<span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>Gary selects Cajuns</span>
Central's Forest joins local standout as UL signees.

Dan McDonald
dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com

A highly-regarded South Louisiana guard prospect and one of the area's premier swing players are the first two signees for the Louisiana Ragin' Cajun men's basketball program for next season.

Carencro's La'Ryan Gary, an athletic 6-foot-6 wing player who made a name for himself last year at St. Thomas More, and 6-foot-3 guard Damon Forest of Central High in Baton Rouge each inked letters of intent with the Cajuns Thursday.

The two are among as many as six signees - four high school players and two transfers - on Cajun head coach Robert Lee's wish list before the early-signing period ends Tuesday.

The Cajuns are still awaiting potential letters from 6-foot-7 forward Courtney Wallace, formerly of Brother Martin and now attending Woodlawn of Baton Rouge, and 6-foot-7 forward Aubrey Butler of Central High in Little Rock, Ark. UL also is seeking the services of 6-foot-3 guard Marquie Cooke, who played his freshman season at Virginia Tech in 2004-05 but left the Hokie squad in March and 6-10 center Marcus Hubbard of Kilgore Junior College.

Hubbard averaged 18 points, nine rebounds and four assists a game last season as a freshman. He was a 2001 Florida state Small School Player of the Year out of West Palm Beach, Fla.

Gary inked his letter at a Thursday morning ceremony at Carencro, where he transferred after leading STM to the Class 4A quarterfinals and averaging 15.3 points per game last year.

"He's a phenomenal player," said Carencro coach Chris Kovatch. "He can do everything, inside, outside. Just his presence automatically makes us a contender, and he's the type player that makes everybody around him better. He's going to make an immediate impact at UL."

Forest made the All-District 4-5A team as a junior when he averaged 15 points and six rebounds for the balanced Central High squad of coach Wes Watts.

"He's a really athletic two guard," Watts said. "He's pretty thin right now, but he can really elevate and he's really developed his shot the last two years. He can run and jump, but he's also very skilled. It took him some time to buy into what we wanted to do, but he can make things happen."

Forest had several offers including Virginia Commonwealth and most of the state schools, but Watts said UL was his top selection all along.

"We've got five seniors so we're pretty balanced," said Watts, whose team lost to Acadiana in the opening round of last year's 5A playoffs. "He was our leading scorer and second-leading rebounder, but he can play some other spots as he gets bigger. He'll play some point for us, and he's got the ability to guard guys at the two or three spots."

Originally published November 11, 2005

La'Ryan Gary