Last week, on National Signing Day, three members of Hargrave’s Post Graduate Basketball team signed National Letters of Intent to pursue opportunities at NCAA Division 1 institutions as Men’s Basketball student-athletes.
National Signing Day is always an exciting day in Chatham and the 2020 edition was no different as Tyler Beard (Chicago, IL), Will Felton (Raleigh, NC) and Miles Kelly (Atlanta, GA) committed and signed to three outstanding universities. Beard is heading to Georgetown University, Felton is going out west to Arizona State University, and Kelly is heading home to the Georgia Institute of Technology, more formally known as Georgia Tech. These three young men have helped propel the Tigers to an early 4-0 record where they are averaging an eye-popping 138.8 points per game as a team so far this season.
Beard, a 6’3″ guard, had a tremendous high school career before coming to Hargrave. Since he’s been on campus, he’s been an incredible leader on and off the floor. Beard is an outstanding worker in all facets of Hargrave’s daily structure between academics, spiritual growth, character development, and of course, athletics. Well-liked by his teammates, Beard is putting up some impressive numbers early on this season, averaging 14.0 points per game, 5.3 assists per game, and he’s shooting an impressive 91% from the foul line for the Tigers.
From Head Coach, Thomas Messinger, “Tyler is a first-class young man and I’m thrilled that he’s heading up the road to Georgetown to continue his career! I’ve enjoyed getting to know Tyler and his family and I believe he is set up for success in the Big East and I know that Georgetown is excited to get him on campus. Tyler has an unreal work ethic and he’s a natural leader. His teammates are willing to run through a wall for him and I’m looking forward to Tyler’s continued growth this year. Georgetown’s getting a great young man in this year’s recruiting class!”
Felton, a 6’9″ post player, has long known of the success that can be achieved at Hargrave. Felton played for Garner Road on the grassroots circuit and was coached by Hargrave Post Graduate Basketball Hall of Famer, David West ’98. Felton is an incredible young man who has fully immersed himself in Hargrave’s culture. He has been a model student and a shining light within the campus community. A true senior, Felton was a standout in his first three years of high school and he’s continued to impress while at Hargrave. So far this season, Felton is averaging 13.8 points per game to go along with 7.5 rebounds per game on 85% shooting from the field.
From Head Coach, Thomas Messinger, “Big Will has been a big blessing for us this year! Will and his family have fully bought in to Hargrave’s culture on and off the floor and Will is benefiting from it now in the short-term but he’s also seeing the long-term positive effects that will come from attending Hargrave. Will has been a force for us on the court and in talking to the coaching staff at Arizona State, they can’t wait for Will to get out there! Even though he’s a quiet kid, Will’s actions speak much louder. He’s always on time, always looking sharp, and he’s always ready to go. These life skills will follow Will out to Tempe next year and I couldn’t be more excited for him!”
Kelly, a 6’5″ wing, is one of the purest shooters to come through Hargrave’s program since it’s inception. For his outstanding play this summer, Kelly vaulted into the National Top 100 rankings. Just like Beard and Felton, Kelly has made a positive impact on the campus community and he is an incredible young man on and off the basketball court. A tireless worker, Kelly has committed himself to Hargrave’s program and he’s already seeing dividends as a student, a young man, and a basketball player. Kelly is averaging 10.3 points per game along with 5.5 rebounds per game for the undefeated Tigers.
From Head Coach, Thomas Messinger, “Miles has been an awesome addition to the Hargrave Family this fall! He’s an outstanding student in the classroom, he’s well-liked by his peers, and he’s continuing to grow into a leader prepared for lifelong success. I couldn’t be more thrilled for Miles and his family that he’ll be able to be close to home for his college career at Georgia Tech. Not only does Georgia Tech have a basketball program on the rise but as a school, Georgia Tech ranks up there with any school in the country from an academic perspective. Miles is going to get a great education and he’ll have the opportunity to represent his hometown whenever he dons that Georgia Tech uniform!”
The Tigers are on the road this weekend before heading into the Thanksgiving break as they head to Willoughby, Ohio for the Midwest Prep Showcase for a pair of games on Friday and Saturday. Tip-off times are at 6:00 PM and 12:00 PM respectively.
