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By KEVIN ECKLEBERRY

Daily News

The seniors on the 2019-2020 team meant so much to Troup High boys’ basketball coach Blake  Craft, and he’s thrilled to see four of those players get an opportunity to play a sport in college.

The latest member of that group to make his college decision is Qua Johnson, who has  committed to play basketball at Brevard College in North Carolina.

Earlier, Camren O’Neal (Atlanta Warriors) and Gabe Cofield (LaGrange College) announced their intention to play college basketball, while Trey Williams is going to play football at Shorter University.

“I played Division III, and I’m ecstatic for them to get the same opportunities I had,” said Craft, who played basketball at LaGrange College. “It’s awesome, it really is. You’re lucky to get the opportunity to play basketball. It’s one of the hardest sports to play at the next level.”

Qua Johnson, a senior, was one of five seniors on Troup’s roster last season, and he helped lead the team to a third-place finish in the Region 5-AAAA tournament and a spot in the state tournament.

Johnson was an offensive force who could get hot from outside, and he was among Troup’s leading scorers last season.

As effective a player as Johnson was in high school, Craft believes the best could be ahead of him.

“Qua is heads and shoulders ahead of most people mentally,” Craft said. “When it clicks to bring that dog out, his game’s going to go to an even higher level. He’s got the skill, he’s always been a little reserved. Toward the end of the year, he got some dog in him, and he came and played, and I said this is the Qua we want right here. It comes with confidence, and when you start playing college basketball, you’re going to have to play with confidence. If he brings that out, he’s going to have a very good career.”

Joining Johnson on college-basketball rosters are Camren O’Neal and Gabe Cofield, who will stay in the state.

O’Neal will play for the Atlanta Warriors of the Southeast Atlantic Conference, and if things go well he’ll have an opportunity to transfer to a four-year school down the road.

Cofield, meanwhile, will remain in Troup County to play at LaGrange College.

Trey Williams, a running back who had more than 1,000 yards a senior, will head to Rome to join the Shorter University football team.