By Zach Smith, Lynette Haaland, Four Points News

Greg Brown III will stay in Austin and play basketball for the University of Texas.

“I’m extremely happy for Greg to get to enter the next phase of his basketball career,” said Cliff Ellis, head Vandegrift boys basketball coach.

The Vandegrfit senior was named the 2019-20 Gatorade Texas Player of the Year on March 19, capping off a season in which he was also named District MVP for the second straight year, a TABC first-team all-state selection and earned a spot in the McDonald’s All-American game.

Ranked as the No. 9 recruit in the nation by ESPN, Brown had narrowed his college list down to Kentucky, Auburn, Michigan, Memphis and Texas.

“I can only imagine the intense pressure in making that decision,” Ellis said. “Tough enough to choose among All those great programs and then to add in the G-League is beyond tough. Ultimately it was the relationship that the University of Texas and coach Smart built over the past 5 years in coming to the decision. They were the 1st to offer and never relented in their pursuit of Greg.”

Brown averaged 26.1 points, 13.2 rebounds, 3.5 blocks and 2.1 assists per game last season, and the Vipers advanced to the regional quarterfinals.

He finished his high school career with 3,007 points, which, according to texasbasketballrecords.com, would put him in sole possession of 18th on the Texas All-Time scoring list.

Brown also had 1,493 rebounds, 476 blocks, 188 assists and 134 steals in his time with the Vipers. He has 99 double-doubles in 121 games.

“I’m happy I get to watch him just down the road,” Ellis said. “Tough pill for an Aggie to swallow but I might have to buy a burnt orange shirt.”