By Sam Doughton, Editor-in-Chief
Visitors to Bryson Gym this winter will be dealing with two fresh Division I signees when the women’s basketball team takes the court.
Seniors KeKe Eaton and Dominique Adams signed their National Letters of Intent to play at University of Maryland-Eastern Shore and North Carolina Central University, respectively, in November, completing a partnership between the two of more than seven years that started on the AAU circuit in fifth grade.
Their pathways to Reynolds were very different. Eaton played at Reagan High School for her freshman and sophomore year before transferring to Reynolds at the start of her junior year.
“I transferred to Reynolds because it was a better basketball program,” Eaton said. “I love the environment here.”
Adams, in contrast, will be a four-year letter-winner at the end of the season and has been through two different coaches: current coach Johnathan Gainey and former coach Derrele Mitchell, who is currently the men’s basketball coach at West Forsyth High School.
“I’ve changed different coaches since I’ve been here,” Adams said. “It’s been a challenge to change your ways with different coaches. Coach Mitchell, he was new to (coaching), but he also played here, so when he coached he did it more playing-wise, he could relate to us more. Coach Gainey has been coaching longer and he’s a little bit older so his mentality is coaching more than emotions.”
The 5-foot-9 Eaton plays shooting guard for the Demons and, according to Gainey, excels in shooting the ball as well as on-ball defense and overall team play.
“She’s a team player, even though she plays (shooting guard),” Gainey said. “She’s always looking to pass the ball.”
Senior teammate Candice Hodge, who has played with both Eaton and Adams since the fifth grade, was also complimentary of Eaton’s skills.
“She’s very quiet, but when she starts to play she’s not quiet at all,” Hodge said. “She always goes hard and pushes herself and she tries to push you as well.”
The versatile 5-9 Adams can be found playing both small forward and power forward for the Demons and serves as a perfect role model for her teammates on the court.
“(Adams) leads by example, always going hard,” Gainey said. “She’s a visual leader. She’s the captain. As coaches we never want to teach effort, but that’s always been one thing that impressed me with Dominique. If you ask other coaches around the city, they’ll probably say the same thing, (about) how hard she goes all the time. She understands what going hard is.”
Hodge also praised Adams’ hustle on the court.
“I love Dominique as a teammate because she always works hard and puts in that extra effort and always looks out for you on the court,” Hodge said.
The recruiting process ended successfully for both Adams and Eaton, as they both found schools that were a good fit for all parties.
“(NCCU) has been committed to me since day one,” Adams said. “They’ve always contacted me every day and kept in touch with me.”
As for Eaton’s destination, “(Maryland-East Shore) got a steal,” Gainey said.
Mary Garber Holiday Tip-Off Classic
First-round games
- Reagan 52, North Forsyth 30
- Atkins 71, Carver 15
- West Forsyth 59, Parkland 16
- East Forsyth 47, Walkertown 28
- Glenn 40, Lexington 30
Thursday’s second-round games
- Glenn vs. Winston-Salem Prep, at Glenn, 5 p.m.
- Reagan vs. Mount Tabor, at Atkins, 5 p.m.
- East Forsyth vs. Reynolds, at Atkins, 6:30 p.m.
- Atkins vs. West Forsyth, at Atkins, 8 p.m.
Friday’s games
- East-Reynolds winner vs. Glenn-Prep winner, at Atkins, 6 p.m.
- Reagan-Tabor winner vs. Atkins-West winner, at Atkins, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday’s games
- Semifinal losers, at Atkins, 5 p.m.
- Semifinal winners, at Atkins, 6:30 p.m.