Brainerd's Kentrell Evans takes a shot as Haywood's De'Marius Boyd guards Thursday, March 16, 2017 in Murphy Center at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro.All-state Brainerd point guard Kentrell Evans signed a letter of intent Tuesday evening to continue his basketball career at Lee University, and the ceremony at the Eastdale youth and family development center was like a church testimony service. There was much praising of God and a parade of about 20 testifiers to his work in and through Evans.
Those included family members and friends, teammates, coaches and administrators.
Lee coaches weren't able to be present, per NCAA rules, but they would have loved the words and the atmosphere.
"Kentrell is probably the most mature kid I've ever known," said Brainerd coach Levar Brown, after telling those gathered that he was a better coach, Christian, father, husband and man because of Evans. "He's definitely a leader on and off the court."
The three-time all-state player helped the Panthers make three consecutive trips to the Class AA state tournament, and he was all-state-tournament twice. He averaged 12 points, eight assists and four steals a game as a senior, and he has a 3.6 grade point average and a whole community anticipating his next level of success.
Until late in his career, Evans said, he planned to be a student only in college. But ultimately he considered a group of schools where he could play basketball, including Lane, LeMoyne-Owen, Freed-Hardeman and Berry.
He picked Lee, he said, because "it's a young team and a great program, and it's a Christian school that puts God first and will keep me on track. And it's close by, so I can keep impacting my family and my community."