Nelson signs with Brewton-Parker College

Kevin Nelson figured he was done with basketball after his sophomore year.

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The Greenbrier senior was cut after tryouts that year and considered shelving the sport he had played since he was 8. Nelson had not seen Eric Marshall at his tryout, but guesses the late Marshall must have been watching.

The former Greenbrier standout and Wofford College guard caught up with Nelson after the tryout, encouraged him to start a strength program and gave him drills to work on.

"He just got a hold of me, just said to stay positive," said Nelson, who has accepted a scholarship to play basketball at Brewton-Parker College. "He said to work on these things and it will help in the long run."

Nelson followed Marshall's instructions and made the team as a junior. But Nelson struggled to find playing time and started another summer discouraged.

Marshall was an assistant at Greenbrier that year, helped the Wolfpack during practices and kept an eye on Nelson.

The summer before Nelson's senior season, Marshall took his pupil to Fort Gordon to toughen him up with pickup games played against teams of soldiers.

"It's basically cage basketball," Nelson said. "No fouls."

Marshall also ran Nelson through dribbling and shooting drills at Patriots Park. Nelson's playing time increased significantly as a senior. He contributed to a Wolfpack team that reached the Class AAAAA state playoffs.

He visited various smaller schools to find the best fit. Brewton-Parker gave him the best deal.

No doubt Marshall would have been there this summer to help Nelson prepare for the competition he would face in college.

Nelson's hoops mentor, who was to serve as the Wolfpack's assistant again next year, died April 22.

Nelson and his father, Doug Nelson, attended the funeral.

"I learned at the funeral how much of a leader he is to everyone around him," Nelson said. "He could have been a good head coach. He had such a good basketball IQ."

Brewton-Parker coach John D. Jones had similar praise for his signee, saying Nelson has a strong knowledge of the game and knows where to be on the court. And Jones said Nelson's character made him a good fit for Brewton-Parker, a private Baptist college in southeast Georgia.

"There are certain expectations that goes along with that," Jones said. "We're looking for high-character kids who come from good families. ... We were able to find all that in Kevin and his family."