SPORTS
THE CHAMPION, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21 - 27, 2019 • PAGE 12
Eugene Brown III, center, signs his scholarship to Ohio State University.
Southwest DeKalb’s Jayla Kimbrough is heading to Austin Peay State University next Fall.
Two SWD athletes sign basketball scholarship offers
BY CARLA PARKER
Carla@dekalbchamp.com
Southwest DeKalb High
School had back-to-back
celebrations for two of its
basketball players who will
play on the next level.
Jayla Kimbrough
signed a scholarship
with Austin Peay State
University women’s
basketball program Nov.
14, and Eugene Brown
III signed a four-year
basketball scholarship
with Ohio State University
Nov. 15. Kimbrough, who
averaged 10.1 points per
game last season, said she
signed with Austin Peay
because the school felt like
home.
“It’s close to home and I
love the coaching staff and
the players,” she said.
Kimbrough scored a
season-high of 26 points
against Chamblee last
season and helped lead
her team to a Final Four
appearance. She said
Austin Peay is getting a
competitive player.
“[Austin Peay is getting
a player] who doesn’t
want to lose, someone
who is really competitive,”
she said. “[I’ll bring]
my driving game, [I can
get] to the basket when
I need to. Getting my
teammates involved and
my competitiveness—that’s
what I’ll bring to the team.”
For Brown, signing his
scholarship to Ohio State
was a surreal moment.
“It still hasn’t hit me
yet. I still don’t believe
it sometimes, but I keep
working and keep my head
on straight,” he said.
Brown missed a
majority of the 2018-19
season after suffering a leg
injury in the fourth game of
the season. He rehabbed and
worked his way back to the
court March 2 in Southwest
DeKalb’s Final Four
matchup against Buford and
scored five points and added
two rebounds.
Despite missing most of
his junior season, the four-
star recruit was still sought
after by some of the nation’s
top basketball programs.
He committed to Ohio State
in September, picking the
Buckeyes over Georgia,
Georgia Tech, Mississippi
State and Texas A&M.
Brown said the chance
to come in and play right
away for Ohio State is part
of what attracted him to the
program.
“The coaching staff, the
feel, everything is amazing
there,” he said. “The players
are like-minded; they want
to work hard, and they want
to be great. So, I felt like I
could fit in there.”
The 6-foot-6 shooting
guard was a standout on the
court during his sophomore
season, finishing in the top
25 in rebounds (6.7 per
game) in DeKalb County
School District. Brown
said Ohio State is getting a
natural bom leader.
“I’m bringing my ability
to score, to defend and my
will to want to be great to
Ohio State,” he said.
GHSA announces
classification placements
for 2020-2022
BY CARLA PARKER
Carla@dekalbchamp.com
Several DeKalb County high schools will play sports
in new classifications for the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022
school years.
The Reclassification Committee of the Georgia High
School Association (GHSA) met Nov. 12 in Thomaston to
hear appeals about classification placements. According to
the meeting minutes, three DeKalb schools appealed to be
moved down one classification.
Chamblee’s appeal to move from Class AAAAAA
back to Class AAAAA was approved with a 10-5 vote,
Druid Hills’ appeal to move from Class AAAAA back to
Class AAAA was approved with a 15-1 vote and St. Pius
X’s appeal to move down to Class AAAAA from Class
AAAAAA was approved by an unanimous vote.
Chamblee and St. Pius X will be in Region 5-AAAAA
along with Clarkston, Cross Keys, Decatur, Lithonia and
M.L. King, Southwest DeKalb and Stone Mountain. M.L.
King moved down to Class AAAAA from Class AAAAAA,
and Stone Mountain was previously in Class AAA.
According to DeKalb County School District’s
Athletics Department, Lithonia, Southwest DeKalb and
Stone Mountain appealed to be moved up to Class AAAAA
after being placed in Class AAAA during the realignment
process.
Druid Hills moved down to Region 6-AAAA, joining
several DeKalb schools which also were moved down
to Class AAAA. Stephenson was moved down two
classifications from Class AAAAAA to Region 6-AAAA,
while Arabia Mountain and Miller Grove were moved from
Class AAAAA to Region 6-AAAA. Marist also will be in
Region 6-AAAA.
Dunwoody jumped from Class AAAAAA to Class
AAAAAAA, while Lakeside moved down from Class
AAAAAAA to Class AAAAAA, joining Tucker in Region
4-AAAAAA. Cedar Grove and Redan are remaining in
Region 5-AAA, while Towers and Columbia were moved
down to Region 6-AA with McNair. Columbia dropped to
Class AA from Class AAAAA.
Private schools Greenforest Christian, Paideia and W.
D. Mohammed were placed in the non-football A-Private
classification. Schools wishing to change regions were
heard at the Reclassification Committee’s Nov. 19 meeting.
Results of those appeals and which schools appealed were
not available at press time.
