May 4, 2009
Cape Girardeau, Mo. -
Southeast Missouri State basketball coach Dickey Nutt has announced that Moberly Area Community College sophomore Sam Pearson has signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball for the Redhawks.
Pearson is a 6-2 guard who played high school basketball at Hazelwood Central in St. Louis and who played his freshman season at Tennessee-Martin where played in 33 games as a backup for All-American Lester Hudson. At Moberly, Pearson was the top scorer in Region XVI with an average of 17.5 points per game. He finished in the top 10 in Region XVI in free throw percentage, 3-point field goal percentage and assists.
"I think Southeast is a great fit for me," Pearson said. "Coach Nutt has a winning background and he is a player's coach. I am ready to lead the Redhawks back to the top of the OVC. I really like the city of Cape Girardeau and the campus. Being only a short distance from St. Louis, my family will have a chance to watch me play."
Pearson's coach at Moberly was Southeast graduate Kyle Gerdeman.
Nutt, recently hired as Southeast head coach, is pleased to know Pearson will be joining the Redhawks. "I am very pleased that Sam has decided to join us at Southeast," Nutt said. "We are the lucky ones. Sam comes from a tremendous, strong family in St. Louis. He can score and defend. Sam has a strong body size that will allow him to be a lock down defensive player.
"Sam will bring a number of things to the program," Nutt continued. "He can play the point and run the team, he is a natural shooter and can go down and play the small forward position. Sam is a young man of great character who can score in bunches."
Pearson is the fifth player to sign with the Redhawks. Earlier signees include Leon Powell, 6-7, of Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa, Iowa; 5-11 Anthony Allison of Missouri State-West Plains Community College; 6-5 LaQuentin Miles of Jacksonville High School in Jacksonville, Ark., and 6-2 Marland Smith of Hall High School in Little Rock. Nutt's son, Lucas, a 5-11 guard who averaged 17.7 points and six assists per game for Jonesboro (Ark.) High School last season, has also committed to enroll at Southeast and walk on to the basketball team.
