Front, Jessica Henderson and Daizjah Brown signed letters of intent; back, from left, varsity coach Leon Gholson, varsity assistant coach Antonio Gilliam, and junior varsity coach Rashad Tims.
A duo of talented Thomas Dale High School basketball players recently signed on the dotted line to play college basketball. Jessica Henderson is headed to Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk, N.C., and Daizjah Brown will suit up for Pittsburgh-Bradford.
“Jessica [Henderson] was the first true point guard I’ve had in the program,” coach Leon Gholson said. “But she could score the ball as well.”
He applauded Henderson’s loyalty as well.
“In an age where players transfer from school to school, she stayed loyal to Thomas Dale,” he said.
Henderson was a member of the All-Region 6B first team in both her junior and senior seasons.
The Lees-McRae Bobcats have enjoyed some success in the 2018-19 season, going 14-14 overall and 10-10 in conference play. This week, they’ll face Mount Olive in the first round of the Conference Carolinas Tournament. Another local player, Tamara Nesmith of Matoaca, played at Mount Olive.
Brown is headed to the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, commonly referred to as Pitt-Bradford.
Gholson said Brown was perhaps the first pure shooter that he’s had in the program, but it took her four years in high school to realize the gift she had for shooting the ball.
Pitt-Bradford competes in the Alleghany Mountain
As a senior, Brown earned
