5-18-10 —   Editor's Note: The following article was originally published in The

Daily Leader in Brookhaven, Miss. It is reprinted with permission.

By TOM GOETZ

Daily Leader Sports Editor

    

    Jake Reed is anxious to start playing basketball for the Copiah-Lincoln

Community College Wolves. The Brookhaven Academy senior signed scholarship

papers recently during a ceremony in the school's library as teachers and

fellow students applauded the events.

    ³I'm looking forward to getting on the court,² said Reed. ³It will be an

honor to play for Co-Lin.²

    Reed's basketball skills were strengthened last season by spending

extensive time in the weight room. He packs 200 pounds of muscle on a lean

6'3 frame.

    ³Jake is strong and versatile, ² said Co-Lin assistant coach Cliff Furr.

³We really think he can come in and help us. We have been impressed by his

commitment to lifting weights. He has gained more muscle by lifting

weights.²

    Reed agreed. ³Lifting helped my game overall,² said Reed. ³I've always

liked Co-Lin. It's the right fit for me.²

    A National Honor Society member, Reed serves as treasurer of his

school's chapter. He is undecided on his major in college.

    Reed and his family moved to Franklin County from Kentucky. He enrolled

at Brookhaven Academy in the eighth grade. His brother, Hunter, is in the

eighth grade. His sister, Cassi, is in the fifth grade.

    His parents are Tim and Teresa Reed. He is the grandson of Ben and

Brenda Dobbs of Monticello and the late Ervin Owens.

    Reed was instrumental in leading the Brookhaven Academy Cougars to an

unprecedented sixth straight MAS Class AA State Tournament championship. He

averaged 18 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals per game as

the Cougars finished 29-7.

    His performance earned him Mr. Basketball and Most Valuable Player

recognition on The Daily Leader's All-Lincoln County Basketball Team. In the

MAIS Class AA-AAA All-Star game, Reed scored 18 points and grabbed nine

rebounds, earning MVP honors in the south victory.



    Brookhaven Academy coach Dale Watts said he was happy to see Reed join

Co-Lin coach Dennis Sims' program. ³I feel extremely good about Jake signing

with Co-Lin. We are good friends with Dennis and we will be able to see Jake

play.²

    Reed will join former BA star Blaine Roberts who started for Co-Lin as a

freshman.

    ³Jake is the best athlete I've coached,² said Watts. ³He's very

versatile. He can play any position. I know Co-Lin will be good for him and

he will be good for Co-Lin.²

    The Wolves hope to rebound from one of their worst-ever campaigns. They

finished 6-17.

    Some of the latest Co-Lin signees are 6'4 forward Chris Miller and 6'3

guard Maurice Williams, both of Vicksburg; 6'6 forward Desmond Sims of Magee

and 5'9 guard Jordan Stentiford of Madison-Ridgeland Academy.