SWFL HOOPS
Fort Myers High Teammates Make College Decisions
Aaron SeybertSWFLHoops.com Recruiting5/8/08It is only fitting that since Fort Myers High School seniors, David Westberry and Jean Louisme, have spent the last few years of their athletic and home lives side by side, that they would make a decision on where they will be spending the next couple or few years living and playing hoops on the same day. Fort Myers High School's senior backcourt duo has spent hundreds of hours fine tuning their basketball skills together in the last few years as teammates and even neighbors. They have seen a lot of good times together including three consecutive district titles, four straight years qualifying for the state regional tournament, and even a Regional Final appearance in 2006-07 alongside former teammate and current Virginia Commonwealth University forward, Lance Kearse. Well now they can enjoy another good moment together as they have both finally found homes at the next level. For both players, it was inevitable that someone would give them an opportunity to get a free education and continue playing the game they love. However, it was also a stressful process I am sure, with their being a slight bit of doubt when there weren't any school banging down the doors during their very successful senior seasons. Both got looks and interests of multiple schools including a number of division 2 schools for both, and even a few smaller division 1 schools interested in Jean specifically.
In the end, David has chosen to play basketball the next four years for Sean Hanrahan and the Warner Southern University Royals. Warner Southern is a NAIA Division 2 program, which is basically the level just below NCAA Division 2. Jean Louisme has chosen to play the next two years at Florida Community College in Jacksonville, where he will try to improve his game and look for the opportunity to pick up a division 1 offer in the future. In Jean's case, there would have definately been an opportunity to play at a top Division 2 school, but he had yet to qualify on his test scores for the schools showing interest limiting his options.
I can speak for David's case in particular, in saying that he is walking into a great situation with a great coach. According to the Warner Southern website, head coach Sean Hanrahan has worked around the country training some of the best young players in the NBA today, most notably Deron Williams of the Utah Jazz and Chris Paul of the New Orleans Hornets. That means that David has a great opportunity to improve his game as well as be a part of a up and coming winning tradition. In Jean's case, his focus will be improving his game as well, but more in the hopes of securing a spot on a Division 1 school's roster after his two years at Florida Community College are finished. The community colleges/junior colleges in Florida have a great reputation for producing some of the best talent going onto play at four year schools from a two year school. Hopefully, Louisme can be added to that list of players and give us a chance to see him on TV one of these days!
One side note to mention, is that their teammate and fellow 2008 graduate, Mike Nadeau, has decided to play basketball and football for Division 3 Saint Vincent's in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.
SWFLHoops.com wants to wish each of these young men all the best of luck in the future and wish them the very best in everything they do.
