Kaeden Laws, a 6-foot-5-inch small forward/shooting guard for the Mustangs, signed Nov. 18 to play D1 basketball for the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.

“I just call him the silent assassin,” head boys basketball coach Newton Mealer said about Laws. “He lets his playing do the action.”

So far in his high school career, Laws has 1,225 points, 726 rebounds, 162 assists, 163 steals, over 200 blocks, and more than 30 double doubles.

“It’s been a long four years,” Laws said. “When the pandemic hit I didn’t know if I was going to make it to this point.”

Laws said he was also recruited by Belmont, Alcorn and Grambling, but because of the pandemic, “I didn’t know where my recruiting was going to go. Luckily, the coaches at UAPB gave me a chance.”

The pandemic also had an impact on Laws’ signing, where he and guests wore masks and practiced social distancing in accordance with COVID-19 guidelines.

Speakers at the event, held in the CHHS gym, included Assistant Principal Brenda Case and Laws’ parents.

“We’re just so proud of you on so many levels,” Case told Laws, who she said has a 4.0 GPA and is “the epitome of a true scholar athlete.”

In an emotional speech, Kolumn Laws told his son, “I could never be disappointed in you.” Jessica Laws said of her son: “We saw the potential in him to play at the next level. He works really hard and we’re really proud of him.”

Kaeden Laws said playing college basketball is important to him, but he has a more personal reason for choosing to attend a historically black college or university like UAPB.

“With everything that’s going on in the world today, I want to be a part of the change I want to see in the world,” he said.

Staff Writer Billie Boyd contributed to this story.