Chapin grad Jayden Leverett heads to NCAA Tournament with Vanderbilt
· Yahoo Sports
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — The Borderland has a proud tradition of having basketball talent that goes on to make an impact at the college level. From former UTEP stars like Souley Boum, to former New Mexico State coach Chris Jans, to high school standouts like KJ Lewis and Tristen Newton, players with ties to the region have moved on to bigger programs and played key roles in helping teams reach the NCAA Tournament.
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This year, Jayden Leverett is the latest local star heading to the Big Dance.
A graduate of Chapin High School, Leverett will take part in the NCAA Tournament with Vanderbilt, one of the nation’s top teams.
“We have a great team. Our coaching staff is great. So I knew we were going to make it here,” Jayden Leverett said in an interview with KTSM on Wednesday. “It’s crazy because I just used to watch this on TV, and now I’m in it.”
Before heading to Nashville for his freshman season, Leverett spent his entire high school career at Chapin, helping the program reach three consecutive Elite Eight appearances in the state playoffs.
“Freshman year, I wasn’t the best,” Leverett said. “I had a skinny frame, I was a quiet, nice guy, and Coach Lewis was always on me. I thought, ‘Does he hate me?’ But over the next two years, I took it more seriously, and my progress was just crazy.”
Now in the midst of his true freshman season, the 6-foot-11 center is gaining valuable experience, developing his game, and excited to be on an NCAA Tournament team in his very first year of college basketball.
“I’m used to playing a lot of minutes at Chapin, so not seeing as much time was hard at first. I got frustrated, but then I realized it’s my freshman year—my role is to rebound, hit, and help as much as I can. I’m embracing that,”Leverett said. “I never expected to be here. People thought I’d go JuCo or D2 at most. Being on a team that’s been amazing these past two years, with everyone rooting for us, we have a chance to make the Final Four. It’s a great experience, a great learning experience also, I am going to learn a lot this trip.”
Leverett and Vanderbilt will take on McNeese in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday at 1:15 p.m. MT.
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