BURN THE HORSE
UALR is expected to announce a second signing in the spring period later this week. Mount San Jacinto College guard Eric Lawton has giving the Trojans a verbal commitment.Lawson was a teammate with UALR senior guard D’Andre Williams last season at Mount San Jacinto in California. He was rated a 3-star recruit by Rivals out of high school.
Lawton visited this past weekend after Scott City, Kan., guard Ron Baker visited Wichita State. Baker, who told those involved in his recruiting that Wichita State was out of the picture because they passed on him early, changed his mind last week. He committed to Wichita State over the weekend and will walk on and red shirt this season. He’ll sign with the Shockers in November and go on scholarship the following year.Lawton was a part of a highly rated recruiting class at San Diego State in the 2008-2009 season. But the NCAA didn’t clear him and he eventually landed at San Jacinto State. This is from the story San Diego State wrote when he signed with them at that time:
"Eric is a combo-guard who has the ability to create his own shot," Fisher said. "He is athletic, and very fast and will be a wonderful addition to the program."At that time, ESPN rated him a 90 and had a lot of good things to say about him:
Lawton, from West Valley High School in Hemet, Calif., is a 6-1, 160-pound guard who led West Valley to the 2008 CIF Southern Section Division III-AA title and a spot in the CIF Southern California Division I State Basketball Championships. Overall, West Valley finished the 2007-08 season with a 25-4 record and a 12-1 mark in the Sunbelt League. Individually, Lawton averaged 20.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.7 steals as a junior. His season led to him being named the Division III-A co-player of the year by the Southern California Interscholastic Basketball Coaches Association and to the all-area second-team by The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, Calif.
Last season, he played along side current Trojan D’Andre Williams. This season, he averaged 14.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.3 steals. He shot 40.4 percent from the field, 30.8 percent from the three-point line and 70 percent at the free throw line. He got to the line 113 times in 27 games last season.
UALR signed Will Neighbour, James White and Reggie Fondren in the fall signing period. Taggart Lockhart signed last week and Lawton is expected to sign this week. UALR is still waiting for the signature of Michael Javes, who committed earlier this year.
There are still more than two weeks remaining in the spring signing period.
