On Thursday afternoon, Belgreen students, teachers, friends and family gathered in the school gymnasium to watch senior Adam Green sign a basketball scholarship to Coastal Alabama Community College.
“(Parents are friends) are really excited and proud of me,” Green said. “I’ve had a lot of people that were unsure if I would be able to do this come up and tell me congratulations, so it’s a good feeling.”
Green’s tryout with the Warhawks was a scrimmage with the team. During that time, Green said he got to know the coaching staff and his future teammates.
Although Green had other opportunities he could have pursued at other schools, he said Coastal Alabama felt like an immediate fit for him.
“(Coastal Alabama) was the second tryout I had been to, and I really liked it down there,” he said. “I liked it a lot more than anywhere else I had been to.”
In his final season at BHS, Green helped lead the Bulldogs to an appearance in the regional semifinals in Hanceville. Along the way, Belgreen achieved a 22-9 record and took home both the county and area crowns.
“Knowing that we were one of the better teams to come out of this school means a lot because there’s been so many good teams the past few years,” Green said.
Green played a pivotal role in the team’s many successes on the court during the season.
“Adam really brought a lot of intensity, quickness and athleticism to our team this year,” said Belgreen head coach Clint Isbell. “He’s done a phenomenal job for us. And he’s not one of those players that’s selfish. He’s looking to score but he’s also looking for his teammates, and I think that’s what made him so good.”
Isbell said Green’s athleticism might be his biggest asset at the college level.
“He pretty much brought an all-around game with his athleticism,” said Isbell. “I’ve talked to Coach (Allen) Gainer from Coastal Alabama and he thinks that Adam can step in immediately and help them. I think his athleticism – his quickness, his explosiveness – it’s going to give them a dynamic that they haven’t had. I know Coach Gainer was really looking forward to that.”
Green agreed with his coach and said he believes his athleticism was a big reason the Warhawks wanted to sign him, but over the course of his final season, Green said his ability to shoot the ball improved, making him even more appealing to the CACC coaching staff.
“My shot’s come a long way this season. I’ve extended my range and I’m more consistent,” he said.
For Green, the ability to represent Belgreen as a college student-athlete is an honor, and he hopes his impact at Coastal Alabama will lead more colleges recruiters to Belgreen when it comes to finding basketball talent.
“It think it means a lot, you know, because it’s hard coming out of a 1A school and make it somewhere and get the recognition,” he said. “I think it’ll set something up for these other guys coming up and the team here because I know there’s a lot of guys that really could go play in college at a good school.”
At CACC’s Brewton campus, Green says he is thinking about studying drafting or a similar field. He also said he has plans to transfer to a four-year university to play basketball if the opportunity arises.
“He’s a great kid and he’ll do well no matter where he’s at or what he’s doing,” Isbell said. “We’re really proud of him, and we wish him the best of luck in all of his future endeavors.”
