By T. Scott Boatright
After dominating on the Class B level in high school, Simsboro High School’s Ikeia Brown is going big-time.
Big-time as in continuing to live her hoops dreams on the collegiate level.
The 5-2 Brown won’t be traveling far to play college ball after signing last week with Southern-University Shreveport.
Brown, the Lincoln Parish Journal’s Offensive Player of the Year, averaged 25.2 points and and more than 5.0 rebounds, assists and steals per game for the Lady Tigers this past season.
As a senior, Brown led Simsboro to a 6-0 record with a 25-point average margin of victory.
“I liked the coach and campus there and knew that I wanted to stay closer to home where my parents could come watch me play and I could be around them more,” Brown said of her choice of SU-S. “Plus Southern-Shreveport offered me a full ride, and that was something I can’t pass up.”
Asked if she believes her diminutive size can translate on the collegiate level, Brown said she intends to show she belongs.
“We’ll see,” Brown said. “I’m confident in my abilities and know what I’m capable of. I just have to show them. I’m going to show them my speed and intensity and we’ll see what happens.
“But I’m excited about the opportunity and I’m going to make the most of it.”
Brown said her love of the game began on the sidelines.
“I just love the game of basketball,” Brown said. “I came from being a cheerleader and watching the basketball players out on the court and that built my interest in it. That’s when I tried out in my seventh-grade year and just started loving it and just started working harder and harder for it.”
Lady Tigers coach Matt Herring said Brown has more than a chance to be something special for Southern-Shreveport.
“The only knock on her is her height,” Herring said. “She has everything she needs. She has a great future ahead. But with the state of college basketball these days – this is easily her best opportunity. The future is what she makes of it.”
