GoMocs.com continues its weekly look into the Chattanooga Mocs basketball newcomers with freshman forward Lance Stokes. Lance comes to Chattanooga from Orlando, Fla., and Lake Highland Prep.
While each player is special in his own way, Lance brings a great deal to the team on and off the floor.
Mocs Head Coach John Shulman joked, "Lance is probably more mature than I am. All these kids have something in common, they come from great families. But Lance's family needs to have its own TV show.
"His dad Fred played in the NFL and gives back to the community. Mom is so involved in the community and their school. Lance was one of the top students at Lake Highland Prep and led them to a District title."
He continued, "Landon I think already has an offer from Florida State in football, I mean he is going to be a BCS-level football player. Luka, the youngest, is a special one too. They're just wonderful people really."
Even with the athletic success of his father, himself and his brother, Stokes stays remarkably grounded.
"I had all the freshmen up to my house for dinner recently," added Shulman. "I had them at the table and just started talking about Lance's dad Fred, who started on a Super Bowl Champion Washington Redskins team. And one of them looked at Lance and said, 'your dad played in the NFL?' Well they'd been together for three weeks...that's the kind of young man Lance is.
"None of them knew Lance's dad played on the Redskins Super Bowl Champs and recovered a fumble in the game," Shulman said. "Just a wonderful, humble kid."
Stokes may be grounded off the court, but his game is anything but. He recorded a scouting score of 87 from Scouts, Inc., on ESPN as the No. 66 small forward in the country. He ranked in the Orlando Sentinel Central Florida Top 20 after a strong senior campaign playing for former Vanderbilt star and Olympic Gold Medalist Jeff Turner.
He led the Highlanders to a 22-win season in 2010-11 averaging 11.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. He was MVP of the DeLand Gus Gibbs Rotary Tournament while earning all-tourney mention at the Great Florida Shootout. That came after his junior season averages of 15.7 points and 6.9 boards per contest.
"We're getting glowing reports from our players that he is playing great in pickup games," Shulman noted. "He's just a very mature kid on and off the court. He's kind of a three-and-a-half man right now.
"Lance can get to the basket and defend," concluded the eight-year head coach. "Like Trey Brown, he brings great size to the three spot, but can be a mismatch problem at the four spot. We recruited him to play the three, and he is going to have a big-time body one day. Right now he can swing from the three to the four as can Trey. They bring great versatility which breeds great opportunity."
GoMocs.con Exclusive Look at Chattanooga Basketball's Newcomers
July 25 - Brown's Ceiling Is Sky High
August 1 - Bryant Evokes Memories of Mocs Most Prolific Rebounder
August 8 - Lance Stokes
August 15 - Rico White
August 22 - Z. Mason
