Walker Valley High School junior Kenny Bunton committed to play basketball at Lipscomb University, a NCAA Division I school in Nashville.
Bunton, who spent his freshman and sophomore seasons at East Hamilton, averaged 11.3 points and 7.9 rebounds in 55 career games. The 6-foot-6 forward averaged 12.5 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks for the Hurricanes in the 2013-2014 season.
But not long after the 2013-2014 basketball season ended — one in which the team finished 6-21 against a pretty tough 5-AAA and non-district schedule, Bunton made the move to Walker Valley, which reunites him with a number of guys that he “grew up around.” It also gives him an opportunity to “sleep in late,” as the school is closer to his home.
The Bison, who compete in the Atlantic Sun Conference, finished 15-15 last season.
“They’ve been on me hard since my freshman year, and they made it known that they wanted me,” Bunton said Saturday morning. “They have a great team atmosphere, and I know they’ll make me better as a man.”
He said that the Bisons’ up-and-down style was a perfect fit, but he’s ready to make that transition after graduating in 2016.
“This is just a surreal feeling,” he said. “I’ve always wanted to play basketball at the Division I level, and now I know that I’m going to have that opportunity, it’s a dream come true.”
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him at twitter.com/genehenleytfp.