Albany’s Grant Raven signs with Shorter University basketball

ALBANY — Sometimes in this world you have to follow your younger sister. And that is exactly what Albany’s Grant Raven did Wednesday afternoon.

Raven, a 6-foot-6, 2020 graduate of Sherwood Christian Academy, signed to play college basketball at Shorter University in a ceremony at the family’s home in northwest Albany. That signing comes just a couple of months after younger sister Kyla Raven, a 2022 graduate of Monroe High School, signed to play college basketball at Shorter.

“It is really a blessing,” said Raven’s father Vincent. “I think having both of them at the same school will make them better. They are very competitive.”

Grant Raven was a big part of the success of Sherwood basketball during the 2019-20 season when he averaged 23.4 points and the Eagles compiled an impressive 25-7 record with head coach Kenny Roberts. But at the very end of his senior season, the COVID pandemic hit and most sporting events were canceled. Raven didn’t find the college basketball scholarship offers he wanted so he spent the next year at Middle Georgia Prep in Barnesville, Georgia, where he worked on his skills, and then the offer came from Shorter.

“There were days when I wondered if I would get to play again,” Raven said. “And now to get to play at the same school with my sister…that is really a blessing of God. I am so thankful for this opportunity.”

He had other offers but chose Shorter because he thinks he can make an impact on the team right away and he also said he also wanted a school he wanted to attend if he wasn’t playing basketball. He said going into Shorter, he believes he is an unselfish player that his teammates will be able to trust and he hopes he can bring some motivational energy to take the Shorter team to a higher level.

The signing ceremony brought together family, friends and coaches from Raven’s younger days who all had glowing remarks about the young man he had become.

Shorter University is a private Baptist university that competes in NCAA Division II and is part of the Gulf South Conference.

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