St. Frances pair signs D-1 LOI’s

Ron Bailey, Publisher

Catholic school is still getting it done.

November 29, 2012 - Earlier this month, the venerable East Baltimore educational institution, St. Frances Academy, had a two-fer so to speak, as two of its student athletes announced their collegiate decisions earlier this month, before signing Letters of Intent. Those at St. Frances, a fixture in B’More’s black community since 1828, have much to be proud of.

Tevon chooses to be a Spartan

Tevon Sadler is a versatile player, one in which the coaches at UNC – Greensboro expect “Me to come in and play the one (point guard) or two (shooting guard)”, said the 6'5" performer. To do so, he admits having to further develop his ball handling and leadership qualities. That, joined with his athleticism and length could equate to a steal for the Spartans.

Tevon Sadler and Tyshell King have chosen their respective colleges.

Sadler had a number of collegiate options, including South Florida, Providence, Cornell, Towson and Delaware. He admitted the last “was a hard school to pass up because my brother (Devon, a junior guard) goes there”.

Nevertheless he chose UNC-Greensboro because “I felt comfortable with the coaches and the team. I felt comfortable down there. I feel as though I can adjust to it”.

Sadler - who also shared he received support in his decision from “First off my family”, as well as SFA’s head coach Nick Myles and AAU coaches - of his planned major indicated “I’m thinking about accounting”. A future entrepreneurial venture could be in his plans as well.

A 3.9 GPA owner, Sadler shared “I understand academics come before basketball”. That ethos emanates from his family, as well as Myles, who “respects the fact I’m an honors student. He always lets us balance school work and basketball”, a position much appreciated by Sadler.

King will be a Hoya

Senior guard Tyshell King, a 5’11” guard chose Georgetown University. Via a school press release, head coach Keith Brown defined King as “one kid who can put the ball on floor or shoot the jump shot. She gives us versatility and helps us in a way that we haven't seen in a long time here at Georgetown”.

King, who originally picked Wake Forest, decided Georgetown would is best for her, not just on hoops terms.
“I feel as though going to Georgetown, it’s bigger than basketball” said King during the signing session, where all of her fellow students crammed into the schools chapel, in support. She revealed designs on becoming either a pediatrician or anesthesiologist, and though King loves hoops and wants “to play basketball”, the sport a mechanism “to pave the way”.

King, highly regarded nationally – she’s ranked 11th nationally amongst guards, 44th, overall in the Class of 2013 by HoopGurlz.com – is also very resilient; the young lady’s father was recently killed.

“What he did for me, y’all don’t really understand” said King of what her father meant to her. Kind of summing their relationship, the charismatic guard said “He was my best friend”.

At Georgetown, expect Tyshell to fill the role of backcourt scorer – basically filling a void that will be left by current standout Sugar Rodgers' spring graduation.

Extra:

Many don’t know St. Frances Academy is the oldest institution continually educating African-American kids on the East Coast. Located on Baltimore’s East Side, and poetically juxtaposed across the street from the city’s jail, SFA is and has been a beacon of hope and positivity since its 1828 inception.

Of SFA, founded by Mother Mary Elizabeth Lange, a towering figure still revered, King is grateful. “This tradition is huge. It’s just a blessing for me to be here today, to say I actually went to St. Frances Academy” opined the future Georgetown Hoya. According to her, those at the school “just pushed me to be the best I can be…I appreciate everything (done for her)”.