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Cougars land 'size' prize in Northridge senior
Fri., April 30,  2004

   MIDDLEBURY, Ind. -- University of Saint Francis men’s basketball coach Jeff Rekeweg will be on a first-name basis with Eric Eaton after signing the 6-foot-7 Northridge High School senior to a letter-of-intent to continue academic and basketball for the Cougars.
    Now he has two Eaton’s on the team, though they are not related.
    Eric will join former rival Trey Eaton (Tippecanoe Valley HS) for the 2004-05 season after Eric earned unanimous all-Northern Lakes Conference selection in 2004.
   “I’m sure we’ll work through that without any problems,” a happy Rekeweg said. “Eric will have an opportunity to have an impact with our team as a freshman but it was imperative that we get some size in the program to replace the three seniors we will have next season that play the post.”
   Eaton averaged 13.6 points and 6.2 rebounds in an injury-plagued senior season, yet he battled through it all and earned Elkhart Truth All-Area first-team honors for the second straight year. He averaged 16.7 points and 9.0 rebounds over the Raiders' final three postseason games and finished as the Raiders No. 5 career scorer with 1,114 points.
  “Eric brings not only a big body but great hands and a nice touch out to three- point range,” Rekeweg said.  “He is a very unselfish player and a great teammate.  He is surprisingly athletic for his size (6-7, 245 lb).  He is very explosive and powerful around the basket and finishes very well (72 % FG).”
   Eaton helped Northridge break through and win a sectional title after falling short in the title game two previous years. Northridge finished 15-9 under coach Steve Austin including a double overtime win over Warsaw when Eaton came up really big – 30 points, 14 of 20 Northridge points in overtime, and 10 rebounds. He also was an Indiana Basketball Coaches Association Senior All-State Honorable Mention selection and a 2004 Hoosier Basketball Magazine Top 40 Workout selection.
   No question USF won out over some formidable competition.
   “Eric is an outstanding person who is willing to learn and step his game up to the next level.  Eric was recruited by (and offered a scholarship his junior year) Western Michigan, IPFW, Bethel, and many other schools.  We are pleased that Eric chose USF over some other outstanding opportunities that he had.”
  “He is a young man that I believe is capable of playing Div. I basketball but he sees the benefits in finding a good fit over just playing at the “next level”.  He is a great fit for our program and I am looking forward to watching him develop as a college player.  Eric has all-American potential.”
    USF finished 20-15, was ranked No. 25 in the final NAIA Division II Top 25 and advanced to the Mid-Central Conference championship game before losing at Taylor 70-61.

Numbers game: Eric Eaton, 6-7,  245 pounds, Northridge H.S.

Career: 1,114 points, No. 5 at Northridge

Pts.: 299         Avg. 13.5        Hi Game 30 vs. Warsaw                  Assists:  27

FG %: .723    FT%: .759      Reb: 6.1 pg 37 Off / 99 Def 

Blocked Shots: 13

Honors:
Unanimous 1st Team All-Northern Lakes Conference
South Bend Tribune Indiana East All-Star Team
Elkhart Truth All-Area first team
Hoosier Basketball Top 40 Workout selection
IBCA Senior Team Honorable Mention

-- GO USF -- 
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