Marlboro County High School senior Caleb Brown signed a letter of intent on Monday in the MCHS media center, surrounded by his family, teammates, friends and coaches, to play basketball at St. Andrews University in Laurinburg.
Coach Jermaine Purvis, who helped to coach Brown, said he was proud of Brown.
He coached him in middle school and beyond. Purvis remembered Brown coming to him during his ninth-grade year. “He said ‘Coach, I want to play football and basketball, but it was kind of a toss-up.’ I asked him, what’s in your heart, what do you want to do?”
Brown told him that he wanted to play basketball. “I said, you know the size that you have and you will have to put in extra work. You can’t settle for the mediocre. You really have to dedicate yourself.”
After that, Brown got a concussion while playing football. “He took that as a sign this was it.”
Purvis said he stopped playing football and put in the work to be a successful athlete.
“I’ve seen his young man grow year after year after year,” Purvis said. “I’ve always been proud of him, but to see his dedication on that level, to be determined and focus on being the best that he can be.”
He added Monday blessed his heart to see that Brown has successfully accomplished a goal that he set out to do when he was torn between two sports.
“Keep going,” Purvis said. “Don’t let this be it. To see this right here let’s you know if you put your heart to it, put the work in, anything can happen.”
Principal Dr. Jamane Watson said Brown not only got it done on the court but he also did well in the classroom. Brown had a 3.5 GPA.
“To be a student athlete with grades like that is almost unheard of, so when you look up here, seeing him sign, make sure you know to aspire to do things academically and athletically like he did,” Watson said.
MCHS Athletic Director and Head Football coach Quin McCollum told the students in attendance that they wanted to make sure that all of them put themselves in a position to be successful, be great, and try to do something like Brown did.
St. Andrews University Head Basketball Coach Randy Hernandez said when his assistant coach Randall Johnson recommended Brown, he didn’t question it.
Hernandez said what sold him about Brown was the 3.5 GPA.
Brown thanked everyone present and said it had been a rollercoaster ride with some joy and some tears.
“I wouldn’t change it for anything. The road continues for me when I start my college journey. Brown said he was glad he could show the underclassmen and anyone watching that wherever you go what matters is the difference you make along the way.
Former Basketball Coach LaTroy Brace couldn’t be there but sent a video.
McCollum said Brown was a blueprint for us trying to do bigger and better things in Marlboro County.