Sports

Herald Player of Year Bryant signs with Okaloosa-Walton

• Two-time Herald All-Area Player of the Year Brian Bryant settles on Okaloosa Walton College to continue his basketball career.

Paul Dehner Jr.

ALBANY — Okaloosa-Walton College has been good to Dougherty High School and the city of Albany, passing eight Albany natives through their basketball program and on to Division I.

Now Dougherty and Albany are about to return the favor.

Two-time reigning Herald All-Area Player of the Year and Willie Boston Award winner Brian Bryant signed a letter of intent to continue his career at OWC on Thursday.

The Trojans star scored 29.1 points a game this past season, adding 9.3 rebounds, 3.6 steals and 3.6 assists per game.

Bryant was named Georgia Class AAA first team and played in the GACA state all-star game.

Now he will take his game to one of the top junior college programs in nation.

And it is a program that’s fresh off a 27-4 season and No. 6 national ranking.

Former Dougherty star Josh Hunter was a part of the team and has signed to play for Appalachian State next year. Kenny Ware played for OWC two years ago before moving on to Troy University.

Much like those before him, there was a special feel to the Niceville, Fla., campus.

“I have been following them since Josh and Kenny went there,” Bryant said. “When I went on the visit, it just felt like home.”

Bryant visited the campus during spring break and verbally committed while he was down there. He visited along with Region 1-AAA competitor Terrance Bowman, who, according to Bryant, will more than likely follow the Dougherty senior.

“It will be fun for us to be on the same team,” Bryant said.

The 6-foot-2 Bryant is expected to play point guard for the Raiders.

Dougherty coach Donald Poole played Bryant at shooting guard and doesn’t foresee his star having any trouble for the adjustment.

But knowing Bryant’s ability to score at will, he could envision a change of heart from the Okaloosa coaching staff.

“He can play it all,” Poole said. “They put him at the 5 if they want to. I think when they see him start filling it up, they’ll move him.”

Six players from this Raiders team, which finished second in the NJCAA Region 8/FCCAAA State Tournament, are signed to Division I scholarships including former Trojan Hunter.

“It felt real good knowing everything he said about those leaving, the colleges they were going to, he showed me on paper,” Bryant said of OWC basketball coach Bruce Stewart. “He showed me he is a man of his word.”

Bryant isn’t thinking about moving forward just yet.

He says he’ll worry about the next stop later. No sense in thinking about moving on from the Raiders yet, right now, he is just happy to be one.

“It is just an honor for me,” Bryant said.

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