Sleeper Cousins At Indiana School

Recently, we received some information about two players from the Central African Republic, shooting guard Junior Pehoua and his cousin, power forward Lionel Pehoua, who are tearing it up for Lakeland Christian Academy in Winona Lake, Indiana.

At last look, LCA had a 15-5 record with three regular season games remaining.

Here's our reader's report on these young men:

"There are two high school seniors who attend tiny Lakeland Christian Academy (the school my son attends) in Winona Lake, Indiana who are being billed by the local media as "the best-kept secrets in Indiana high school basketball". The boys, Lionel and Junior Pehoua (pronounced pay-a-wha) are natives of the Central African Republic and have only been at the local school since last September...that's why no one knows of their basketball skills.

" His cousin, Lionel (left), is a 6-6, 245 pound power forward who has soft hands, passes and jumps well, has a solid jumper from 10-15 feet, runs the court very well, and rebounds like a wildman. Lionel's averaging 18 points and 12 rebounds per game. They're on a team that emphasizes a disciplined halfcourt offense, and their coach says both of them could average and additional 5-10 points. if he'd open up his offense. Lionel went head-to-head with recent Notre Dame recruit, 6-9, 240 pound Rick Cornett of Homewood (Illionois) Christian Academy in December and limited him to 15 points and dominated him in the lane."

The Cougars next competition is the Association Christian Schools International (ASCI) playoffs this weekend, Friday and Saturday, February 22-23, 2002.

Thanks to Joseph Pickens for tip and photos.