CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Illinois men's basketball head coach
Marty Simmons continues to rebuild the Panthers roster for the upcoming season as the first-year head coach has signed CJ Lane, a shooting guard from the Florida SouthWestern College.
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Lane (6'5", 200) was a second team All-Conference performer this past season averaging 9.7 points and 3.4 rebounds per game while leading the team in 3-pointers made with 47.
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"We are excited to welcome CJ to the EIU Basketball family. CJ is a great shooter with extended range from 3. His size and strength allow him to play multiple positions on the perimeter. CJ plays with great intensity and passion, leaving everything he has on the floor," said Simmons. "He knows what it takes to win, coming to us from Florida SouthWestern College where in two seasons he helped them to a 47-7 overall record. He was named second team All-Conference as a sophomore and we look forward to him arriving in Charleston and starting his Panthers basketball career."
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Lane played two seasons at Florida SouthWestern College playing in 23 games this past season. He increased his scoring in conference play to 11 points per game to earn second team All-Conference honors. He scored in double figures in 14 games with a high of 21 points against Miami Dade. As a freshman he averaged 3.1 points per game connecting for 39 percent from 3-point range.
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Lane is from Eatonville, Fla., playing his high school basketball at Jones HS. He averaged 18 points and 4 rebounds per game during his senior year.  His cousin Jermaine Taylor was a standout at UCF before playing in the NBA.
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Lane is the latest player to be signed by Simmons as the Panthers have now added six players for next season. Myles Baker (6'3, G, Central Connecticut State/Chicago, Ill.) signed earlier this week joining Elijah Wood (6'5, G, Univ. of Nebraska/Potomac, Md.), Jermaine Hamlin (6'10, F, Univ. of Illinois/Lincoln, Ill.), Paul Bizimana (6'8, F, Haltom HS/Haltom City, Texas) and Kejuan Clements (6'2, G, Triton College/Chicago, Ill.).
