TRENTON, Ga. -- Andrew Houts will sign scholarship papers to attend Columbus State University this morning at Dade County High School, putting another highlight in a book already overflowing with them.
The four-year starting shooting guard, who was also considerng North Georgia College, Young Harris College and Georgia State College and University, chose Columbus State in large part because the program fits his playing style.
"They are going to let me play where I want to (shooting guard) and they plan to play fast," said Houts, who owns nearly every offensive record at Dade County, including scoring over 2,400 points and making 402 3-pointers, which is also a Georgia state record. "I went down there and I loved the campus and coaches."
Houts, a two-time Times Free Press Best of Preps North Georgia Player of the Year, had talked with the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga coaches about a possible opening, but an offer never came.
"Sure, I'm disappointed in not playing Division I basketball _ ever kid dreams of doing that growing up _ but I feel this is where I'm supposed to be going," said the two-time all-state player. "I'll just keep working hard and see what happens."
Dade coach Glen Hicks doesn't hide his feelings toward Houts.
"I've told the coach at Columbus this, that it won't be long before Andrew is all-conference and before he leaves there he'll be all-American," Hicks said. "Everybody sees how hard he plays and his obvious skills, but they don't see what he does for us behind the scenes. He's never too busy to stop and talk to a kid. I mean, everyone knows him here, but that hasn't changed him.
"Honestly, as good a player as he was for me, we'll come closer to replacing the basketball player before we can the person."
More set to sign
Houts' signing is part of a big week at Dade. Three football players, running backs Michael Freeman and Tyler Wright and center Jose "Pepe" Calderon, are signing scholarship papers to attend Cumberland University.
In addition, basketball player Ben Patton is signing to play at Northwest Technical College.