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Player of the Year 5ll iV H ";' ’Tve got a pretty nice scrap- book,” he laughs. Tve put the real- ' ,ly good ones in there." % Though opening the many recruiting letters is old hat by now, ‘0D,lj Feggins admits the first few were ilh ijj pretty exciting. Die " "The first one from the ACC is(5' was preuy special,” he says. 1 "It was from Coach (Bob) ijliijstaak and Wake Forest. Then I got uujj one from UNC-Chapel Hill, N.C. iiuj State, Clemson..." Feggins plods through the list, , -which sounds more like a compiling ' of a college basketball who's who society. Bobby Cremmins and Georgia Tech, Virginia, Virginia Tech., University of Miami, George town, Louisville, UNLy Kentucky, DePaul and Notre Dame are among the heavyweights. Howard University, Furman and S.C. State join the countless number of small schools who strive to pull off a major recruiting coup. "And the University of Hawaii," said Feggins, completing l.thelisL He laughs at the notion of a r - possible trip to the sunny beaches of Hawaii. i "Man, I don’t know where I’m ?^going," he replies. "I’m going to look at as many schools as I possibly can." Though some speculate that the ^ ACC has the inside track to Feg gins’ slices, he flatly denies it. "Like I said, I have no idea where I'm going right now. I still have another year of school to get through." Best Friends Many coaches and members of the community speculate that where Feggins decides to go, then so will i Thompson and vice versa. Feggins does not deny that he and his best friend would like to stay together. "Kevin is just like family to me," said Feggins, who first met Thompson in the seventh grade at then Philo Jr. High School. "He’s like a brother to me. He can come over to my house any time he wants to. And I go over to his house and watch television just like I’m at home. "We grew up together. We Zj would very much like to attend the j same college together. It would ■ make settling in a whole lot easier if W we had each other to lean on a little f bit. ’ 'We want to go together -• but ^ if things come up different -- then y life goes on. Kevin will always be ^ one of my best friends no matter From Page B1 IIHIIIIIIIIIIHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIHIIIIIIIIIHIIIHIIIIIIIHMIII Thursday, March 31, 1988 Wmston-SaJemOtroakie Page B3 & rv- Since the seventh grade, Kevin Thompson and Bryant Feggins have been close allies on and off the basketball court. The two say they would like to attend college together, too (photo by Randy Pettitt). Inconspicuous Start Ironically, it was football that really turned Feggins on to basket ball as his first love. As a 5-7,' 147-pound seventh- grader, Philo grid coaches were quick to persuade him into giving football a try. Spending most of his time as a second-string quarterback, Feggins was a popular and very large target. "Everybody loves to hit the quarterback," he smiles. "I always felt pretty sore after practice. I really didn't get hurt all that bad, it was just the bruises and aches and pains." He quickly tired of the sport, but not being one to quit in the middle of the season, Feggins endured the seven-game schedule and quietly hung up his cleats at the end of the campaign. It was then he realized which sport he really loved - basketball -- and tried out for the Rebels' basket ball team. His coach, Winfred Watkins, kidded him at firsL I "VFg grew up together. 'We would very much like to j attend the same college. It would make settling in a whole lot easier." — Bryant Feggins on his friend and teammate, Kevin Thompson. what happens." I Feggins says though some I schools have spUt feelings as to I who would help their program the most, several appear interested in a ^ "package deal". I "Some schools want a quality big man (Thompson), while others ■need someone on the wing. I still I think the chances are pretty good I that we could go together." And despite the bum rap that is often given to high school basket ball players, Feggins has the grades to get into school. "I know how important my school work is," he says confidently, apparently having discussed the subject many limes before. The junior spends his day at Glenn High involved in English, Mathematics, Spanish, Advanced World History, Government Eco- ^ nomics and Advanced Physical Science. Though Feggins is quick to joke of a Calculus class slowing his Grade Point Average to a 3.6, he is actually a pretty fair student. "I think I’m an average stu dent," said Feggins, whose GPA is closer to the neighborhood of 2.6 -- still above the average John Doe. On the court, calling Feggins , above average would be a severe injustice. Spectacular would be a much better word. "He told me that he hoped I played basketball better than