BHS basketball players sign
Published 7:10 pm Tuesday, May 10, 2011
BHS SENIOR FORWARD Devon Baulkman signs a basketball scholarship with the Gulf Coast Community College Commodores as his family, coach and friends observe. From left to right are, seated, Baulkman’s father Robert Brown, Baulkman and BHS boys basketball head coach Rickey McCullough; standing, Baulkman’s brother Lee Glaze, his cousin Timothy Tarver, his cousin Rohan Gaines, Coach McCullough’s wife Pam and Baulkman’s teammate, Jamar Venisee-Cosby.
Three Bainbridge High School basketball players signed college basketball scholarships Tuesday morning during a joint ceremony in the school gymnasium’s hospitality room.
Bearcats forward Devon Baulkman, who won his second consecutive Region 1AAAA player of the year award, signed with the Gulf Coast Community College Commodores of Panama City, Fla.
Lady Cats guard April Thomas and center Bria Harris both signed scholarships with the Albany State University Lady Golden Rams.
Baulkman was a first-team Atlanta Journal-Constitution All-State selection and an honorable mention selection on the Georgia Sports Writer’s Association Class AAAA All-State team.
He helped lead Coach Rickey McCullough’s Bearcats to a 27-3 record, the Region 1AAAA championship and a berth in the second round of the State Class AAAA Tournament.
Baulkman led the Bearcats in scoring, rebounding and steals. He averaged 20.8 points, 7.8 rebounds and 11 steals a game.
Gulf Coast Coach Odell Witherspoon, who was on hand for the signing, said he looked for Baulkman to come in and be an important part of his team.
“Devon is a very good shooter and he could come in and play the number two guard for us. He could also play point guard.”
BHS Coach McCullough said he is sure Baulkman will do well on the next level.
“Devon was a fantastic player for us the last three years and I’m sure he will continue to play well at Gulf Coast,” Coach McCullough said.
BHS SENIOR GUARD April Thomas signs a basketball scholarship with the Albany State University Lady Golden Rams as her coaches and family observe. From left to right are, seated, Thomas’s mother Sharlyn Smith, Thomas and her grandmother, Carrie B. Smith; standing, her assistant track coach, Harold Smith, her sister, Amber Thomas, BHS girls basketball coach Latreisha Moon and Thomas’s sister, Asia Thomas.
The Lady Cats’ Thomas and Harris led coach Latreisha Moon’s Lady Cats to a 21-7 record, a Region 1AAAA South Sub-Region championship, a second place Region 1AAAA finish and a berth in the first round of the State Class AAAA Tournament.
Thomas, a first-team All-Region 1AAAA selection, earned honorable mention recognition on both the The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Georgia Sportswriter’s Association Class AAAA All-State teams.
Thomass also won the scoring award for averaging a team high 19.9 points a game, the three point award for connecting on 64 percent of her three point shots, and the assist award for averaging a team high 11 a game.
Harris won the rebounding award for averaging a team-high 11 a game.
Coach Moon described Thomas and Harris, who were team captains, as true leaders.
BHS SENIOR CENTER Bria Harris signs a basketball scholarship with the Albany State University Golden Rams as her family, coaches and friends observe. From left to right are, front, Harris’s grandmother Marilyn Melton, Harris and her grandmother Helen Sanders; middle, Harris’s cousin Timothy Tarver, her cousin Mycha Harris, her mother Candi Harris and her Lady Cats softball coach Eugene Singletary; back, Harris’s aunt Catrina Harris, her brother Brian Sanders, her aunt Catina Harris and her brother Justin Harris.