Lawson Lee Commits, Elijah Parks Earns Offer

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>PICTURED: [player_tooltip player_id='2631817' first='Lawson' last='Lee']</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Former Siegel High pitcher [player_tooltip player_id='2631817' first='Lawson' last='Lee'] will play college basketball, a future he envisioned just in the last 18 months.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pro One 17u <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2631817' first='Lawson' last='Lee']</strong> verbally committed to Samford University, a private school in Birmingham, Alabama. Perhaps nobody from Tennessee made more excellent first impressions this summer than Lawson, who added nearly a dozen D1 offers in the last few months.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"Honestly, it felt really good because I didn't really get noticed much for basketball," said [player_tooltip player_id='2631817' first='Lawson' last='Lee'] of everything pre-April. "After I stopped baseball after my sophomore year, I started taking basketball seriously. I started training more, putting more weight, and seeing the results."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Baseball was something Lawson really did well, and basketball was not a distant cousin, but he did not intend to pursue basketball beyond high school back then. The injury to his pitching arm changed that. He strained his growth plate on his throwing arm.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"I was bummed because I have always really enjoyed baseball," said Lawon Lee. "That is my first love. I have always enjoyed basketball too. Once I started picking up a basketball and improving at a high rate...then I fell in love with basketball."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Obviously, Lawson benefits from his height on the court. But his strength and power are anything but a given. He worked to be physically imposing. Often, "filling out" takes years for teenage bigs. Lawson can also move around the lane and rebound outside of his area. The agility is scary and his trajectory terrifying.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Why Samford University?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"The biggest thing to me is I am really raw," said Lee. "I have a lot of upside. Getting connected with Coach Acuff and Coach Murray was big. He has a history of developing guys like me, stretch bigs. He has a history of developing guys like that. The campus was beautiful. It was away from home, which is something I needed. I really enjoyed talking to the players. I would love to be a part of that."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lee's final high school season will be with Battle Ground Academy. And then on to Birmingham.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"I definitely intend on signing in November. I think it what is best for me. I can think I can go there and develop."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2610399' first='Elijah' last='Parks'] </strong>(Lincoln County) earned an offer from Appalachian Bible College. Elijah is an unheralded hooper with a strong academic profile and wonderful guard size at 6-foot-2. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2869668' first='Cole' last='Winters']</strong> (Beech) added an offer from University of the Ozarks.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>UVA-Wise offered State Champion <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2166129' first='Alexander' last='Leeth']</strong> (Knox Webb), a Top 15 prospect in the senior class. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>State Champion <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1642603' first='Owen' last='Lentz']</strong> (Knox Webb) verbally committed to University of Alabama Huntsville late last month. As a junior Owen earned All-State, All-State Tournament, All-Region for the Webb Spartans. UAH offered him late May and he selected them over Lees-McRae, Trevecca Nazarene University, and Chowan offers. Lentz is simply a winner. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->