Calhoun County, AL – Basketball, baseball, volleyball players confirm their college choices today; several county players signing with Division I programs
By Al Muskewitz
If it hasn’t happened already this morning, three of Calhoun County’s most dynamic high school athletes – basketball players Alex Odam and John Broom and volleyball’s Jorda Crook – will be sending in their college confirmation today and talking about it Thursday.
Piedmont’s Odam, one of the state’s most prolific scorers, is signing with Jacksonville State on the first day of the early signing period. Broom, the anchor of Jacksonville’s Class 4A state championship, is signing with South Alabama. Powerful Crook is signing with UAB.
Odam, who will be playing in his sixth varsity season this year, is Piedmont’s all-time leading scorer (2,457). He has averaged 23.7 over the past three seasons and if he maintains that pace this year he will finish with 3,073 points, which would be 13th on the all-time state list.
“I’m excited about it,” Odam said about his signing with the nearby D-I program. “Playing for Coach (Ray) Harper and in big-time Conference USA is going to be an awesome experience. It’s kind of just an added bonus that it’s close to home.”
He shoots, scores and passes. Odam led the county in scoring (25.3) and assists (5.5), averaged 5.6 rebounds and 3.0 steals, and shot .789 from the line and .369 from 3-point range.
It’s believed Odam will be Piedmont’s first Division I basketball signee since Calhoun County Sports Hall of Famer Bob Miller (Class of 2016), who averaged 16.9 ppg and 11.9 rebounds and established several team records in two years at Auburn (1952-54) after starting his college career at Jacksonville State and serving in the Korean War.
Broom is the total package, too. He averaged 18.8 points in the Golden Eagles’ state championship season, 6.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.6 steals. He led the county in free throw shooting (.848) and was second in 3-point shooting (.443).
Crook was the dominant player in the county. She finished the year as the No. 2 ranked player in the state and her career with 2,035 kills, 345 blocks, 873 digs and 264 aces.
All three have signing celebrations scheduled for Thursday.
Later this afternoon, five Oxford baseball players will be confirming their college choices and talking about it.
Sam Robertson, who committed to Auburn years ago, will be signing with the SEC school. He’ll be joined at the signing party by teammates Peyton Watts (Troy), Drew McCormick (JSU), Hayes Harrison (NW Shoals CC) and Jackson Crow (East Mississippi CC).