I did football," Feggins recalled. "I think I did." Though Thompson was the star of the team, Feggins amply did his job of playing solid defense and capturing rebounds. "I was just a role player," he said. "I did whatever it took to help the team. I didn't score a lot, though." His eighth-grade season was wiped out by the reorganization of the school system, moving him to Hill Middle School. Feggins stayed after school to participate in intramurals, where Coach David Shields noticed his 5-10,165- pound frame and a lot of potential. "He just told me to work hard and he thought I could really be a great player," said Feggins. "He never let me settle for sec ond-best on the court or in the classroom. If I made a 'C, then he told me to shoot for a 'B'. "The one thing I remember the most was a saying he had. 'He who aims low aims beneath the stars.' "I didn't want to be in that cat egory." Bigger And Better As a freshman at Glenn High School, Feggins sometimes won dered if he was cut out for playing varsity basketball so suddenly. "I thought I might have to play two years of junior varsity at times," he admitted. "But then again, sometimes I felt like I could do it.” The summer before, Feggins kept his skills sharp though playing time in Robert Little's Reynolds Park Recreation Center team. He averaged nearly 10 points and six rebounds a game, but something was sdll missing. ”1 was kind of nervous,” he said. "I thought I coukl play, but when I got out on the court, I was thinking about messing up too much. When you think too much, mistakes do start to happen. "So 1 realized I had to be a leader. You lead by coming to prac tice on time and working hard to keep everyone else in sync. I fig ured the rest would come." Indeed, the rest did come, as Feggins and Thompson spent con siderable time battling seniors for a starting position at Glenn. Neither were established starters, but the two played an uncanny amount of varsity lime for freshmen. "Coach (Napoleon) Cloud told us that if we worked hard and stuck with him, then we'd probably get to start regularly as sophomores," Feg gins said. "The coaches at school wanted me to play football, but I didn't have the interest. I devoted my time to playing basketball and being the best player I could possibly be." Glenn took the Elon College Basketball Camp by storm that summer, impressing several veteran teams with a fine showing. Feggins truly emerged as a confident force when he captured the one-on-one competition. "I really thought I was the best one-on-one player there," he said of the camp. "I had to prove it to the rest of the guys there - and I did." Paying Off Though he was still second to Thompson statistically, the com mitment to the one sport he loved began to pay dividends during Feggins' sophomore season. He improved his average to 20 points a game and eight rebounds. The Bobcats as a team also began to let the basketball world know they were for real, finishing a respectable third in the tough Metro Conference. Had it not been for a pair of heartbreaking losses to Nonh Forsyth, Glenn might've taken second. But they avenged the losses by knocking off North in the tourna ment and capturing a playoff bid when the championship game was wiped out because of a snowstorm. Please see page B5 JERRY WATKINS HAS MADE m AFFORDABLE PRICES 'mm STARTING AS LOW AS $21,000 -3,000 -1.250 Cash or Trade Rebate (If you q««lifv. Call (or datallo.) $16,750 or ^386®^/mo, Ami. firanced $16,570, 12.75%, 60 JERRY WATKINS Trucks 7726 NORTH POl.NT BLVD., WINSTON SALEM, NC 27106 723-2239 1 800-822-2239 HYUNDAI EXCEL The number one selling sub-com pact car in Winston-Salem and all of America. (Source: R, L. Polk Registrations, Jan.-Dec. 1987). WHY? We Sell Cars That Make Sense! Durability — Reliability — Low Initial Cost Low Maintenance Cost — Low Down Payment and Low Monthly Payments TWO OF THE LOWEST PRICED SUB-COMPACT CARS SOLD IN AMERICA... 6250 Excel 4-Door Sedan $1 ^5650 Excel 3-Door Hatchback You can buy either of these cars now at Forsyth Hyundai, for DOWN (cash or trade) on approved credit. •Selling Price $565u. $99 Down Cash or Trade. Ik S122.08 per month. 11.5 APR. Total of Payineni On Approved Credit. Tat and I.icense not inclui :e S6250. $99 Down Caah or Trade. 60 Months at r month. 11.5 APR. Total of Payments $8116.80. ed Credit. Ta> and License not included. Don’t postpone a buying decision - Come in today! Drive home a durable 1988 Hyundai Excel. Excellent selection to choose from! We really do sell cars that make sense! FORSYTH HYUNDAI 425 Corporation Parkway Winston-Salem • 723-3524 NCL 13608
Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
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March 31, 1988, edition 1
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