Vandegrift sophomore Greg Brown, #5 last season, averaged more than 17 points a game last season and college
recoruiters are noticing. Photo by Scott W. Coleman
By CARSON FIELD, Four Points News
Photo by Scott W. Coleman
Vandegrift forward Greg Brown III had a stellar freshman season for the Vipers last year, and as a result, he was the fifth-ranked player in the Class of 2020 in ESPN’s first class rankings in early August.
“I’m going to work hard to help prove that I deserve a higher ranking,” Brown said.
Brown, standing 6’7”, averaged 17.2 points and 10.7 rebounds per game in his freshman season. His freshman season was impressive enough to earn him a spot at the 2017 USA Men’s U16 National Team training camp.
“It was a great experience,” Brown said. “It motivated me to work harder and improve on different areas of my game.”
Despite being three years from graduation, Brown has already accumulated plenty of offers from big programs.
“I don’t have any top schools right now,” Brown said. “I am thankful to have a lot of good offers, and I’m looking forward to seeing how the recruiting process goes.”
Thus far, Brown has received offers from 11 schools, including Kansas, Texas, Texas A&M and Baylor.
Despite being a nationally-ranked prospect, Brown is still looking forward to playing for Vandegrift this season.
“Playing with Vandegrift will help me become a better playmaker and help me increase my IQ by knowing where everyone is on the floor and what the best play is,” Brown said.
In his first season with the Vipers, Brown was named to the All-District 25-6A first team, and he was awarded District 25-6A Newcomer of the Year.
Vandegrift head coach Cliff Ellis does not expect a sophomore slump out of Brown, as he expects Brown to continue producing at a high level.
“I expect similar or possibly better numbers than his freshman year,” Ellis said. “More importantly, we want to see Greg continue to make strides as a leader on the court.”
Ellis also said he enjoys the attention that comes from having a top prospect like Brown for the program.
“It’s good for the entire program,” Ellis said. “It allows us to showcase to outsiders what the Vandegrift boys’ basketball program is all about.”
Despite missing the playoffs last season, Brown has high expectations for the team this year.
“We can go deep in the playoffs this year, and we have a chance to win state,” Brown said.