Area Athletes Beat the Early Deadline : Basketball: Serra High’s Jackson is one of five basketball players who will decide early on their college choice.

When Serra High forward Akeli Jackson signs his college basketball letter of intent Saturday with Cal State Long Beach, one of the proudest people in attendance will be his father, Kyle.

Kyle played for the 49ers, lettering from 1973-75, and he knows what the school has to offer based on firsthand experience.

“I’m very happy he’s going to Long Beach,” Kyle said. “This is his first major life decision, and in a way he’s saying he approved of what I did and he sees some positive things in my life.”

The 6-foot-6 Jackson is one of five South Bay basketball players who have signed or plan to sign letters of intent during the early one-week period, which ends Wednesday.

Last year, Peninsula made headlines when four players from its national championship girls’ basketball team signed during the early period. This year, the Morningside boys’ team is nearly duplicating that feat.

Three players from the Monarchs’ defending Division III state championship team have signed. Stais Boseman, a 6-4 guard who averaged 17.7 points last season, signed with USC, where he also plans to play football after redshirting his freshman year.

Morningside’s Corey Saffold, a 6-7 forward who averaged 10.1 points as a junior, signed with Oklahoma, and Donminic Ellison, a 6-foot guard who averaged 16.7 points, signed with Washington State.

Jill Kennedy, a 5-6 guard who was Peninsula’s first player off the bench last season, will sign Saturday with Pepperdine.

One of the things that attracted Akeli Jackson to Cal State Long Beach was the school’s plan to build the Pyramid basketball arena, which officials say could be ready in early 1994.

“I wanted to stay close to home, the head coach (Seth Greenberg) recruiting me had a lot to do with it, plus they are building the Pyramid,” Jackson said. “(Greenberg’s) been recruiting me since the ninth grade and I know him pretty well.”

Kyle Jackson, a second-team All-Pacific Coast Athletic Assn. forward in 1975, played for Jerry Tarkanian and Lute Olson at Long Beach.

“I think (Akeli’s) in a situation where he can grow and develop,” the elder Jackson said. “We think what’s important isn’t necessarily where you go, but what you do when you’re there.”

Jackson, who recently took the Scholastic Aptitude Test and is awaiting the results, plans to study criminal justice and aspires to become a probation officer.

Peninsula’s Kennedy chose Pepperdine over Boise State. One of the reasons she picked Pepperdine, aside from the proximity, was a familiarity with the coach, Ron Fortner, whose daughter Allison is a sophomore on Coach Wendell Yoshida’s Peninsula squad.

“I know (Pepperdine) is strong academically and it will be a good team, especially my senior year, because next year they’ll have six freshmen coming in,” Kennedy said.

Although Kennedy was a reserve on a talented Panther team last season, Yoshida said the senior is ready for college basketball.

“I think she’s going to make a good transition,” Yoshida said. “She plays strong. When you take the next step up, the players are stronger and quicker, and she has the body to step up to that level.”

Several area seniors said they will wait until the spring signing period before making decisions. In some cases, players are awaiting results of the Scholastic Aptitude Test.

Players drawing recruiting interest include Inglewood’s Chris White (6-3) and Givon Hester (6-4), Serra’s Arthur Tate (6-6) and Michael Boyd (6-4), Mira Costa’s Frank Zeno (6-5) and Josh Branca, South Torrance’s Jimmy Williamson, and San Pedro’s Raymond Tutt, who averaged 24.2 points last season.

Morningside’s Tina Thompson, who averaged 23.7 points last season, is being recruited by most Pacific 10 Conference schools but will probably wait until the spring signing period.