Point guard verbally commits to Redhawks

The Southeast Missouri State men's basketball team has received a verbal commitment for the 2009-10 season from a junior college point guard.

Jeremy Lay, a 6-foot sophomore at Northern Oklahoma College, said Tuesday he plans to sign with Southeast during the early signing period in November.

Lay averaged 13 points and 6.4 assists per game as a freshman for an NOC squad that went 19-14 and was the Region 2 runner-up in Oklahoma last season. He led the region in assists.

NOC coach Greg Shamburg said Lay is a pure point guard who is extremely quick and a strong defender.

"He can score, but he's definitely a point guard," Shamburg said. "He's very, very competitive and a really good ball defender.

"He's one of the best ball defenders in our region, and I think he'll be one of the best ball defenders in their [Southeast[']s] league."

Lay, a native of Oklahoma City, shot 56 percent from the field as a junior college freshman, including 33 percent from 3-point range. He made 82 percent of his free throws.

Asked to describe his game, Lay said: "I can score, but I'm just a decision-maker really. Whatever the coach wants me to do."

Lay said he also received interest from several other mid-major programs, including Ball State and Lamar.

"But once I came to visit, I really liked it there," Lay said of Southeast.

Under NCAA guidelines, Southeast coach Scott Edgar is prohibited from commenting on Lay until he signs a letter of intent.