basketball recruiting. Gray coming to UL

[Oldman]

hail all basketball and cajun fans, fresh news, derrick gray, 6'2" guard from jeanerette signs with the cajuns, he's a shooting guard who can light it up.

[bigearl]

do you have any of his vital or statistical info?

[Rebel02]

The major question is: Is he eligible to play now?

[cajun1300]

Uhhh - NO

[bigearl]

no, he isn't eligible?

[NewsCopy]

Cajuns land Jeanerette standout Derek Gray.

JEANERETTE — The University of Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns basketball program kept one of the top basketball prospects from leaving the Acadiana area on Wednesday, when Jeanerette High star Derek Gray signed a national letter of intent to join them in the fall.

“I’m very excited about this opportunity,” Gray said. “I’m looking forward to starting the college life, because that is where you try to be the best that you can be.”

The 6-2 guard in his senior season averaged 27.9 points, eight rebounds, 4.1 assists and one block per game for the state runner-up Tigers.

“Derek’s biggest asset is his unselfishness,” said Tigers head coach Todd Viator, who just completed his second year as the boys head coach at Jeanerette. “He was our leading scorer, but he also was second on the team in assists. We had to ask him to shoot the ball more.”

Among the reasons why Gray chose the Ragin’ Cajuns over Louisiana State University, Ole Miss, Southern Mississippi and Tulane is because of location and playing time.

“I’m really excited about the fact that my family and friends will have a chance to continue to watch me play in college,” Gray said. “UL is right there, so a lot of the fans from Jeanerette can still come see me play. Also I wanted to play. I didn’t want to go to a school where I would have to sit for two or three years and then play. UL is the best place for me, because I will have an opportunity to play as a freshman and hopefully put up some big numbers.”

Gray is not the only person that is happy he is staying home.

“I’m very happy that Derek is staying home,” said Derek’s father Dallas Gray Sr. “But I left the decision totally up to him. Wherever he would have gone, I would have still been happy.”

The rest of the story

Eric Narcisse
enarcisse@theadvertiser.com

[NewsCopy]

The Gray File
Height: 6-2

Position: Guard

2003-04 Season: Averaged 27.9 points per game, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 block in leading Jeanerette to their first ever Top 28 appearance...Scored a game-high 26 points in the Tigers’ semifinal win over Rayville...Scored 31 points in leading the Tigers to a championship in the prestigious St. Thomas More Sunkist Shootout....Scored a tournament-high 44 points in leading the Tigers to an upset win of Class 5A state champion Brother Martin in the semis of the Sunkist.

Career Highlights: Scored a career-high 51 points against Ville Platte in his junior year...Two-time member of the All-Acadiana team....Two-time member of the All-Teche team...2002-03 All-Teche MVP...Selected to play in the LHSCA All-Star game this July.

The rest of the story

Eric Narcisse
enarcisse@theadvertiser.com

[Rebel02]

Originally posted by NewsCopy

And for anyone wondering Gray is academically eligible.

Well that answers that only question I had about Derek. Welcome to UL Derek!!!!

[Jason]

A shooter to replace our seniors! Great pick up. Now all we need is for everyone to hold hands and go to class everyday!! Study hard!!