Curtis Baptist star snags offer

Curtis Baptist basketball coach Mark Halverson was afraid Rory Fields was going to get lost in the shuffle.

Fields had, after all, played his final three years of high school basketball like this: at Curtis Baptist, at Sierra Vista High School in Las Vegas, at Curtis Baptist. Fortunately, all Fields needed was one opportunity. Working some connections he made from his NAIA playing days, Halverson got Fields in touch with the coach at North Greenville University, and the coach like what he saw.

Fields will play basketball at North Greenville in South Carolina next season. Only 17, he has already lived in Atlantic City, N.J., Las Vegas and Augusta. His father worked in the gaming industry, but Fields twice moved to Augusta, where his mother, Linda McClinton , works.

Basketball remained Fields' constant during the moves, and he helped Curtis Baptist win 12 games this past season.

"I liked coming here because it was more structured," Fields said. "I was able to work hard and play basketball, too."

Fields (6-foot-4, 185) will play guard next season.

POINT GUARD SIGNS: Richmond Academy guard Brandy Washington has signed to play basketball at LaGrange College.

Washington, who is 5-2, played two years at Richmond Academy after playing her first two seasons at Laney.

She said she could earn playing time right away.

"It's smaller, and I wanted to go to a small school so I would be able to learn better," she said.

BASKETBALL SIGNINGS: Harlem senior Nicole Wells will play next season at Georgia Perimeter College. Wells helped the Bulldogs win their first playoff game in school history this past season.

Greenbrier's Ashli Clark , a 6-1 post, will play at Clark Atlanta.

SOCCER COMMIT: Aquinas senior Kelsey Davis (141 career goals) will play next season at Coastal Carolina in Conway, S.C.

Davis started for four years at forward for the Irish.

BROTHERS CONTINUE CAREERS: Silver Bluff senior brothers Kendrick and Frederick Garnett have signed to play football at West Virginia State.

Both players lettered four years at Silver Bluff and were standouts on this past season's Bulldogs team, which won their region. Kendrick Garnett is expected to play linebacker at West Virginia State. Frederick Garnett is expected to play defensive back.

ADD FOOTBALL: Two Columbia County football players recently signed to play in college.

Bryan Andrews , a Greenbrier senior, will play at Lehigh in Bethlehem, Pa. Andrews, a running back, was one of the Wolfpack's top offensive threats this past season.

Lakeside's Chad Chandler , one of the area's most prolific passers the last two years, signed with Randolph-Macon in Ashland, Va, just north of Richmond.

Reach Matt Middleton at (706) 823-3425 or matt.middleton@augustachronicle.com.