Lamar State-PA basketball team opens season Thursday in Beeville

[KFDM COOP]

October 31, 2007

Lamar State-PA basketball team opens season Thursday in Beeville

Lamar State College-Port Arthur head basketball coach Don Bryson

heads into Thursday's season opener at Coastal Bend College in Beeville with

a much stronger team than the ones he coached in his first three years at

the college.

This year, Bryson has a larger roster and more talented players,

including 10 who earned all-district honors in high school.

In the early years, Bryson often had a short list of players, and

many who weren't ready for the intense competition they saw against Division

I schools that provide full scholarships, housing and meals for their

athletes. Lamar State currently is playing in Division III, with no

scholarships. The Seahawks will join the Division I Region XIV conference

for the 2008-09 season.

By the time the Seahawks reached the Metro Conference Tournament

this past March, Bryson had only six players on the active roster. Starting

guard Noah Cole was knocked unconscious during the first half of the first

tournament game, leaving only five players to finish the contest, which the

Seahawks won, 72-69.

"We've seen improvement every year, and that's certainly true this

year," Bryson said. "Although we only have two players returning - Noah and

forward Cody Guidry - our team quickness and shooting is considerably better

than last year. We have several players now who can hit from the outside,

which will help our inside game."

Cole, a 5'-11" sophomore from Vidor, earned all-conference honorable

mention this past year and is continuing where he left off at the end of the

season.

"Noah has been working on his game in the off-season," Bryson said.

"He also is doing what it takes to be a leader on the floor."

Guidry (6'-4"), a sophomore from Hamshire-Fannett, had to play

"tall" last year as a forward, often guarding players who were several

inches taller, Bryson said.

"This year, we've got some other tall folks, so Cody will be able to

move around," Bryson said. "He does whatever is necessary to help the team,

no matter what position he plays. You can always count on him to be around

the ball."

This year's Seahawks squad includes two of Cole's former teammates

at Vidor - brothers George and Jason Williamson, who both earned

all-district first team honors. George, a 2005 graduate, was the runner-up

for the James Gamble "Mr. Outside" Award and the offensive player of the

year as a senior. Jason was the team's MVP in 2007.

Bryson also has some players who are returning to the area after

playing at other schools.

Point guard Jemel Douriso, a finalist for the James Gamble "Mr.

Outside" Award in 2004, is a Port Neches-Groves graduate who earned district

offensive player of the year, all-district and all-region honors.

Former Ozen High School teammates Andre "P-Nutt" Boutte, formerly at

Lee College, and David Redmon, formerly at Angelina College, are reunited at

Lamar State. 

Sam Stelly, a 6'-4" forward, was one of the top high school tight

ends in the state when he graduated from Beaumont West Brook in 2006 and

signed with Southern University.

Seth Harley (6'-4"), a 2006 graduate of Little Cypress-Mauriceville

High School and former all-district and all-region player, was a basketball

and football standout in high school. He received a football scholarship

from McNeese State University, but decided to return home and pursue

basketball this year.

Bryson's team also includes 6'-5" post John Payton, who earned

all-district and all-state recognition at Cathedral High School in Beaumont,

and 6'-4" forward Gerald Griffin, a two-year all-district player at Lake

Charles Washington-Marion High School.

2007-08 Lamar-Port Arthur Seahawks Roster

Name/Number Ht/Wt    Year Position

High School

   10 Jemel Douriso 5'-10" 150 freshman

guard   Port Neches-Groves, 2004

   12 David Redmon 5'-10" 165 freshman guard

Beaumont Ozen, 2006

   13 Jason Williamson 6'-1" 185 freshman

guard   Vidor, 2007

   14 Raybon "R.J." Phillips 6'-1" 185 freshman forward

Starks (LA), 2007

* 15 Noah Cole 5'-11" 175 sophomore

guard   Vidor, 2006

   20 George Williamson 6'-5" 180 sophomore

forward   Vidor, 2005

   21 Gerald Griffin 6'-4" 175 freshman

guard/forward   Lake Charles Marion, 2007

   22 Michael Palermo 6'-5" 210 freshman post

Port Neches-Groves, 2007

* 24 Cody Guidry 6'-4" 185 sophomore

guard/forward   Hamshire-Fannett, 2006

   25 Seth Harley 6'-4" 225 freshman

forward/guard   LC-Mauriceville, 2006

   30 Sam Stelly 6'-4" 235 sophomore

forward Beaumont West Brook, 2006

   31 John Payton 6'-5" 250 freshman post

Beaumont Cathedral, 2006

   32 Andre "P-Nut" Boutte Jr. 6'-5" 205 sophomore

guard/forward   Beaumont Ozen, 2006

(* returning from 2006-07 team)

[Guest abovetherim]

Go Seahawks!

[KFDM COOP]

8) They'll win!!

[UNLV]

I would rather LSPA play LU in Port Arthur for one of the exhibition games.