Port Arthur in 2008-09.

Ozen High School teammates Jacoby Joseph, a 6-6 small forward, and Stephen Moten, a 6-4 power forward, earned first and second team all-district honors, respectively.

Lincoln Charleston, a 6-8 power forward from Beaumont Central High School, was a second team all-district pick.

Lamar State head coach Jerre Cole said these recruits will help the Seahawks as they move from the non-scholarship Division III Metro Athletic Conference to full-scholarship Division I competition in Region XIV, which is considered to be one of the toughest junior college conferences in the nation.

“Lincoln brings us much needed size and strength. We are very lucky to get a skilled big man this late in the recruiting season. I see him making an immediate impact in our program†Cole said. “Stephen is a prototypical junior college power forward. He is undersized, but plays much bigger than 6-4. I really like players who are tough and physical, and that is exactly what Stephen is. 

“Jacoby also is a great get for the Seahawks! He is so versatile and has the ability to score all over the court. I felt like our program got a lot better when Jacoby signed with us.â€

[Trad]

Lamar state -I believe the new and improved Seahawks are headed in the right direction. Everything that I have heard about Coach Cole has been good. He has hit the ground running and scrambling to put together a competitive team for the 09 season. It is good to see he is taking advantage of some of the local talent here. I know some of the new recruits well. I have not met him yet (Coach Cole), but I hope to shortly.

I did hear you on the Bob West show several weeks ago, and you did a very good job. I will give you a solid B on the interview. If you had used a lot of new material, you would have gotten an A. A lot of your talking points were taken right off these pages, not that there is anything wrong with that. I did not believe some of what you were saying, even though I was getting it a 2nd time. But this is not really what I wanted to tell you anyway.

 After a lot of thought and soul searching, I have made my decision about playing for the Seahawks next season.  It really pains me to finally realize that after all these years, my basketball days are just about numbered. (Unless I get picked up by an overseas team.) But I have decided not to play this next season; And I really have you to thank for that. To tell you the truth, I was scared. In the first place having to get back in shape would have been really hard. You were right about me not being in the best of shape. And the part about having to learn more than one offense really got me worried. I really did not like the idea of having to sleep with my playbook and have to learn so many new ways to play basketball. I really believe you will be better off without me. When I saw the list of new players coming to the Seahawk team, I knew I had to do the right thing, the best thing for the team. I really do not want to take any playing time away from those that may be a tad better than me. Some may think they were taller, faster, younger, stronger, and can dribble without looking at the ball, and actually have a good shot at making the basket when they shoot. And I know Coach Cole would have felt an obligation to play me over the new guys because of my experience. I want you to know I am sitting this one out, and I am not going to reconsider no matter what you tell me. So please give my scholarship that I deserve more than most to a really tall player. So what I am really trying to say is,  I quit. Please do not hold my scholarship any longer. I am retiring and now will spend all my free time playing basketball at the YMCA in Port Arthur with all the old guys that still think they can play basketball but can't. It really is sad to watch, but I will be there. I hope I do not get hurt. I know it will be hard but try to carry on without me. I wonder if the Seahawks will consider retiring my number? I could go on, but I think I have embarrassed myself enough. Sincerely, Trad.  P.S.  Please extend my regards to Mr. Vitale. I know he will be heart broken as well.

[Trad]

LamarState: I am actually more excited about this years team than I was last season. I was glad to hear that Joseph and Moten signed with the team. I did not think we had a very good shot at landing Jacoby but I am glad we did.

   I have no doubt that Coach Cole will do his best to put this team in position to win as many games as possible. As you have mentioned before, this is a very tough conference. Beating Angelina and Lee last season makes me believe we will be able to compete in this conference with a bigger, faster team. Last years team was not a bad team at all. They actually had a lot of talent. They were a lot of fun to watch. Most of the home games that I saw the Seahawks play they were in it to the end. For some reason they played a lot better at home. It may have had something to do with the long trip they had to take to get anywhere in their conference.

  Just for the record, I had no choice but to back out on this season. You are the one that put me on the team. I never said I was on the team. And I never said I did not like Coach Bryson. That is simply not true. As with most coaches he did some things that I may have disagreed with, but he was the coach. It was his job to do with the team as he saw fit and it was not my job to like everything he did. I liked going to the games and will more than likely continue to do so.